Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-07-25
CONCERNING CANES.
The Heightened Way Ct Carrying Them. and
the Iiiotic Vay.

connected with the cane. in vogue in Paris have
been reproduced for the benefit of French imi-
tators in this country. If gentleman carries
his cane inverted in his left hand. the interpreted
ton is, - I'm a widOwer" If the cane iscarried
IN the right hand, ferrule up, the significance is
supposed to be- = I'm q bachelor" II the cane
Is carried horizontally, and the gentleman shifts
IT'S y ,slfion in passing lady, she is to under
sal that her acquaintance is desired. When
The cane is carried across the back with the arms
clasping IL, the significance in this country
usually is that the man is trying to brace
6p-shOulder brace, as 1t weTe but in France
it is supposed to mean, - ] would like to
marry" If the stick is carried in the arms like
bundle, it implies. I'm fiirt, but am not
marrying man'-wh;ch is Hike a Frenchman's
egotism in regard to the other sex. In Ameri-
ca-and we dare say in Franee-the ladies have
something better to do than to watch cane sig
nais And, in this connection. we are reminded
tiat fashion has. on several occasions. sought to
introduce the custom ofcane- carrying by women.
The effort never went further than q sp,irt in
e..'S country. 1t was thought to be little too
rapid" MOI Unlikely. the ladies saw the IN
beoomingDcss of such an appc!l;.c~A fGr skirts
are incompatible with graceful Care-sportinG
Never until some modification of unrnention-
aDeS Is adapted 10 female wear is the WALKING
SICK likely to lese its sex distinction. But a
Eatty rattan would leok quite too. too awfuIly.
etc, supporting shapeiy lower extremity"
or whipping trim ankle. il is, per
hapS, what mgat be called the "lar,ly-tlab. or
swell, Use of canes that has brought them into
disrepute With many sensible men. The force
iui, energetic circGmstancc-compeliing and fate
c9nquering men, who have done the great
things OF the world in all directions have neither
inclination n 1in
ing sticks. They have wanted both hands free.
and have only regretted that they had not many
pairs to carry out the projects Of their teeninr
brains The young cane-Hursers who have ali
inc idleness and ailnlessness Of the lilies of the
Ee.d, without their excuse for hein~-that Of
beauty-and who look out upon life from their
cub windows non-partcipants not only but in
capable OF enthusiasm at other mems accomplish
ments, are indeed an exasrerating set
me differelt modes of carrying the walking
stick have often been remarked as quite as in,
dicative of character, or at least of mental
habit, as the gait itself The methodical man
plods with his cane. The nervous individual
his coming behind you By the sharp
quick ring OF his ferrule on the walk. The
swings his stick hitting off the clover
or dandclion, if he be in the fields The proud
pedestrian. who makes business Of his ICON
sttutionai, brings his stout staff up and down
with regularity and emphasis of drum
majors baton. The cane-carrying idiot may be
stick, or thrusting the point backward from
under his arm, in reckless disregard of other
peoples eyes ard stomachs. This is a fayorite
tflch OF the idiot in crowd. where it advcrtses
ms piSgish uncOncern for others. The proper
treatment for this peculiar type OF manners isf0r
some able bodied man TO grasp the idiots cane
nfm!y ey the end: snatch it quickly from his
hand and throw it upon the ground. If the
subject INDUCES in any idiotic remarks tile re-
naming treatment is to again take the cane
IRON him and play it about his legs OF across his
shoulders in lively fashion for a minute or two
The idiot then subsidies. The only direction for
carrying the cane in genteel manner which
the writer has been able to find are embodied in
the suggestion that lit should be carried with q
gentle swing. the arm held quite near the BODY
III careless natural manner, apparently exer-
eStilS no special strength as the cane is raised
or lowered, II these directions be faithfully
observed truly sweet effect should be the re-
suit. Particular care should be taken not to
seem TO exercise special strength" in lifting
cane; one doesn't want to seem too weak Int
Just weak enough is the idea. we suppose.
The subject of the manufacture and trade in
canes, says a Boston Herald writer is an inter
estin@ one. Many of the sticks are. of course.
Imported and are gathered from the four quar-
IeFs OF the world There is a large industry in
the manufacture in France and Germany. parti-
cuiarly IN the odd carved heads. The large
American dealers do a great part OF their own
and finishing. At stores like the
one before alluded to. where sticks are made
speciality. many hundreds Of different STYLES and
varieties are displayed. The prices range from
lo cents for an ordinary southern or eastern
bamboo. TO 50 TO s. for fancy cane, and from
50 to S75 for gold and silver mounted ones
curious Chinese and Japanese sticks. beautifully
command large prices. There are
goods. like the different varieties of
cane proper, the Irish blackthorn. English hazel
ana black ash. olive wood, Florida orange, hick-
DRY, ETC., and 4 long line of rare and fancy
SUCKS. Among the latter are the ebony Malacca.
communicating the marks in the wood OF the
worms that cut their way up under the pungent
bark, often fine specimens OF natural carving
the Whang Wee, choice japanese stick, the
wltch-haZci. q beautiful wood having a natural
and enduring sweet Odor: also the sandal wood.
noted for its fragrance One curious stick was
OF cork. exceedingly firm. even and tinp-rrained
admitting of effective working. Another was a
stalk OF tea wood. the bark of which is M: de I'D
OF small sharp knobs. new fancy style is the
snake cane, brightly notified in color like
snake, with reptilish head having wicked bead
eyes and an open mouth To add to the effect
slender steel rod concealed in the center gives to
the cane almost a serpentine linbernass man
must be very fond of disagreeably odd things to
carry such cane, but the Odder the better seems
to be the rule with many. As general thing.
however. good taste suggests that walking
stick be not conspicuous any more than
any other part OF gentieman's outfit. The
more expensive canes have carved heads in in
finite variety, both as to material and design.
ivory is the NEST common, but bucks horn is a
faYorite. Some very clever wood carvings are
shown, and contest the palm with knots and
roots. The plain crook is trife Old-fashiOned-
Tor there are fashions in canes as in everything
else. Small silver heads are still geateel. if
chaste IN design and not too conspicuous. Deer
and channels feet have been used for cane heads
with very pretty effect. Rare woods, having
historic associations of some sort, are always in
demand. Enough canes hare been sold as
made from the timbers of famous war
lrigate to sink the bulkest Liverpool packet.
Noahs ark has contributed to the rare woods IF
the adv enturous manufacturer and the graves
oil Burns, Wordsworth and other favorte poets
must have produced an annual crop equal to a
section OF the Black forest, to Judge bv the
souvenir sticks sold with a certified pedipree
Sword canes have been supplanted by the rocket
pistol As q rsle though handsome one are still
sold. An innocent ieekinS stick, with a plain
brass head, disclosed g1tter1ns blade Six
inches long. upon being reversed and gwen a
slight jerk, the knife going back to its place as
spring was touched in the side. Loaded canes
have been prohibited in some states by law, and
are less frequently carried in civilized COM
munities than formerly. With a tough stick,
they are an ugly weapon but If the fibre is at all
brittle. one blow will shatter them. Gold
headed canes are chiefly used for presentation.
Nobody likes to carry one, unless it be some
gentleman Of the old school. Neither are ebony