state, and often of the county in the state in which the town you
refer to may be, your letter may journey all over the Union, and
perhaps, after all, never arrive at its place of destination.

The states have already accommodated each other with nicknames, as per
example:--

+==========================+==================+
YIllinois people are termedYSuckers Y
+--------------------------+------------------+
YMissouri YPukes Y
+--------------------------+------------------+
YMichigan YWolverines Y
+--------------------------+------------------+
YIndiana YHoosiers Y
+--------------------------+------------------+
YKentucky YCorn Crackers Y
+--------------------------+------------------+
YOhio YBuckeyes, etceteraY
+==========================+==================+

The names of persons are also very strange; and some of them are, at all
events, obsolete in England, even if they ever existed there. Many of
them are said to be French or Dutch names Americanised. But they appear
still more odd to us from the high sounding Christian names prefixed to
them; as, for instance: Philo Doolittle, Populorum Hightower, Preserved
Fish, Asa Peabody, Alonzo Lilly, Alceus Wolf, etcetera. I was told by a
gentleman that Doolittle was originally from the French Do l'hotel;
Peabody from Pibaudiere; Bunker from Bon Coeur; that Mr Ezekial Bumpus
is a descendant of Monsieur Bon Pas, etcetera, all which is very
possible.

Every one who is acquainted with Washington Irving must know that, being
very sensitive himself, he is one of the last men in the world to do
anything to annoy another. In his selection of names for his writings,
he was cautious in avoiding such as might be known; so that, when he
called his old schoolmaster Ichabod Crane, he thought himself safe from
the risk of giving offence. Shortly afterward a friend of his called
upon him, accompanied by a stranger whom he introduced as Major Crane;
Irving started at the name; "Major Ichabod Crane," continued his friend,
much to the horror of Washington Irving.

I was told that a merchant went down to New Orleans with one Christian
name, and came back, after a lapse of years, with another. His name was
John Flint. The French at New Orleans translated his surname, and
called him Pierre Fusee--on his return the Pierre stuck to him, and
rendered int