little girl in England, the big brothers hunted up the
lists from the dictionary, atlas, almanac, and Bible, and reviewed them.
But when the autumn days had been stitched and discussed away and winter
had come in, the family was still undecided. What pleased one big
brother did not please another; and if two agreed, the third opposed
them. The little girl's mother was even harder to suit than they.

The afternoon of the first birthday anniversary two important things
happened: the baptismal robe was finished and the christening
controversy took a new turn. The big brothers, arguing hotly, urged that
if a name could be found for every new calf and colt on the place, the
only baby in the house ought to have one. Now, the little girl's mother
always named the animals, so, when she heard their reproof, she promptly
declared that she would christen the little girl at once--and after an
English queen.

The big brothers were astounded, recalling how their American father had
objected to their having been named after English kings. But their
mother, unheeding their exclamations, wrote down a new list, which
started at Mary Beatrice and included all the consorts she could
remember. But when the queens had been considered from first to last,
and the little girl's mother had made up her mind fully and finally, the
house was again torn with dissension. The eldest brother favored
Elizabeth; the biggest, Mary; and the youngest, Anne. The little girl,
happy over a big, blue glass ball with a white sheep in the center,
alone was indifferent to the dispute, and crooned to herself contentedly
from the top of the pile of hay twists.

But, in spite of the wishes of the big brothers, the christening would
have been decided that day and forever if it had not been for one
circumstance. The eldest brother, protesting vigorously against every
name but Elizabeth, demanded of the little girl's mother what she had
selected.

"Caroline Matilda," she said firmly.

The eldest brother sprang to his feet like a flash, knocking over a
bench in his excitement.

"Caroline Matilda!" he roared, waving his arms--"Caroline Matilda!"

And the little girl, frightened at his shouting, dropped the blue glass
ball, and scurried under the bed.

It was plain, therefore, that she did not like the name her mother had
chosen. So the christening continued to disturb the farm-house. By
spring the eldest and the youngest brothers were calling the little girl
An