Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-04-29
Ahnn1Icurions Names.

"What is in name?" is a question that can
be answered by many who have found disagree
able names an obstacle 10 success in politics OF
love. Harsh names, even absurd ones within a
certain limit, may be borne like red hair OF a
misshapen nose, as an evil without remedy,
with the best grace possible, but there are names
which pass this limit, and are Supporta6le ouly
by the stole philosophy OF northern German,
or Sioux chieftain's powers of endurance,
A French writer, whose observations on this
subject have been translated for the Savannah
Daily News, remarks that names like PicEwiek,
HogSon, Somerset or Fish, are singular enough,
but may, by meritorous conduct be endeared TO
a nations memory, and, like Milton, be made
synonym for sublime; but what exploits
would be sufficient to diSpel the comic aSSocia-
tons of such words as "Spotted TAIL "Secret
Hole or observation-disclosures Of hogs
greaseD?
Indeed next to the aboriginal hunting tribes
of North America, the Teutonic nations furnish
the greatest contingent to this part of nomen-
| clature. Next, perhaps, come the prepoSterouS
family names of the Polish nobility, or the half
sanity, Mathematical titles of old Spain. klop-
stock, the best epic poet of Germany, struggled
a lifetime to shed glory on his name, but only
with half success, as that name meant whip
ping-stick; and Gutenberg, although inventor
of the art of printing, did not dare to appear
before the world in his proper cognomen, but
rather adopted that of his dwelling place in
| Mayence, the real name being GanSet1eisch Won
| Sorgen Loeb, (goose flesh from the melancholy
| holeD
Melancthon, the pious and learned companion
of Luther awaited himself of his learning to sub
| stitute that Greek translation for the original
| word, Schwarzerd (black earth, which eXpedient
| has before and after his time, Smuegled many
| euphonIous classic names into the German and
| Celtic tribes. Three Prussian generals, quite as
| distinguished as the already mentioned South
| German hero Speckbacher, are at present win
| ming Immortality in France. Vogel Won Falken-
| stein, Eulenburg and Manteufel in literal trans
| lation, Bird of the Falcon.Rock, Castle of Owls
and "Man-Deyil," words that might strike ter
| ror to the hearts of their foes, even without the
excellent field artillery under their command. If
we descend to the lower ranks, we meet with
names that could make us forget the gloomy
significance of the very dead-list. We are called
upon to condole the death of Corporal Husehen-
bett-Gump into the bed) and privates Sch
| weinebraten, Hagelgans and Saulehrer (pork-
steak, hail-stricken goose, and instructor of
| hogs y words to which there might not be found
parallel in any American or English city di-
rectory.
A Bavarian family of large estate is that of
| the Riedesels (swamp jackasses), while others
derive their titles from similar named towns
and castles, like Schweinfurth, VegesaCk and
| LausitZ.
A curious contrast to these form the Spanish
titles: Santa Cruz de Monte Colorado, holy
cross of the red mountains; San Martyr de
| Espartero, blessed martyr of the broom corn;
and Seon de Valdepenas, lion of the valley Of
penalties.
The most curious now is, that it is by no
means everywhere possible to get rid of such
names, in the way that might be practicable
in this favored country, where congress, having
been petitioned in due form, may commute any
name into any other.
Count Fink Won Finkenstein (Finch of the
Finch's rock, petitioned the predecessor Of
King William for similar indulgence, but was
refused by that pedantic old orthodox, who adj
| monished him to do as much honor to that
name as his ancestors had done, and only once
granted such favor in case of peculiar
grieyousness, at the solicitation of the Slavonic-
Prussian family of Wiski Won Wisconsin
monkey from the monkey cage) who was per-
mitted to contract the name into Wisconsin,