A Crime to Call a Baby Francis

1895

In England it is not a crime to desire to call a baby Francis. But in England many hold that liberty runs to license. In certain well ordered tracts of Germany it is penal to call a baby by that inflammatory style. The prohibiting law was passed in the year 11, which sounds as if time at least were on its side. But it appears that really the law was passed in Paris in revolutionary times to prevent people naming their infants Robespierre, which was justly regarded as a menace to social order. These parts of Germany groaned at the time under the heel of France and have not yet plucked up courage to repeal the enactment. It only allows names that are in the calendar or in ancient history. A resident Englishman has lately been fined 3 marks for wanting to name his infant Francis. He played Sir Francis Drake as ancient history, but the court of appeals could not conscientiously go further than Franciskus, and the gentleman has been fined for not registering the name until his appeal was decided. It was hard, but worse remains behind. The father's own name is Francis, and if he is not very careful he will find himself in the dock for being in possession of contraband. — Pall Mall Gazette.

Street Car Discipline

1895

The street car companies, like other concerns employing large numbers of men, have a system of rewards and punishment corresponding to those of the schoolroom.

If a conductor keeps his record clear, he is moved forward in the list toward a job with better pay as fast as men ahead of him either resign or are discharged. If, however, after having been set forward 20 times, he comes to the barn a half minute behind the time fixed for taking out his car, he goes back to the foot of the list. If he is sick, he must send a man to sign him off, and if this man is a half minute late the consequences are equally severe. — Chicago Tribune.


Injured In the Accident

Sufferer — I suppose we shall sue the railway company for about $3,000 damages.
Lawyer — Three thousand dollars damages! Nonsense! Thirteen thousand at the very lowest, man!
Sufferer (surprised) — Why, I think I should be quite content if I got $3,000 damages.
Lawyer — Yes, probably you would, but I want at least $10,000 for myself. — Somerville Journal.


The Boy's Explanation

It was a Buffalo small boy who came home from one of our model schools and was asked by his father how he was coming on. "Well," said the candid child, "Jimmy — has got ahead of me in the class." "Dear, dear," said the father, "and how does that happen?" "Oh, you know his parents are very bright!" — Buffalo Commercial.


Brooklyn

Brooklyn was named by the Dutch from a small village near Amsterdam named Breucklen. The name is found in the city archives spelled Bereuckelen, Breucklen, Breucklyn, Broucklyn, Breuklyn, Brockland, Brucklynd and finally Brooklyn.

The Little Darling

1895

Harold accompanies his mother on an afternoon call upon the elderly lady who has just moved in next door.
Mrs. Newcomer — And this is little Harold? Well, my little man, I hope that we shall be friends.
Harold (imperatively) — I want to see 'oo 'ittle chickens.
Mrs. Newcomer — Why, I haven't any little chickens.
Harold — Where's 'oo fezzors?
Mrs. Newcomer — Why, what does the child mean? I haven't any feathers.
Harold — Den papa storied, 'cause he said it was a ole hen dat had moved in dis house. — Chicago Post.

More Jokes

1916

Well, Y Not?

He (to new acquaintance) — How do you spell your first name?
She — E-d-y-t-h-e. How do you spell yours?
He — J-y-m-e.


A Militant, Perhaps

"Wanted — Young Men to Join Army." Looks inviting. What's her scheme?


Indeed It Does

"Telephones are great time savers, aren't they?"
"Well, that depends upon who calls you up."

Like Swearing When They Meet

1916

LA CROSSE, Wisconsin — Clerks in the Wisconsin-Minnesota Light & Power Company offices sat up with a shocked and startled expression when a stranger walked up to a desk and announced his name. It sounded like an outburst of profanity, but it was only a Chicago book salesman introducing himself. The salesman was G. O. Tuhell, and the man he met was Chief Clerk S. Damm.

—The Saturday Blade, Chicago, Sept. 16, 1916, p. 7.

Point To This Needle's Joke

1916

Woman From Timber Country Finds It, Too.

WINSTED, Connecticut — Entering a Winsted store on which appeared the word "Needles," a woman from the city who is passing her first summer here. asked for a package of needles.

"We don't keep any small wares," said the man behind the counter.

"Then why do you say 'needles' on the window?" retorted the stranger.

"That's my name," ejaculated Solomon Needles, proprietor of the store.

—The Saturday Blade, Chicago, Sept. 16, 1916, p. 7.

Lost Trails

1920

A Department Devoted to Aiding Readers of the Blade in Finding Lost Relatives.

The Blade gladly will publish requests for information of the whereabouts of lost relatives, but cannot inquire for others. Address Lost Trails Editor, W. D. Boyce Company, [their address in 1920].

As soon as you find the person you inquire for, please notify us.

The following inquiries for long lost relatives have been received at the Blade office during the past week:

Mrs. Jane Movety, Shell Lake, Wis., seeks her son, Lloyd Crezo, last heard from in St. Paul, Minn., as a railway man four years ago.

Mrs. Ernest L. Hill, formerly of Hesper, N. D., but now living in Chester, Mont., wishes to learn the address of her son, Ralph Emerson Hill.

Mrs. E. W. Clark, West Huntsville, Ala., asks information concerning her husband, Ernest W. Clark, last heard from in Dallas, Texas, in 1917.

Anna E. Shepherd, box 207, Slovan, Pa., seeks her uncle, Jerry Burgess, who left for Cincinnati, Ohio, fifteen years ago and has never been heard from since.

Mrs. Lee Spain, Gen. Del., Yakima, Wash., seeks her brother and mother, lost from her when she was a little girl. Her mother was known as Sis Floyd and was last heard from near Dabney, Ky., twenty years ago. The writer's maiden name was Vera Floyd.

Brother and Sister Lost.

A. R. Halpainy, 35 St. Hedwigs avenue, Dunkirk, N. Y., is searching for his brother and sister, Raymond and Rose Halpainy. His mother died twenty-one years ago and he was adopted in New York, became separated from the rest of the family and has heard nothing from them since.

Mrs. Inez Allen, Xenia, Ohio, is anxious to learn the whereabouts of her brother, James Kingery, 40, last heard from in Cleveland, Ohio, fourteen years ago.

Mrs. Maggie Hemenway, Rush Center, Kan., would like to learn where her uncles, Ben and Hi Lansing, are located now. They were last heard from in Washington, D. C., forty years ago.

Mrs. Jack Conley, Gen. Del., Omaha, Neb., seeks her husband, Jack Conley, 21, formerly of the 18th M. G. Bn., 6th Division, who disappeared soon after his discharge from the Army in June.

Young Bride Loses Husband.

Mrs. William L. P. Baker, East Point, Ga., asks information concerning her husband, who left home on Nov. 24, 1919, with a promise to write next day, and has not been heard from since. The couple had been married but a year and had had a happy wedded life, and the young bride fears foul play, as her husband left home with a considerable sum of money. Can Blade readers give her information concerning her husband?

D. S. Hounshell, Crockett, Va., is trying to find his brother, Carroll L. Hounshell, last heard from in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1912.

Mrs. Flo Brand, R. F. D. 3, Millington, Mich., is endeavoring to learn the present location of her brother-in-law, Warren Arthur Swindler, last heard of about fifteen years ago at Huron, S. D.

Mrs. Charles Hanson, Rice Lake, Wis.. wants to find her sister, Mary Elf, last heard of at Woodstock, Ill., about sixteen years ago.

Miss Jennie Zackry, 503 Wafford street, Cartersville. Ga., is trying to find her father who left her when she was a little baby. His name is Thomas Zackry; last heard of in Little Rock, Ark.

Bert Siar, 733 Lincoln street, St. Marys, Pa., asks the Blade to help him find Clifford Siar, last heard of in Elkins, W. Va., nine years ago. He is a blacksmith. His mother, Mrs. Nanny Siar, is very anxious to hear from him.

Lost Ones Previously Mentioned.

Mike Bartos. Sought by Mike G. Korman of Sublet, Wyo., his brother-in-law.

Michael J. Dolan. Sought by Mrs M. J. Dolan. Friendship, N. Y., his wife.

Andrew Jackson O'Neal. Sought by Kizzie O'Neal, Quitman, Ga., his daughter.

Ward (full name not given). Sought by Gertrude Gunter, Middletown, Ohio, his sister.

Mrs. Ray Allison. Sought by Mrs. Grace McVey, Mt. Pulaski, Ill., her sister.

John W. Owenby. Sought by J. C. Holcomb, Greenville, Texas, his nephew.

Wade King. Sought by Miss Mary Margaret King, Wyandotte, Mich., his daughter.

Cook brothers, Nathan and Thomas. Sought by James Harrison Cook, Warrensburg, Ill. Mary Elizabeth, a sister, requested to respond.

James Biely, a mute. Sought by Miss Sophia Biely, Iron River, Mich., his daughter.

George N. Neckard. Sought by Mrs. Isaac Neckard, Lebanon, Pa., his mother.

John Eward Shannon. Sought by Mrs. Pete Sutton, Clinton, Ind., his mother.

Relatives of Mable Knox. Sought by Mrs. Mable Knox Bullard, Greensburg, Kan.

Fannie White, nee Loudermilk. Sought by Mrs. Mamie Bray, Sheldon Hotel, El Paso, Texas, her sister.

William Marks Arehart. Sought by Mrs. Effie Coons, Baxter Springs, Kan., his sister.

John C. Vuncanon. Sought by Miss Linnie Vuncanon, High Point, N. C., his sister.

Husband of Mrs. Ella Jones. Sought by Mrs. Ella Jones, Bokhoma, Okla.

Brother of Miss Elma Hornbuckle. Sought by Miss Emma Hornbuckle, Crossett, Ark.

Herman Wrought. Sought by Charles W. Wrought, Morris, Okla., his son.

J. E. Murphy. Sought by Mrs. Ella Hammer, Bowler, Wis., his sister.

Curtis Winn. Sought by Mrs. Moore, Long Pine, Neb., his cousin.

John Odgers. Sought by Mrs. Elizabeth Northley, Morhland, Utah, his sister.

James V. Lindsay. Sought by Laurie Nutt, Macon, Ga., his sister.

James William Studebaker. Sought by George W. Studebaker, Centropolis, Kan., a relative.

William Cotlin. Sought by Edward G. Paulsen, Swea City, Iowa, a relative.


HEARS FROM SON

Mother's Aching Heart Gladdened Thru Saturday Blade Efforts.

MY SON has been found — and all thru your excellent paper," writes Mrs. C. D. King, Lagrange, Ga., to the Lost Trails Editor of the Blade. "I might never have known he was even living if it had not been for your help, but I am now receiving letters from him every day.

"May I not thank you for helping to relieve a mother's breaking heart, as I had almost given up all hopes, until I learned of the wonderful results achieved thru The Saturday Blade."

—The Saturday Blade, Chicago, Jan. 3, 1920, p. 12.

Note: I made a few corrections through the course of this article. But all the names and places were left the same.

Origin of "Whig"

1901

Several reasons have been assigned to account for the word "Whig," universally known to all the English speaking people. By some the word is supposed to be a contraction of a longer one, "whiggamore," which in some parts of England and Scotland, especially Scotland, signifies a drover or herder.

It was in 1679 that the word first became common in the British isles, when the struggle was in progress between the peasantry and the aristocracy to have or not to have the bill passed by parliament to exclude the Duke of York from the line of succession. All who were opposed to placing the duke in the line of succession were derisively called "whiggamores," or "drovers," just as the city dude of today speakers of the "grangers," the grays," the "chin whiskers" and the hayseeders."

But Scotch tradition gives altogether a different reason for the existence of the word. It is this: During the early religious wars in Scotland the weakest of the factions used the words "We Hope In God" as a motto. The initials of these words were placed on their banners thus, "W. H. I. G.," and soon all the followers of that clan were given the title of "Whig," which was afterward attached as a party nickname.

What's In A Name?

1901

Although the present fashion of christening children with family surnames is much to be commended for many reasons, it carries with it some awful possibilities unknown in the days of Mary Anns and John Henrys. A glance at the following list, each name of which is genuine, will illustrate sufficiently well the possibilities of nomenclature resting with parents in their choice of names for the men and women of tomorrow:

Edna Broker Mothershead, Marian English Earle, Sawyer Turner Somerset, Will W. Upp, Nealon Pray Daily, Benton Killin Savage, Owen Taylor Money, Ima Little Lamb, Broker Husbands Hart, R. U. Phelan-Goode, Marie A. Bachelor, May Tyus Upp, Will Waltz Wither, Waring Green Cotes, Iva Winchester Rifle, Etta Lotta Hammond- Degges, Barber Cutting Mann, Weir Sick O'Bryan, Makin Loud Noyes, Hurd Copp Cumming, Rodenor Pullman Karr, Doody Spies Sourwine and Knott Worth Reading. — Life.

A Curious Coincidence

1901

The letters "O N" might be supposed to possess a mysterious charm, as they form the termination of many of the most distinguished names in history. No other letters of the alphabet will furnish so remarkable a coincidence as may be found in the following list made up from ancient and modern names: Aaron, Solomon, Agamemnon, Solon, Bion, Phocion, Bacon, Newton, Johnson, Addison, Crichton, Porson, Buffon, Montfaucon, Tillotson, Fenelon, Massillon, Warburton, Leighton, Lytton, Walton, Anacreon, Ben Jonson, Milton, Byron, Thomson, Tennyson, Anson, Washington, Napoleon, Wellington, etc.

A Greek scholar has called attention to a very curious coincidence about the name of Napoleon. If you take away the first letter of his name, you have "apoleon;" take away the first letter of that word, and you have "poleon;" do this successively down to the last syllable, and you have "leon," "eon," and "on." Put these several words together in this order, Napoleon on oleon leon eon apoleon poleon, and you have a Greek phrase the literal translation of which is "Napoleon, being the lion of peoples, went about destroying cities."

Made It Fit the Name

1901

"Red Rock, N. Y.," said a man who spent some time there, "isn't much of a place, but there is something interesting about it that I fancy all the world doesn't know. The present name is not the one it has always borne, and what its other name was I don't know. Whatever it was the people did not like it and concluded they would change it. There was no particular reason why they should call it Red Rock, but that was determined upon, and so Red Rock it became.

"Then in the course of time strangers of an inquiring turn of mind began to ask why the place had such a name, and as no reason could be given newcomers to the neighborhood began to want a name that meant something. This insistence grew so strong that the old residents began to look around for a reason for the name of their place, and at last they found a huge boulder nearby which they said was what had suggested the name. But the boulder was gray instead of red, and the progressists insisted that that would not do. At last the old timers hit upon a new plan, and, procuring a barrel of red paint, they painted the big rock red. Red Rock indeed it was now, and not only was all opposition to the name overcome, but the painting of the rock every spring has become an annual festival, and the people celebrate it with a big picnic and general celebration.

"It was a new idea to me, and if there is any other town anywhere on earth that is christened every spring with red paint or any other color I don't know where it is." — New York Sun.

Whittier's Dog

1901

During one of the last birthday celebrations of the poet Whittier he was visited by a celebrated oratorio singer. The lady was asked to sing, and, seating herself at the piano, she began the beautiful ballad, "Robin Adair." She had hardly begun before Mr. Whittier's pet dog came into the room and, seating himself by her side, watched her as if fascinated and listened with a delight unusual in an animal. When she finished, he came and put his paw very gravely into her hand and licked her check.

"Robin takes that us a tribute to himself," said Mr. Whittier. "He also is 'Robin Adair.' "

The dog, hearing his own name, evidently considered that he was the hero of the song. From that moment, during the lady's visit, he was her devoted attendant. He kept by her side when she was indoors and accompanied her when she went to walk. When she went away he carried her satchel in his mouth to the gate and watched her departure with every evidence of distress. — St. Nicholas.

Mr. Yet Y

1902

"We often see peculiar names," said Deputy Register J. P. Pemberton recently, "but the most peculiar one that has ever come to my attention in the years that I have spent in the Register's office was the name of a gentleman transferring a piece of property a few days ago. His name was Yet Y. There is no joke about the matter, for the official records show this is his actual name, and no one would take the chances of tampering with the official records.

"The name struck me as being so peculiar that I asked him how he came to get such a name. Mr. Y said: 'I do not know just exactly how I came to have the very peculiar name, though I have investigated the matter. I find that my family originally came from the southern part of England, and the name was first spelled "Whey," doubtless from the fact that some of my early ancestors worked on the wheys. Later I find the name came to be "Why." However, the name of my grandfather was simply Y, and my father's name was Sacques Y. I suppose that I was given the name I now bear to let the people know that the family name was 'yet Y.' " — Chattanooga Times.

Two Coincidence Stories

1900

Told In Good Faith In a Club Where All Romancing Is Barred

It was the secretary's turn to tell a yarn to his fellow members of the Coincidence club. The Coincidence club, by the way, has no cumbersome machines. It has members and officers, meets once a week to tell queer stories along the line suggested by its name, and everything but the strict truth is barred.

"I've got two stories, much alike, to tell. There's nothing dramatic or sensational about them. They struck me as queer, though. You know I'm a lawyer. One day a man named Dodge brought in a letter of introduction to me from a friend out west. He had a simple sort of a case, and I asked him to come back at 3 o'clock that afternoon. Then I went over to the criminal court on business that kept me till within a few minutes of 3 o'clock. As I entered my office there was a man sitting in the shadow. Without really looking at him, and with my mind full of the appointment, I said, as I went to my private office:

"How are you, Mr. Dodge. I'll see you in a minute."

"Pretty soon I rang and told the office boy to show in Mr. Dodge. The man came in, and he wasn't my Mr. Dodge at all. Imagine my surprise when he said:

"How did you know my name?"

"At the same time he handed me a letter of introduction from a friend. His name was Dodge all right, and he had a case. I gasped over the oddity of the situation, explained the coincidence to my visitor and even showed him the other letter of introduction. But the man did not believe me. He evidently thought I was a liar and left without putting his case in my hands. A few minutes later in came the first Mr. Dodge, and we had a good laugh over it.

"The other coincidence was this: I got letters from two friends, one west of Chicago and one south, asking me to collect claims against a big Chicago firm and a big insurance company with an agency in Chicago. I telephoned and made appointment with representatives of each of the concerns, one at 12 and the other at 12:30 o'clock. I went out on an errand and was delayed till 12:30 o'clock. When I came in, both men were waiting. Strange as it may seem both men were named Rose. I introduced them. One was originally from Rhode Island and the other from Connecticut As far as they could figure out they were not related. I've used false names, but otherwise the stories are strictly true and can be proved by evidence that will pass muster in a court of law." — Chicago Inter Ocean.

Some Queer English Names

1910

Sussex can produce queer names in plenty, for example: Replenished Pryor, a damsel who dwelt at Heathfield; Mr. Stand-fast-on-high Stringer; Mr. Ales Cressel, and Master Perform-thy-vows Seers. The county archives also yield unusual family names, such as Pitchfork, Devil, Leper, Juglery, Beatup, Breathing, Whiskey, Wildgoose, and Lies.

Dorset can hold her own tolerably well with villages named Ryme Intrinseca and Toller Porcorum; rivers called Wriggle river and Devil's brook; commons christened Giddy green and God's Blessing green, and heights called Hungry down, Mount Ararat, Grammars hill, and Dancing hill. A prospective tenant might well hesitate before signing the lease of Wooden Cabbage farm, Labor in Vain farm, Poor Lot farm and Charity bottom, even though he should hail from Kent, which owns two Starvecrow farms within a ride of each other. — London Chronicle.

Montenegro May Become Zeta

1910

"Changing the map of Europe" is a phrase that had a grim significance during the greater part of the last century.

There were people with long memories who knew that changes in the map of Europe as a rule were brought about by war. But there is a possibility of a peaceful change of the map of Europe by Prince Nicholas of Montenegro.

He proposes when his principality becomes a kingdom an event that is to be celebrated with appropriate brilliancy this month — its name shall be altered to Zeta, which is what is was called in ancient times. Map-makers will take notice.

Takes Surname of Bride

1910

It is one thing to ask a girl to marry — quite another to ask her to change her name. So thinks the man who used to be John Melephant Williams. He loved Miss Agnes A. Wood, but it was as Agnes A. Wood that he loved her, and he did not desire to change her name to Agnes A. Williams. So he married Miss Agnes A. Wood recently, and her name is now Mrs. Agnes A. Wood.

Incredible as that looks on the face of it it is true, says the Denver Republican. For John Melephant Williams had his own name changed before the ceremony to John Melephant Wood. His petition for the change was granted by Judge Dixon of the county court. Without leaving the courthouse the man with the new identity went down to the first floor and signed his new name to an application for a marriage license.

—Gettysburg Compiler, Gettysburg, PA, July 20, 1910, p. 3.


She Knew Her Dick

He — Darling, I swear by this great tree, whose spreading branches shade us from the heat, by this noble tree I swear I have never loved before.
She — You always say such appropriate things, Dick. This is a chestnut tree!

—Gettysburg Compiler, Gettysburg, PA, July 20, 1910, p. 3.

Groom's Brother Marries Bride's Sister

New York, 1912

Following the example of their brother and sister, Miss Beatrice Loope and Harold Warner, both of Liverpool were quietly married Saturday night at the home of the Rev. S. R. Ball, pastor of the Liverpool Methodist church. The bride's sister, Miss Nina Loope, and the groom's brother, Fred Warner, were married a year ago by the Rev. Mr. Ball. There was opposition to both marriages on the part of the parents of both couples.

—The Syracuse Herald, Syracuse, NY, June 10, 1912, p. 16.

Street Illumination

1917

"Illuminating engineers are now turning all their energies toward a system for the proper distribution of street lighting," writes Walter R. Howell in Good Health. "They have unanimously agreed that the best light is that from a globe that is dense enough not to reveal the form of the actual light within, but to give the effect of light streaming forth from the globe."

The reason for this is that street lamps are necessarily against a dark background, and the amount of glare upon the eyes depends to a great degree upon the background against which the light is seen. An electric light, unshaded, against a dark velvet wall covering, for instance, will be found much more trying to the eyes than would the same light with a white wall paper behind it.


The Name of Arizona

Arizona, probably Arizonac in its original form, was the native and probably Pima name of the place — of a hill, valley, stream or some other local feature — just south of the modern boundary, in the mountains still so called, on the headwaters of the stream flowing past Saric, where the famous Planchas de Plata mine was discovered in the middle of the eighteenth century, the name being first known to the Spaniards in that connection and being applied to the mining camp or real de minas. The aboriginal meaning of the term is not known. The name should probably be written and pronounced Arisona. as our English sound of z does not occur in Spanish. — H. H. Bancroft, "History of the Pacific States."

True to the Name

1900

The group on the front porch was discussing the merits and demerits of the house dog, a magnificent animal that lay basking in the sun.

"Have you any idea," asked one of the guests, "why he is called a 'Great Dane'?"

"Yes," slowly replied the owner of the dog. "It has always seemed to me that it must be because it is such a great 'deign' for him to notice any smaller animal."

A young woman with a pug nose turned it up slightly at this explanation, but there were no other signs of dissent. — Youth's Companion.


Shipbuilding Around Great Lakes

Shipbuilding around the great lakes bids fair to be as brisk for 1900 as for the two years previous. In addition to the new tonnage on the lakes, the government has under construction, or authorized, the greatest number of ships in its history. Some 75 vessels of all classes, giving employment to more than 10,000 mechanics of different grades, are under construction.