Hope, leaning over the back of her chair, scanned the list beginning with a's and thoughtfully read aloud, "Abigail, Achsa, Ada, Adaline, Addie, Adela, Adelaide, Adora, Agatha, Agnes, Alethea, Alexandra, Alice, Almeda, Amanda, Amarilla, Amy, Angeline, Anna, Annabel, Antoinette, Augusta, Aurelia, Aurora, Avis,—that last one isn't so bad—"
"It isn't so good, either," Peace retorted. "It sounds like the thing you fall into when you tumble off a steep mountain. I wouldn't want a baby of mine called that."
"Abyss, you mean," suggested Hope, when the other sisters looked mystified. "No one else would ever think of such a thing."
"No one else needs to. I'd do thinking enough for all if I tacked such a name on a little baby that couldn't help itself."
It was very evident that Peace had taken a deep dislike to the name, so Hope said no more, and they turned their attention to the next letter with no better success. Peace was too critical to be easily satisfied, and when the whole list had been thoroughly considered several times, she sighed, "There is only one nice name on the page."
"And that is—?" Hope ventured.
"Elizabeth."
"But that is Mrs. Strong's name!" all three chorused.
"Don't I know it? And can't a baby be named for its mother? Gail was. The only trouble is there is no other pretty name to go with it. Nothing rhymes with it, and none of the other e's are nice enough."
"Hasn't Mrs. Strong a sister named Esther?" asked Cherry, consulting the list again.