“And now,” said Alice, going up to her husband, “what is his name to be?”
“One that he will never have cause to be ashamed of,” replied Charley.
Alice drew back in surprise. Up to this point she had looked upon the thing as a joke, and enjoyed it, too, as so characteristic of her husband. This time, however, he had not smiled, as usual. On the contrary, he betrayed, both in voice and look, a certain suppressed excitement. She imagined, even, that he was a trifle pale; and her heart began to flutter a little, she knew not why.
The column halted when it reached the closed parlor door. Here Charley took the sleeping boy in his arms.
When the audience within heard the knob rattle, the excitement was intense. It was dissipated, in an instant, by the sight of Charley bearing the child.
In this wide world there lives not a woman who can look upon a bearded man, with his first infant in his arms, without smiling.
The admiring ohs and ahs made the young mother’s heart beat high with joy. And who shall call her weak, because she forgot that they are to be heard at every christening? In the name of pity, let us sip whatever illusive nectar chance flowers along our stony path may afford!
Every one noticed how awkward Charley was in handing the baby to the minister; while the good man, on the contrary, received an ovation of approving smiles for his skill in holding him.
The little fellow, himself, appeared to feel the difference. He nestled, at any rate, against the comfortable shoulder, and threw his head back; and his little twinkling nose, pointing heavenward, seemed to say that he knew what it all meant.
“Name this child!”