Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1896-11-26
INFLUENTIAL NAMES.
THERE ARE SOME THAT BRING GOOD
LUCK; OTHERS, THE REVERSE.

GoONg "
How a Man Lost n Fortune and Took an
Unsatisfactory Wife - Why Napoleon
Chose n Certain Messenger-The Good
Luck of Trottermarsh.
IL does not seem feasible at first thought
that a persons name could have anything
material to do with his success In life,
much less that IL could occasionally prove
To be the pivot upon which the loss or gain
of solid wealth Is made to hinge, yet de-
spite the abstract truth that the sound OF
ones name cannot actually make or mar
ones destiny it undoubtedly often has
curious influence upon ones career, either
for good or for otherwise.
Speaking generally, 1t must be admitted
that most Of us are apt, without Mt all
knowing why, to mentally attach sort OF
dignity or Importance to the possessor of a
fine sounding surname and vice versa, and
il Is equally true that very odd, uncom-
mon names, by catching on the memory
and coming most readily To the tongue,
sometimes bring their owners slices of
good fortune that they would never other
wise have enjoyed. So IL Is no exaggeration
to say that many n person owes his posi-
ton to the mere fact Of his having a
"lucky" name, and that on the other
hand, others suffer from the reverse case
So many instances OF this keep cropping
up that the question Is placed beyond
doubt.
Perhaps it is rare indeed that the mere
sound of name has been made to stand
between person and what to all intents
and purposes might be regarded rs IA for
tune This, however, was really the sin
gularly hard case of gentleman with
whom the writer had a slight acquaint-
ance some years ago, and the circumstances
were peculiar TO degree
He (the gentleman in question: had been
led TO expect a very handsome legacy from
rich old spinster relative, and, on the
strength of the doctors report that her
days were numbered, proposed to take
wife and set up in business. The aged rela-
tive died, the bequest was even more sub
stantial than he had anticipates nothing
was amiss except the one eccentric condi-
ton that, upon taking over the money, he
was also to take over the deceased s family
name and perpetuate It,
This seemed IA simple matter enough,
but it eventually robbed him of his legacy
and marred all his prospects. The name In
question CHANGED to be one that, If not
downright Objectionable from the point of
view of euphony, would jar on ears poetical
and set up an inevitable litter, and the
prosl cctive bride declared at once that she
would sooner remain single than be known
by IL. Finally the worried legatee gave up
his money and chose the wife instead. The
ironical humor of the situation lay chiefly
in the fact that, as he subsequently discov
ered he had won virago as well as lost
IA small fortune
The fact that there may be marked
luck in name was perhaps never more
strikingly exemplifled than by the follow
ing historical incident: 1t was shortly be-
fore the awful flight of the French legions
before Moscow when it became rumored in
camp that Napoleon required some daring
spirit to execute u delicate enterprise which,
although dangerous was certain to prove
very profitable if successful.
Anticipation was keen and breathless
| while the great man scanned long list of
| those of his officers who had volunteered To
undertake the risk. He could not decide,
but 4 curious name on the list caught his
attention meanwhile, and n within seized
him, as he subsequently owned.
"Who is this man? Bring him to me"
| he ordered, and the owner of the name was
brought, stared ut for a time and dispatch
! ed haphaZard on the errand. He was sue
cessful, and on his return Napoleon pro
NOTED him and handed him IA most valu-
able ring from his own finger, remarking,
"Your name, sir, should certainly prove
| your fortune"
Most people must at some time or other
have come into contact with persons whose
names have seemed perpetually to bring
them into prominence when there was no
t1
Such cases make one think that Whiting
ton, for instance, owed some of his success
to his catchy name and to the fact that
the bells could appear to jangle it.
On the same footing with the present
writer at school years ago was u youth re-
! joicing in the uncommon appellation of
TrCttermarsh. True, the possessor was
| the recipient of considerable chaff from his
fellows, but the laugh was VIGOROUSLY on
the other side when, as frequently happen
| ed, the headmaster required one of the
scholars to perform for him private tasks
and errands which were always well re-
warded. The latter was absentminded, and
nine times out of ten Trottermarsh was
the only name he could remember on the
! spur of the moment. The especial piece of
luck in this instance was that the curious
ly named one, being In this way frequent
| ly brought into contact with the masters
pretty daughter, eventually contrived to
win her for his wife, and no doubt has been
much the gamer by the transaction.
Names make good deal of difference
nowadays. Some thin skinned persons, 1t
is well known, suffer great misery through
out life because of the fact that their names
are apt, when pronounced in public, to set
up an involuntary giggle. In love affairs
especially is it often shown how much may
hang upon "a name. Many man has set
about his wooing confidently enough, but
the romantic element gives place 10 the
ludicrous at once when he owns to possess
ing name that Is the reverse of poetical
1t is not at all improbable that he may
hear, ooh, L could never go through life
with "a name of that descriptionp'
A well sounding name on well polish
ed brass plate has "A good deal to do with
the success of medical practitioner, say
in rising neighborhood, where the doctor
and his patients are newcomers and the
choice of the former by the latter is much
Of lottery. "John Brown, M. d., " looks
poor, but let the name be "Golightly
Brown, Physician and Surgeon" and pub
lie confidence is at once secured. The same
may be said of authors, where title page