From this fine house every morning came young Feklitus, Mr. Bickel’s son, and through the sunny garden and up the street he went on his way to school.  Over his back was slung a leather satchel, wondrously embroidered with the big initials “F.B.,” surrounded with a garland of beautiful roses; a Christmas gift from his mother.

“Feklitus” was only a nickname, and this is the way it originated.  His grandfather was a tailor by trade; a person of very small stature and obscure position; altogether a very humble personage to be the father of a great man, such as his son afterwards became, and, because he was so diminutive in every way, he went, in the neighborhood, by the nickname of “Tailorkin.”  His only son was christened Felix, and as the common nickname of Felix is Fekli, the boy became universally known as “Tailorkin-Fekli.”  This was very displeasing to Felix, who early in life determined to make something of himself, and who soon began to rise and grow rich.  The Buchbergers, however, were not disposed to drop the name which amused them, merely because it vexed the owner; so even now, although when they met the great man they always addressed him with due respect as Mr. Bickel, yet behind his back he was still Tailorkin-Fekli.  He suspected this underhand familiarity, and was not a little disturbed by it.

When, after he had become a great man, and had built himself a splendid new house, he had a son born to him, he determined to find a name for the child which could not be tampered with as his own had been; and he delayed the baptism as long as possible, while searching for one to suit his purpose.  It so happened that about this time he was called upon in his capacity as School-Inspector to be present at the yearly examinations at the school-house; and he heard the teacher explain to the children the meaning of the name Fortunatus.  No sooner did this name reach Mr. Bickel’s ear, than he was struck with its appropriateness to his son.  Was not the boy destined to be the fortunate heir to his father’s wealth and position?  He went home full of satisfaction and announced to his wife that the long-sought name was found, and the child might be taken to church for baptism.  So Fortunatus he was christened; and Mr. Bickel felt sure now that the hated nickname would be dropped and soon forgotten.

Not so; for as soon as the boy went to school, his playmates decided that Fortunatus was far too long and pretentious a name for common use; so they peremptorily shortened it to “Tus”; then, adding it to the father’s appellation, it became “Tailorkin-Fekli-Tus.”  The first word of this lengthy and awkward combination was soon dropped off, and the other two were combined into one word and became Feklitus.  With this the critics were satisfied, and long usage fixed the name so completely on the boy that at last very few recalled the fine name Fortunatus, and almost every one supposed that he had been christened Feklitus.