The Lafayette gazette. [volume] (Lafayette, La.) 1893-1921, 1899-06-24


/ 1t is seldom that the funny man
on the States takes notion to be
funny. but when he does he is funnv
enough for anybody. But in this
case he is not only amusing as
between the lines of his irresistible
humor there is a world of sound
advice to parents who are looking
for names for their babies. It's a
mans business il he wants to en-
cumber his offspring with an outlan-
dish name, but it's rough on the off
spring who is bound to stand it
whether he likes it or tot. There
is growing tendency among the
people to select the most grotesquelv
Inappropriate names for their
children. The families of French
extraction are not always free from
this fad. A distinctly English bap-
tismal name pre6xed to a family
name which is intensely French is
very popular in this section. When
it is uttered by some fond parent
with a well-developed French &C
cent one realizes the rank injustice
which has been perpetrated upon
the bearer who is compelled to toler-
ate the affection for which he is
in no wise responsible. The Ga
zette submits the following article
from the Daily States to the serious
consideration of its readers:
a correspondent of the Washington Post
calls the attention of that paper to the alb
surd custom Of giving fancy and ridiculous
names to boys and girls. lie says:
81 notice in the published lists of gradu-
ates in one of our public schools the usual
number OF Maymes and Edythies and even
Bessyes. One girl is actually named Lulu
Lonse-which names synonymous.
The recording of nicknames has very prop
erly been stopped in the public schools in
other cities, where, if parents had not sense
enough to give their children the proper
name or n1sspelIed the same, the teacher
promptly supplied the deficiency. There is |
a story that in Philadelphia recently Il girl
gave her name to the teacher ''Bessie |
Isabella Elizabeth. The teacher promptly |
corrected matters. and she had no au- |
thority to drop any one of the three names |
given in baptism she recorded the girl as
Elizabeth Elizabeth Elizabeth Jones. This |
IS, OF course, an extreme case treated her Ole |
ally. In the same category is the absurd !
custom OF giving boys titles, such Don
Portuguese for MYSTERY Baron, Earl, etc,
and woman by the time she gets to be an !
old maid is apt to find such a name as
Birdie, Blossom, or Dewdrop somewhat out |
of date. 1t is great pity that through
ignorance, spobbshness or vugarily,
whichever the case may be, proper Christian
names are going out of fashion and miss
PEELED Or manufactured names are tosted
On children who, when they arrive the
age of discretion, cannot help themselves -
The Post very properly replies that .',his
5 free country and parents have the right
o infict upon their innocent and helpless
,abes almost any names that may occur TO
heir maudlin minds.'' This is true and
he result is thousands of children at the
:ooing age when they absolutely power
ess to protect defend themselves are
rundled into church and afflicted with
names which in after years make them rdi-
ulous and prove such a bane to their exist
ence that they become miserable nissan
hropes. In this way the world gets a large
ssortment of Lilies, BRIDES, Sweeties and
1iolets. The name of Birdie, for instance,
nay appear to be very. appropriate for
title girl baby reclining in a cradle bliss
ully gurgling and sucking her toes, but it
oes not perch we'll on her when she be-
ONES woman and devel ops an unmis- .
akable squint IN both eyes and waist al
lost as broad that of d Dutch frigate.
hen it is that people have irresistible ,
esre to indulge IN Il loud ha! ha! laugh
hen they hear the delicate creature called
;rd,e, lightsorne little Birdie.
How, contrary to the fitness of things is !
for woman with hair as red as ripe
'mato. a long strinly neck and a nose like
II ice pick to wear the name of Lily, or to {
all Sweetle who has cavernous
,outh, freckes her face the size of !
rmy beans and whole ugly enough to !;
top freight train at range of three
lousand yards. Such names certainly be-
ONE a burden and at1liction to these I'M v
Apply souls and they cannot be blamed for h
eploring the fact that they were ever born +
| is well for parents to ponder a moment .
efore they christen their helpless young =
ers, and be to select names which
ill fit them with some degree of grace in E
fter life. il
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