poems. But I expect even Thomas a Becket was called Tom in his own
family."

Miss Scudamore looked sharply at Tom, but he had a perfect command of
his face, and could talk the greatest nonsense with the most serious
face. He went on unmoved with her scrutiny.

"I have often wondered why I was not christened Tom, It would have
been much more sensible. For instance, Rhoda is christened Rhoda and
not Rhododendron."

"Rhododendron?" Miss Scudamore said, mystified.

"Yes, aunt, it is an American plant, I believe. We had one in the
green-house at home; it was sent poor papa by some friend who went out
there, I don't see anything else Rhoda could come from."

"You are speaking very ignorantly, nephew," Miss Scudamore said
severely. "I don't know anything about the plant you speak of, but the
name of Rhoda existed before America was ever heard of. It is a very
old name."

"I expect," Peter said, "it must have meant originally a woman of
Rhodes. You see Crusaders and Templars were always having to do with
Rhodes, and they no doubt brought the name home, and so it got settled
here."

"The name is mentioned in Scripture," Miss Scudamore said severely.

"Yes, aunt, and that makes it still more likely that it meant a woman