Lavendar, but I doubt whether the number of minims could be compu--"
"Hullo! there's Horace; how d'ye do, Horace? How's Jim this
morning?"--and so on; the old friendly greetings of all the friendly
years.... Surely nothing in them to make the child thoughtful?
Suddenly David got up and came and stood beside him.
"What is your name?"
"N. or M.," Dr. Lavendar replied.
"What, sir?" said David, in a troubled voice; and Dr. Lavendar was
abashed.
"My name is Edward Lavendar, sir. Why do you want to know?"
"Because, yesterday everybody said 'Dr. Lavendar.' I didn't think
Doctor could be your front name. All the other people had front
names."
"Well, I have a front name, David, but you see, there's nobody in Old
Chester to call me by it." He sighed slightly, and then he smiled.
"The last one who called me by my front name is dead, David. John was
his name. I called him Johnny."
David looked at him with wide eyes, silent. Dr. Lavendar took his pipe
out of his mouth, and stared for a minute at the fire.
"I should think," David said sadly, "God would be discouraged to have
_everybody_ He makes, die."
At that Dr. Lavendar came quickly out of his reverie. "Oh, it's better
that way," he said, cheerfully. "One of these days I'll tell you why.
What do you say to a game of dominoes?"
David squeaked with pleasure. Then he paused to say: "Is that lady,
Alice's aunt?" and Dr.
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