Some folks have an awful time . When the Stanley Flaggs ' first boy was born there was so much rivalry as to who the child should be named for that the poor little soul had to go for two years without a name . Then a brother came along and there it was -- ` Big Baby ' and ` Little Baby . ' Finally they called Big Baby Peter and Little Baby Isaac , after the two grandfathers , and had them both christened together . And each tried to see if it could n't howl the other down . You know that Highland Scotch family of MacNabs back of the Glen ? They 've got twelve boys and the oldest and the youngest are both called Neil -- Big Neil and Little Neil in the same family . Well , I s ` pose they ran out of names . '' `` I have read somewhere , '' laughed Anne , `` that the first child is a poem but the tenth is very prosy prose . Perhaps Mrs. MacNab thought that the twelfth was merely an old tale re-told . '' `` Well , there 's something to be said for large families , '' said Miss Cornelia , with a sigh . `` I was an only child for eight years and I did long for a brother and sister . Mother told me to pray for one -- and pray I did , believe ME . Well , one day Aunt Nellie came to me and said , ` Cornelia , there is a little brother for you upstairs in your ma 's room . You can go up and see him . ' I was so excited and delighted I just flew upstairs . And old Mrs. Flagg lifted up the baby for me to see . Lord , Anne , dearie , I never was so disappointed in my life . You see , I 'd been praying for A BROTHER TWO YEARS OLDER THAN MYSELF . '' `` How long did it take you to get over your disappointment ? ''
asked XXXXX , amid her laughter .
Anne Cornelia Flagg Isaac MacNab Mother Nellie YEARS re-told tenth