he deems a title suitable to his prowess; but such an effort is never
attempted in really wild places, where it would be greeted with huge
derision; for all of these names that are genuine are bestowed by
outsiders, with small regard to the wishes of the person named.
Ordinarily the name refers to some easily recognizable accident of
origin, occupation, or aspect; as witness the innumerable Dutcheys,
Frencheys, Kentucks, Texas Jacks, Bronco Bills, Bear Joes, Buckskins,
Red Jims, and the like. Sometimes it is apparently meaningless; one of
my own cowpuncher friends is always called "Sliver" or "Splinter"--why,
I have no idea. At other times some particular incident may give rise to
the title; a clean-looking cowboy formerly in my employ was always known
as "Muddy Bill," because he had once been bucked off his horse into a
mud hole.

The grewsome genesis of one such name is given in the following letter
which I have just received from an old hunting-friend in the Rockies,
who took a kindly interest in a frontier cabin which the Boone and
Crockett Club was putting up at the Chicago World's Fair.

"Feb 16th 1893; Der Sir: I see in the newspapers that your club the
Daniel Boon and Davey Crockit you intend to erect a fruntier Cabin
at the world's Far at Chicago to represent the erley Pianears of our
country I would like to see you maik a success I have all my life been a
fruntiersman and feel interested in your undrtaking and I hoap you wile
get a good assortment of relicks I want to maik one suggestion to you
that is in regard to getting a good man and a genuine Mauntanner to take
charg of your haus at Chicago I want to recommend a man for you to get
it is Liver-eating Johnson that is the naim he is generally called he
is an old mauntneer and large and fine looking and one of the Best Story
Tellers in the country and Very Polight genteel to every one he meets I
wil tel you how he got that naim Liver-eating in a hard Fight with the
Black Feet Indians thay Faught all day Johnson and a few Whites Faught
a large Body of Indians all day after the fight Johnson cam in contact
with a wounded Indian and Johnson was aut of ammunition and thay faught
it out with thar Knives and Johnson got away with the Indian and in the
fight cut the livver out of the Indian and said to the Boys did thay
want any Liver to eat that is the way he got the naim of Liver-eating
Johnson

"Yours truly" etc., etc.

Frontiersmen are often as original as t