Sophronia, who was a Methodist by descent and early confirmation, was of the opinion that the child should have a Bible name.
The Captain respected his wife's wishes, but put in an ardent plea for his own name, Hiram.
"There's been a Hiram Baker in our family ever since Noah h'isted the main-r'yal on the ark," he declared.

"I'd kinder like to keep the procession a-goin'." They compromised by agreeing to make the baby's Christian name Hiram and to add a middle name selected at random from the Scriptures.

The big, rickety family Bible was taken from the center table and opened with shaking fingers by Mrs.Baker.She read aloud the first sentence that met her eye: "The son of Joash." "Joash!" sneered her husband.

"You ain't goin' to cruelize him with that name, be you ?" "Hiram Baker, do you dare to fly in the face of Scriptur' ?" "All right! Have it your own way.

Go to sleep now, Hiram Joash, while I sing 'Storm along, John,' to you." Little Hiram Joash punched the minister's face with his fat fist when he was christened, to the great scandal of his mother and the ill-concealed delight of his father.
"Can't blame the child none," declared the Captain.