E-text prepared by Al Haines
by
For that dread "move" you saw me through,
For all the things you found to do.
For china washed and pictures hung—
And oh, those books, the hours among!
For merry heart that goes all day,
For jest that turns work into play,
For all the dust and dusters shared,
For that dear self you never spared:
And most of all, that all of it
Was light with laughter, spiced with wit—
Take, dear, my love, and with it take
The little book you helped to make.
First Edition . . . . . . . July, 1913
Cheaper Edition . . . . . . September, 1919
Reprinted . . . . . . . . . January, 1925
"Father, what d'you think we'd better call him?" Mrs Gallup asked, whenthe baby was a week old; "have you thought of a name?"
"I've fixed on a name," her husband replied, triumphantly. "Thechild shall be called Eloquent."
"Eloquent," Mrs Gallup repeated, dubiously. "That's a queer name,isn't it? 'Tisn't a name at all, not really."
"It's going to be my son's name, anyhow," Mr Gallup retorted,positively. "I've thought the matter out, most careful I've consideredit, and that's the name my son's got to be called . . . EloquentGallup he'll be, and a very good name too."
"But why Eloquent?" Mrs Gallup persisted. "How d'you know as he'llbe eloquent? an' if he isn't, that name'll make him a laughing-stock.Suppose he was to grow up one of them say-nothing-to-nobody sort ofchaps, always looking down his nose, and afraid to say 'Bo' to a goose:what's he to do with such a name?"
"There's no fear my son will grow up a-say-nothing-to-nobody sort ofchap," said Mr Gallup, boastfully. "I'll take care of that. Now youlisten to me, mother. You know the proverb 'Give a dog a bad name'——"
"I never said it was a bad name," Mrs Gallup pleaded.
"I should think you didn't—but look here, if it's true of a bad name,mustn't it be equally true of a good one? Why, it's argument, it'slogic, that is. Call a boy Eloquent and ten to one he'll beeloquent, don't you see?"
"But what d'you want him to be eloquent for?" Mrs Gallup enquiredalmost tearfully. "What good will it do him—precious lamb?"
"There's others to be thought of as well as 'im," Mr Gallup remarked,mysteriously.
"Who? More children?" asked Mrs Gallup. "I don't see as he'd need tobe eloquent just to mind his little brother or sister."
"Ellen Gallup, you listen to me. That babe lying there on your kneewith a red face all puckered up is going to sway the multitude." MrsGallup gasped, and clutched her baby closer. "He's going to be one ofthose whose voice shall ring clarion-like"—here Mr Gallupunconsciously raised his own, and the baby stirred uneasily—"over"—hepaused for a simile—he had been going to say "land and sea," but itdidn't finish the sentence to his liking, "far and wide," he concluded,rather lamely.
Mrs Gallup made no remark, so he continued: "Eloquent Gallup shall be apolitician. Some day he'll stand for parlyment, and he'll get in...