The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1900-02-02
DO YOU SUIT YOUR NAMEa
Hates Are Red Checked and Vivacious
Toms Rough and Tumble and
Georges Are FIfrts.


A subtle atmosphere Of its own
clings around each Of the commoner
Christian names. Richard, - somehow,
goes-or ought to 20, which is the same
thing with high spirits; the sugges-
ton Of the COeur-de-LiOn has never
been quite eradicated. A name almost
as typical Of the English character is
aEdward;" the nation recognized that
in its satisfaction at the christening of
the Duke Of York's heir. John" seems
to confer some business capacity and
an inclination to orthodoxy and aver
ageness.
George" is probably impulsive, and
a bit of a f1irt. william" is the least
definite of all, perhaps because it is
the name that conveys least assO-
citation of rank and position. Some
names have their greatest popularity
in one section Of society-you do not
find many AIberts in the slums and
Mary AIMS in the peersge-but Viii
liam pervades the community with
perfect impartiaIity. There have been
Williams on the throne; and in the
workhOuse it is as common a cognomen
as any other.
It pays the penalty, as all words of
wide application do, in a lack Of indi-
Eiduality. On the other hand, an Gar
thur or an @Alfred''-in the abstract
instinctively attracts you; their own
ers ought to have chivalrOus ideas.
"Peter" impresses you as strong but
brUsqUe; SPhilip" as the pOssessOr Of a
certain calm courtesy, which may or
may not be genuine; "PauI' as cOnsci-
entious, while lacking in the sense of
humOr; Lucy" is fragile, meekness is
the least besetting sin of Diana, and
Martha" you picture as a person of
eternally knitted brows.
You might almost found a science on
the basis Of distinctions Of this kind.
1t would probably be as exact as palm
istry, or RraphOIogy, or that unnamed
study which enables you to delineate
character from the, sole Of the boot.
Feminine names are naturally the
most interesting. One of the most
characteristic is Kate. Strike the av-
ersge Of all the Hates you knOw-msy
they be maryland you find that
the main characteristic is vivacity. Is
she nOt-that composite Kate Of all
Kates-red- checked, light hearted, and
sparkling in a common sense way, q
sort of week day Beatrice? One ad-
mits, Of course, the existence Of varia-
tiOns. There are Hates who might be
Agneses for all the brightness to be
discerned in them-pale Hates, as there
are white rats; moody Hates, as you
sometimes see a depressed kitten.
Suppose the name whispered at the
baptismal font is Margaret form
seldom seen outside Of registers and
voting lists. The babe grows up nice,
sensible and domesticated, and you
call her Maggie. Or she may turn out
hOyden and become Molly. With a
suspicion Of the blue stocking and
contempt for domestic detail, she is
Marguerite. Madge is always a pleasant
person. sort Of Ieisured Maggie. And
it is, Of course, possible to adapt new
varients-such as Margot and Marjory
to suit the idiOsyncrasies of the
nominee"
Masculine names run to triads at
mOst-Tom, Tommy, Thomas; Bill,
Willie, William; Fred, Freddy, Fred
erick-alWays positive, comparative,
and superlative.- The intermediate
form is always the one applicable to
tender years; the clan Of the "Tom-
mics, whom, no doubt, the gods love,
dies young. Both Tom and Thomas,
however, survive to middle age and
gray hairs, and there is interest in the
speculation which Of the two is the
better man 70 have a friend. Tom,
certainly, for the rough and tumble life.
Perhaps it is this potency Of the di-
minutive that prompts men Of dem
ooratio ambitions to adopt the more
familiar form afor good" Evey since
be became an alderman, Mr. TIllett
has declined to answer to @BeDjsmin.H
Mr.. Mann remains @Tom, though Her
Majesty has styled him trusty and well
beloved.