An adorable smile illumined the tiny face at the first kindly awakening it
ever had known.

"_You_ won't let them 'get' me, will you?" she triumphed.

"You know it!" he answered conclusively. "Now I'll wash your face, cook
your breakfast, and fix you at the window where maybe you can see birds
going across. Think of that, Lily! Birds!"

"My name's Peaches!" said the child.

"So 'tis!" said Mickey. "But since you arrived to such bettered
conditions, you got to be a lady of fashion. Now Peaches, every single kid
in the Park is named _two_ names, these days. Fellow can't have a foot
race for falling over Mary Elizabeths, and Louisa Ellens. I can't do so
much just to start on, 'cause I can't earn the boodle; fast as I get it,
you're going to line up; but nachally, just at starting you must begin on
the things that are not expensive. Now names don't cost anything, so I can
be giving you six if I like, and you are a lily, so right now I'm naming
you Lily, but two's the style; keep your Peaches, if it suits you. Lily
just flies out of my mouth when I look at you."

This was wonderful. No cursing! No beating! No wailing over a lame-back
brat to feed. Mickey _liked_ to give her breakfast! Mickey named her for
the wonderful flower like granny had picked up before a church one day, a
few weeks ago and in a rare sober moment had carried to her. Mickey had
made her feel clean, so rested, and so fresh she wanted to roll over the
bed. With child impulse she put up her arms. Mickey stooped to them.

"You goin' to have two names too," she said. "You gotter be fash'nable. I