THE MANSE AND ITS INMATES. 341 



and I might as well not think at all ; and I have so very little patience; 

 and I am afraid that I am not very vety good natured. Mamma, what 

 are they called? I th^nk if I thought of their names, and got accus- 

 tomed to them, I should not feel so strange." 



" The names of the two eldest are Caroline and Matilda, I do 

 not remember hearing that of the youngest." 



" Not hearing of it, mamma ! Your own sister's child ! Surely that 

 is very strange V 



"The youngest of a family," said Mrs* M'Niel, rather evasively, 

 " especially as in this case, where the difference of age is great, often 

 continues so long to be called, ' the child,' ' the infant,' or ' baby,' 

 that one is apt to foi-get it has a name." 



" When did my cou!<in Ruth die, mamma?' 



'* Your cousin Ruth? You never had a cousin Ruth, my dear.'' 



" I thought, mamma, that the eldest daughter was always called 

 after its mamma's mother, and the second after its papa's, and the 

 eldest son after its papa's father, and the second after its mamma's." 



" That is a rule by no means universal, though frequently followed 

 in Scotland, In England I am not aware of any custom of the kind. 

 I was christened Ruth, after my mother; and your aunt Isabella, 

 after an old lady who stood godinother to her. The names of our 

 grandmothers were Esther and Sarah." 



"And who, then, were Caroline and Matilda called after'?'' 



" I do not think after any one ; they were names your aunt was 

 partial to.'' 



" Then I am sure it was very odd and unkind in my aunt to call 

 her children after nobody at all ; when your name was Ruth, and 

 grandmamma's too.'' 



" Do not say unkind, Liiy ; your aunt thought it of no conse- 

 quence being called after any one ; and she had strong likino-s and 

 dislikings to particular names." 



'« Well, I am glad you and papa had no likings and dislikino-s to 

 particular names, but called us after people that you loved. All our 

 names remind us of somebody in the good old Scotch fashion, and 

 show that we belong to somebody. Ruth is called both after you 

 and grandmamma?" 



" Yes." 



"She is a lucky girl ! And I am called after papa's mother?" 



"Yes, my dear.'' 



"And Isabella after my aunt. Ah! you thought of her, and 

 G race — " 



"Grace is called after your papa's sister, my dearest friend, 

 Grace M'Niel." 



Tears stood in Mrs. M'Niel's eyes. "Ah, mamma," cried Lily, 

 " I am sorry I mentioned dear aunt Grace.'' 



" Do not be sorry, my love ; your papa and I have no greater 

 pleasure than in talking of her. The loveliest of the lovely, and 

 pride of every eye ! The best of the good, and delight of every 

 heart! Grace M'Niel never cost a moment's pain to any friend she 

 had but when she suffered herself; and even her death, that irre- 



MM.— No. 4. 2B 



