New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-02-27
THE DANGER OF USING NAMES.
BoMErIMEs THEIR REAL PROPRIETOR TURNS UP
AND DOES NOT FIT TIE STORY.


AND DOES NOT FIT TIE STORY.
From The Chicago Record
Half the struggle in writing story"
rather eminent author has said, consists in the
name. When you get good name you get a
mine" Which is true not only OF the title Of
the narrative itself. but also Of the characters
which figure in 1t. Once a writer of fiction con-
fessed that he searched the signboards Tor
names and on the day when he saw Arlington
RiCkaby" painted lawyers door he pro-
duced the best story of his life on the inspiration
Of that cognOmcn But it Is not always safe to
do this. The proof is right here.
The writer of this department. journeying In
the Teton country just south Of the Yellowstone
Park some years ago, heard among other names
mentioned that of Brig Adams. That Brig Adams
really existed was never stated; the name was
simply carried into n convcrsation-when and
under what circumstances is matter Of hazy
memory. But, although the details of the first
hearing Of that appc, alton have long since
faded the name lived in recoection-lived on,
waiting for story 10 be written about it.
few months ago the story was written. That
the last OF the name. and, having been
used, it passed along the way of all used-up
literary material.
That is t. say. it was believed to be the last
Of 1t. But il not. in fact A few days ago
Robert Anderson. Of Idaho Falls. Idaho, wrote
to say with great courtesy that mistake had
been made There Brig Adams and he
at all. He did not tit any part of the stored
descript,>I-not physically. morally. intellect
ually or otherwise Besides which he had
been dead for "A long timc-sacrnced his life in
a heroic manner 10 save and help another.
Parenthetically ii may be said that they do that
kind ~ thing in Jackson's HOleD
Il have this To say OF Adams. the Idaho man
writes mot because de mOrtuis nil nsi bonum'
but because he was no such man as the story
pictures him. Mr. Adams a ranchrnan in
JacHS1n's Hole: stalwart. firm looking man Of
above thirty He was not college br, d. but had
a good conmon-schoOl education. He was dis
tinguished for his courteous bearing to all and
straight morally as well as physically
as the pine trees on the adjacent mountains
The actress Maudc Adams was. by the way his
niece Neither was he the unsopt isticatcd man
the picture makes him He did "A lucrative bust
ness In supplying some Of the parks rs far east
as New-England with deer and elk. and on his
trips became fairly well acquainted with several
of III. Eastern cities In short he stood well.
But the manner Of his death shows him more
than n straightforward business man \ ncw
settler came into Jackson'S Hole late in the fan
or l>JG. The newcomer i'll provided for the
wintor-n"t even cabin 10 take his family into
Mr.. Adams was never behndhand I'm such cases
lie started AT once through the snow To- the new
man camp, brought new life TO the deSuOndcnt
family and got 10 work with 4 will though no
reward was promised or deSi ed. While engaged
In this Good Samaritan work a dccaycd limb
lel from tree he vas choppns for house logs |
Inc limb struck him squaTcly on the head and
MS skull WAS crushed in The man. after q
time. got help 10 take him home. There is no
doctor IN Jacksons Hole. But his resolute
young wife nursed him night and day for a
week. when death came To his relief"
Thus according TO Mr.. Andcrson's description !
the real Brig Adams. the man who supplied the |
name but no other essential part Of the light |
little anecdote was a man worth knowing. The |
writer Is sorry that ne did not know him
AS before remarked, while a name Is a SPLEEN |
did thing for iictionmaker to have I'm stock it
Is likely 10 prove embarrassing unless it is alb |
solutely. certainly and unequiyocay nctitious
Even then II is best to choose another.