She paused a moment, and then said, "Miss Fosbrook, may I ask one
question? What is your name? Mamma said it must be Charlotte,
because you signed your letter Ch. A. Fosbrook, but your little
sister's letter that you showed us began 'My dear Bell.' If it is a
secret, indeed I will keep it."
"It is no secret at all," said Miss Fosbrook, laughing. "My name is
Christabel Angela."
Elizabeth opened her eyes, and said it by syllables. "Christabel
Angela! that's a prettier name than Ida. Does it make you very glad
to have it?"
"I like it for some reasons," said Miss Fosbrook, smiling.
"Oh, tell me!" cried Bessie. "Mamma always says we should not be a
bit happier if our names were pretty ones; but I don't know, I feel
as if one would; only the others like to make things plainer and
uglier than they are."
"I never could call your name ugly; it is such a dignified, old,
respectable name."
"Yes; but they call me Betty!"
"And they call me Bell, and sometimes Jelly-bag and Currant-jelly,"
said Miss Fosbrook, laughing and sighing, for she would have liked to
have heard those funny names again.
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