The record-union., 1897-08-07
DICK
The Story of the Choice of a Name.

Far back in the annals of the past,
when the first of the Hanoverian line
succeeded the last of the house of Stuart
in the Kingdom of Great Britain, and
the first of the four Georges sat upon
the throne, there lived in one of the
quaint old towns of England, near the.
sea, queer little man-little as regard
ed his length rather than his breadth
but queer in every direction-queer in
his person, queerer in his manners, but
queerest of all in his conceits-who re-
joiced in the name of Dick-not Richard,
but Dick. To the commonplace people
who were his fellow townsmen, there
was nothing particularly interesting in
such name; and even the more imagi-
native of the human family, had they
been there, might possibly have failed
to discover wherein its attractiveness
consisted. 1t certainly was not euphon-
ic, it was not poetic, it was neither Win
some nor inspiring; it suggested Moth
ing of noble birth or arsrocratic lin
cage; vet its owner seemed to esteem it
as of more value than wealth, and more
to be priced than fortune He had borne
this name more than fifty years, and it's
possession was to him so satisfactory a
portion that he absolutely refused to
supplement it. He would tolerate neith-
er prefix nor affix-"Mr.' would have of
Tended him beyond measure, and Esq
would have driven him to distraction, if
not to DESPAIR
Dick was the name given him by his
parents, and by none other. not even by
theirs, would he consent to be called
nay, more, such was his infauation, that
though in course of years he had four
boys born to him, he insisted on calling
them all Dick True, he had different
epithets by which to distinguish one
from another, but he resolutely, persist
entity and, 1 may add, successfully for
bade them to assume or accept any 9TH
er cognomen.
DICKS fellow toWnsmen probably ex-
hlbited not only surprise, but some
harmless mirth at this very marked and
as they thought, unwarranted conceit
about name; and dull and plodding
though they We're they took some pains
to discover the reason of their neigh
bor's strange pride in its possession
However. if this were the case. it must
be admitted that all their efforts signally
failed. Perhaps nothing less than the
wisdom and penetration of the writer
could have discovered the secret. He
now proposes to take his readers into
his confidence, as to the facts discovered.
but not the method of discovery. 1t was
on this wise: 4
When, about fifty years before the
commencement of my narrative, a happy
young couple had their joy increased by
the birth of our hero "a marvellously
beautiful boy), their first emotions of
delight were succeeded by the serious
question: What name would be good
enough for this little stranger to bear?"
They thought of Moses and Pharoah;
of Daniel and BelShazzar; of Nebuchad-
nezzar and Sennacherib; of Job and Je-
hosaphat; of Alexander, Pompey and
Julius Caesar; of Richard of the Lion
Heart. of Robin Hood and Oliver
Cromwell, all in vain. Nobody had left
a name worthy enough for their darling
to bear. Their resources We're exhaust
ed, and their bright, beautiful son and
heir was still without a name. Now it
happened that kind Providence had
given and still preserved to these good
people four relatives, in whose veins
flowed the same blood as their own
about their own age, and a maiden aunt.
a spinster not much over 60. They had
heard that lin a multitude of counsel
lors there is WISDOM" and as these dear
relatives were all living within circuit
of fifty miles mot more than three days
journey in those days. they resolved to
avail themselves of the united wisdom.
thus within their reach.
So their dear relatives were forthwith
invited to make visit, to see this truly
wonderful baby, and assist in selecting
a name by which he might hereafter be
distinguished among the great and no.
BILE of the greatest nation of the world
In due time after many perils by land
and water (for they had four broad
rivers and twice as many creeks to
cross the invited guests arrived; met
with a hearty welcome; feasted their
eyes on the little prodigy that occu-
pied the cradle, and, after a little rest
from the fatigue of a three-d days jour
ney, all gathered around the family
board and partook of a bountiful feast
that had ben spread in honor of the
occasion The meal was eaten with a
fine relish and many a horn of good
old English ale was emptied to the
honor and long life of the little newly
arrived who they all hoped had come
to stay.
And now the family conclave sits
The deliberation and discussion that