Wit and Humor of America, The Vol 08

<h2><SPAN name="THE_FINAL_CHOICE3" id="THE_FINAL_CHOICE3"></SPAN>THE FINAL CHOICE<SPAN name="FNanchor_3_3" id="FNanchor_3_3"></SPAN><SPAN href="#Footnote_3_3" class="fnanchor">[3]</SPAN></h2> <h3>BY EDMUND VANCE COOKE</h3> <p class="center">"<i>Dark doubts between the promise and event.</i>"&mdash;<i>Young.</i></p> <p><span style="margin-left: 1em;">I rather thought that Alexander</span><br/> <span style="margin-left: 2em;">Would sound well at the font,</span><br/> <span style="margin-left: 1em;">While mother much preferred Leander</span><br/> <span style="margin-left: 2em;">For him who swam the Hellespont.</span><br/> <span style="margin-left: 1em;">Grandfather clamored for Uriah,</span><br/> <span style="margin-left: 1em;">While grandma mentioned Obadiah.</span><br/> <br/> <span style="margin-left: 1em;">Then mother spoke of Clarence, Cyril,</span><br/> <span style="margin-left: 2em;">And Reginald and Claude,</span><br/> <span style="margin-left: 1em;">But I thought none of them were virile</span><br/> <span style="margin-left: 2em;">Like some such name as Ichabod.</span><br/> <span style="margin-left: 1em;">Grandfather spoke for Jeremiah.</span><br/> <span style="margin-left: 1em;">And grandma favored Azariah.</span><br/> <br/> <span style="margin-left: 1em;">Then Harold, Gerald, Donald, Luke,</span><br/> <span style="margin-left: 2em;">And lordly Roderick</span><br/> <span style="margin-left: 1em;">Waged wordy war with Marmaduke</span><br/> <span style="margin-left: 2em;">And Bernard and Theodoric,</span><br/> <span style="margin-left: 1em;">While grandpa hinted Zachariah</span><br/> <span style="margin-left: 1em;">And grandma thought of Hezekiah.</span><br/> <span class='pagenum'><SPAN name="Page_1428" id="Page_1428"></SPAN></span><br/> <span style="margin-left: 1em;">We spoke of Gottlieb from the German,</span><br/> <span style="margin-left: 2em;">Of Gaius, Caius, Saul,</span><br/> <span style="margin-left: 1em;">Of Andrew, Fran&ccedil;ois, Ivan, Herman,</span><br/> <span style="margin-left: 2em;">Of Caspar, Jasper, Peter, Paul.</span><br/> <span style="margin-left: 1em;">Still grandpa stuck for Nehemiah,</span><br/> <span style="margin-left: 1em;">And grandma ventured Jedediah.</span><br/> <br/> <span style="margin-left: 1em;">From Aaron down to Zeph we went,</span><br/> <span style="margin-left: 2em;">But Fate is so contrary!</span><br/> <span style="margin-left: 1em;">For after the august event</span><br/> <span style="margin-left: 2em;">The name we really chose was Mary!</span><br/> <span style="margin-left: 1em;">Though grandma much preferred Maria,</span><br/> <span style="margin-left: 1em;">And grandpa rooted for Sophia.</span><br/> <span class='pagenum'><SPAN name="Page_1429" id="Page_1429"></SPAN></span></p> <hr style="width: 65%;" /> <div style="break-after:column;"></div><br />