Page:An American Girl in India.djvu/33

 to call that eminently plain and respectable-looking young person Ermyntrude?' Now, in view of my expressed opinion in the Glory-Emma incident, what could I do but stoutly stand by Ermyntrude? Though I don't mind admitting that in the privacy of my room I approached Ermyntrude cautiously as to whether she had any other Christian name. 'Oh yes, two others, miss,' she had replied, with something of pride in her voice, 'Victoria Alexandrina, miss.'

At that I had collapsed and hung on to Ermyntrude. So Ermyntrude she remains to this day. But in spite of what Aunt Agatha said about it being impossible to expect anything sensible from a girl with a high-flown name like that, Ermyntrude is eminently practical, and has never foolishly tried to live up to her splendid appellations. She had proved herself invaluable, and when I suddenly decided to go out to India, I mentally decided at one and the same time to take her with me. Those two months before the end of November seemed just to fly. Ermyntrude was in her element packing up. But she never quite understood why I wanted all my smartest things. A topi, a white umbrella tied with green, and something cool, was all she thought necessary. In that savage land what did it matter? It was only with the greatest difficulty that I got her to pack some winter things which she thought quite insane to take to a land where the natives went unclothed. I confess that we both bought topis, and to our great surprise