And the cows are in the corn."
Then she poured a little of the holy water on Hannah's forehead (wet hair might occasion unanswerable questions) and baptized her "Hannah Agnes Ignatius Joseph."
Called upon for a response, the godmother recited very impressively the Scientific Statement of Being as found in the Christian Science text-book, and Hannah was pronounced a Gentile and a Catholic.
One thing more remained to be done. Hannah ran to her mother, cheeks aglow. "Mama, may I trade my striped ball to Nellie for some beads?"
"Why of course, darling, if you wish."
The exchange was made, and some time was spent in mastering the use of the rosary. All three of the children knew the "Our Father," though there was some difference of opinion as to "debts" and "trespasses" which is apt to hold in all mixed congregations. The "Hail Mary" proved a bit difficult for Hannah, and she finally abandoned it. "I'll say, 'Hear, oh Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One,'" she said. "I already know that, and a prayer is a prayer, isn't it?"
Nellie refilled the holy-water bottle from the kitchen hydrant, and hurried home to replace it before her grandmother should awaken. Hannah spent the next hour lying flat on her stomach printing letters, appealing to Virginia from time to time for aid as to the spelling, Virginia being a very superior speller.
Mrs. Joseph was busy with callers when Virginia went home, and Hannah was left to her own devices. Suddenly she thought of one stone that had been left unturned: there was her friend Mr. Jackson to whom the Lawrences always appealed in time of stress. She knew the formula, she knew his number, for on the list by the Lawrences' telephone, his name, like Abou-ben-Adhem's, led all the rest. "Main 1234," it was as easy as counting. She slipped into the telephone closet and closed the door.
There was no trouble with Hannah that night. She went to bed early, and didn't care to have any stories told—she could go to sleep by herself.
"Quite a change of heart, eh?" Eli commented to Rose, as they sat by the living-room fire after telling their little girl good night.