The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1869-05-01

the Judgment Of the Circuit Court
800 efs n About Names,
The common notion is that there il net much
in name. "A rose BY any nsme,' and so forth.
Doubtless it would be difficult to conceive of .
handsome, sprightly, intelligent young lady burr,
dened with the name of Arabella Isabella Dola.
bella Dubbs. But the common names of Smith.
and Jones, and Brown, and Hobbs, and Dobb,
and the like-whatever may have been the origi-
nal Specification Of these family patroay,aics--
are in their application to individuals in these
days meaningless Convenience, however, oo-
oasionally demands that individuals bearing sucl,
names should have more significant appellations-
Hence the public take the liberty sometimes "a
giving them pre6xes as Big Smith, Little Smith,
Stubby Smith, Classy jones, &c. In all our
archaeological researches, we never discovered
that the name Hays, especially with an e, had any
meaning etconvenience often required us tore.
fer to an individual of that name in such a wav
as to eliminate him from the great Hayes family
with an e) We could think of no word in tho
English language that described him 50 perfectly
that at once presented hin, in such bold out
line, as the word Blower So as innocer rsly and
naturally as people say Little Smith or BIG
Smith, we said Blower Hayes" The prefix, it
seems, don't please him. In fact he grows wrathy
about it Had he revealed to us sooner the
whole of his ponderous name-the multitudin.
ous initials J. F. G. and so on, and spelled them
out in full, Jehoshaphat Fitzdoodle Calibaa. or
whatever euphonious syllables they may ssand
for, possibly we might have been able to individ.
uslize him without using the shorter and more
descriptive prefix of "Blower." Certainly we
should have done 90. had we been aware of tho
happy coincidence between certain prominent
characteristics and the Gaming of the name
Hayes as expounded to usby himself in the word
'high" Of course he is "high old boy"-sia
feet in his stockings--utters great high words,
high above most peoples comprehension-in
short. lofty fights Of fancy, and getting high
seem to run in the family. We like the word.
"Hish Old Hayes" the word '.old" is necessary
to distinguish him from the junior member of tho
frm) ssits us, and being his own suggestion, can
give no ofense. But to the other word, Estates.
man, really we must be excused We dislike
to be 'sarcastical," and surely the word, ~ suca
connection, could never be used except in tho
broadcast Pickwickian sense. Old Hays or
High" as statesman That would be little
too servere. We must have some regard tor
peoples vest buttons. sm e. sara ea
Having fully accepted his etymology and def
nitiou Of his own name, being willing to concedo
his Welsh origin, and even to say he is q Welsh.
man-if the Welsh can stand tive claim in re-
turn the courtesy Of being allowed to trace tho
origin Of our own name. o., Latin for bone,
sndm for hand-bone-hand, hvaing reference
| probably to the bony handed or 'har1 listed
yeomanry" Of the north Of Englsnd, whence the
family tradation has it our progentors originally
migrated. Such an etymology Of orr name Wa
take to be entirely legitimate.
And now having arrived at q friendly UNDER
standing with our neighbor about names, we
hope there will be no moro unpleasantness on
that score. tga
The EAGLE Mills undoubtedly manufacture
and sell the best dour in the county. and as good