Annie Kilburn

"Her name is Idella," said the minister.

Annie thought it very ugly, but, with the intention of saying something

kind, she said, "What a quaint name!"

"It was her mother's choice," returned the minister. "Her own name was

Ella, and my mother's name was Ida; she combined the two."

"Oh!" said Annie. She abhorred those made-up names in which the New England

country people sometimes indulge their fancy, and Idella struck her as a

particularly repulsive invention; but she felt that she must not visit the

fault upon the little creature. "Don't you think you could give me another

trial some time, Idella?" She stooped down and took the child's unoccupied

hand, which she let her keep, only twisting her face away to hide it in her

father's pantaloon leg. "Come now, won't you give me a forgiving little

kiss?" Idella looked round, and Annie made bold to gather her up.

Idella broke into a laugh, and took Annie's cheeks between her hands.

"Well, I declare!" said Mrs. Bolton. "You never can tell what that child

will do next."

"I never can tell what I will do next myself," said Annie. She liked the

feeling of the little, warm, soft body in her arms, against her breast,

and it was flattering to have triumphed where she had seemed to fail so

desperately. They had all been standing, and she now said, "Won't you sit

down, Mr. Peck?" She added, by an impulse which she instantly thought

ill-advised, "There is something I would like to speak to you about."

"Thank you," said Mr. Peck, seating himself beyond the stove. "We must be

getting home before a great while. It is nearly tea-time."

"I won't detain you unduly," said Annie.

Mrs. Bolton left them at her hint of something special to say to the

minister. Annie could not have had the face to speak of Mr. Brandreth's

theatricals in that grim presence; and as it was, she resolved to put

forward their serious object. She began abruptly: "Mr. Peck, I've been

asked to interest myself for a Social Union which the ladies of South

Hatboro' are trying to establish for the operatives. I suppose you haven't

heard anything of the scheme?"

"No, I hadn't," said Mr. Peck.

He was one of those people who sit very high, and he now seemed taller and

more impressive than when he stood.

"It is certainly a-very good object," Annie resumed; and she went on to

explain it at second-hand from Mr. Brandreth as well as she could. The

little girl was standing in her lap, and got between her and Mr. Peck, so

that she had to look first around one side of her and then another to see

how he was taking it.