The sun., 1915-03-28

tnF history name
w our names are largely part
Of us: when We think Of
ourselves. when our friends ,hink Of
ms. our names cannot he separated
from the thought Names are tho
tags by which we see and feel our way
through life.
AS VITA the names ~ pecpl~ so with
'h" names cf places. We think OF a
town. II l. that ~ our birth, and our
early dag rise before us We think
OF foreign land. ana 20 our mind
com" images of scenes that form for
u another word
II l. almost safe 20 sav that peo-
PIE think in uamos. names are the
fu'dcpoNts OF our memories. r. We I'D
not have names TO put 20 things and
people and places how could "" make
ourselves plain - one another"
l'u' w.lat, you ask, has a,l this 70
do with the question. "Whv Gotham y'
great deal For one thing. do Won
on" Of the 5000 o0o of New York. SOC
in- and meeting evervwhcre with the
word "Go'hdm' know the meaning
end origin of that familiar word hy
which your great city is 81 often
called? No? W. thought not. But
now YOU will he tod WY.
Three thousand miles across the sea
IN the English county of Ncttirrham-
shire is the small parish OF Gotham.
with story fun of odd and charming
tradition little known 20 Americans
and almost forgotten by the British
themselves. In the rare old days OF
William the Conqueror Gotham was
on the highway leading from Noting
ham 10 Loughborough. Leicester and
the south. and much Of the Co,orful
life of medieval times ambled past It's
doors.
It Is here that the name % Gotham
seems to have found its way into the
world. at least as early as the frs,
years of the twelfth century. as shown
by the baronial feud between ths
F,ar.s OF Leicester and Chester. wher
the former lord agreed not To fortify
his castle At Gotham
Gotham Nillar. IS immortal for sry.
eral reasons. First, because f. has
lont its name 10 the Createst city o.
n" western world. and second. ne
cause OF tho unique methods II en-
ploycl upon a historic occasion u
prevent an English king from hecom
ing one Of it's inhabitants, an act tina
ma given Gotham q permanent repu
tat.on for cXclu~.ycncSs, to say moth
ing Of wit and wisdom.
Tho story a. told by an o,d TIM
and vcracious English chronicle
writing of the rich ana crowded his
tory of Nottinghamsh re runs thus;
King John passing through this place
Intending to go over tine meadows, wa
prevented br the villagers. they ap
pretending that the ground over whi'l
king passed was forever after 20 Dee
come "a public road Tho King. Incenset
by their proceedings, sent from his cpur
some of Mis- servants 20 luvu're ~ ben
the reason OF their incivi'ty and .i.
treatment. that ho might punish thon
ny way of fine. Tho VllaE' rs, hcar.u!
~ the approach o' tho Kings servants
'hought OF an cNpedirrt to turn AVA
thoir Mliesty's d.su'casure. When th
messengers arrived Ar Gotham they fouu'
some Of the inhabitants engaged i'm try
ing TO drown an c-l IN pool Of water
some were employed 10 dragg,-g cart
upon large barn 10 shade t'e roo
from he sun others were tumh'ng thei
Cheescs down a h II. that they nigh
md way to Nottir-ham FOR sale, am
some wcre employed IN hedging In
cuckoo, which had ucrrhcd UpoU an oil
bush which stood - here the present on
now stands, in short, they were all "m
Dl0yed IN some foo SIN ways or other
which Convinced tie Kings servants tina
T. was n village o. fools Whence tro-
'he old adage of the Wis" Men o
Gotham.
Hence Il will hc seen that "a
Cothamites OF old were true diplomat