Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1883-11-24

The Queer Cane Craze.

The Queer Cane Craze.
"By gwasious, Gus, I've bwoken my
stick,' exclaimed a '.slim' at West
Broadway and Chambers street yester-
day to his companion as he gazed rue
fully at the shattered cane, and slyly
felt in his pocket to see if he had enough
money to get a new one.
"M aw yer should handle yer silk
more gwacefully, yer Know respond
ed his companion.
"You'd aw bettah hurwY's get an
other one, yer know, ev the girlies
won't wok with yer, yer know"
Together they entered a cane and
umbrella store near by, and a Journal
reporter, who happened to overhear tho
conversation, followed them out of
curiosity. The fashion-plate who had
broken his "stick' summoned the clerk
with wave of his hand and demanded
to see ''some of yer woking sticks. yer
know"
Several were shown him, but he was
not suited. One was too heavy and an
other too thick. Finally a Rajah cane
was brought to light, and feeling the
weight of the stick both "slims' were
transported with delight. Its weight
was hardly p%erceptible.
cit won't make me round-shouldered.
yer KNOW" said he, land then l can
put it down my bwack when I feel my
self giving way, too, yer know" After
feeling in every pocket of his clothes, a
look Of u%nspeakable terror swept over
his face, and turning to his companion,
whispered, loud enough for the reporter
to hear-"Lend me a shilling, old boy,
I've only got six pence, yer know. Its
doosid awkward ter be short, yer know"
The amount was transferred under q
very small handkerchief, the cane paid
for and the'"slims" walked out on their
toes, holding their elbows away from
their sides.
"They are curious cases." laughed
the clerk, as he %rearranged the disor-
dered canes that had been handled by
the "slims."
"Do you have many such customers"
was asked.
"What, like that?" he asked, cycling
the reporter with q peculiar CLEAN in
his optical orbs. "Do you mean to in
suit me by asking such a question, after
looking owe that stock of canesp" he
demanded, laughingly, as he moved his
hand toward a bundle of slight moth
ings that stood in the window with a
tWenty-five-cent sign tackled on the top.
"Have many! Well, I should say SO.
Just wait until I put this ferrule on and
I'll show you some styles that are in de-
mand just now"
The operation being completed, he
took down several canes from a rack
against the wall, and taking a very
light-colored stick from among them,
studded with silver nails, said: s'Can
you tell me what this is and where it
comes from?"
The cane wa drab in color and very
slim at the bottom, the handle being
composed of a natural root.
"English ASH" ventured the reporter.
"That's it, exactly, and not one in a
hundred can tell this wood when they
see it, either. It's a very peculiar wood,
being sometimes very pliable and then
again very brittle. They are used a
great deal by those who dress for effect
only. They cost from twenty-five cents
to three dollars, according to their
quality"
"What are the fancy woods?" D.
"Black and white bamboo have had
the foremost position for some time
past" was the reply, "but are gradu-
ally going out before the pretty ash. A
black bamboo with silver mounting
makes a handsome cane without doubt,
but then, you see, people don't want
pretty things as much as they do odd
patterns. Ebony is an odd wood, but is
still used q great deal because it's re-
liable"
':Do Sims often buy heavy canes?"
"'Slims, what are they?" asked tho
clerk, in surprise.
"'Slim' is a new name for dudes"
"Oh, l see. Well, no, but they often
buy the Holly Hook. which is a very
large cane, but not as heavy as a willow
switch. 1t gives the impression that it
is very heavy"
This" he said, in conclusion, els
also a nice wood, being very pliable.
Can you guess what it TSP Well, it's
s~nake-wood, and when mounted in sill
yer makes a splendid stick"
There are several varieties of heads
and handles to canes, the open Polo,
Masebt, Zulu, Rustic and Sickle being
among those most sought after.
In umbrellas, the La Petite takes the
lead, it being the finest and lightestum
brella made. The self-opening sum
shade, although a very novel idea, does
not meet with approval.
"People are taking more interest in
the manufacture Of canes" said the
clerk as the reporter was leaving, "and
a great many new styles are constantly
being put on the market. We now sell
loaded canes to keep and-I mean
Sims from wandering away and get
ting lost."-M. Y. Morning Journal.
Somebody has brought home from
Europe an opera cloak made of white
fur and lined with quilted satin. People
have no idea what a nice garment this is
until they hear it cost s., 3OO.-Boston
Post.
AS men were scarce women were
employed to help the masons construct
ing the bridge at Springfield, N. j., and
they did the work well and received
mems pay.-Newark Register.