The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1885-11-20

DIFFERENT METHODS OF USING STICKS
CHARACTERISTIC WALKING OF
BUSINESS MEN AND
DUDES

From the Denver Tribune
The first one will carry a stout stick
and he will try and walk fast, the same
as he did before he got the gout. He
will stamp that cane down upon the
walk with venomous vigor and
grimace viciously every time he sets
the sitk foot down upon an uneven
place in the sidewalk. When he gets
home he will sit down in an easy chair
and place the Lame foot upon an otto
man aud keep the cane in his right
hand. When anything occurs which
displeases him or somebody keeps him
waiting for something longer than he
thinks they ought to do he will pound
that cane upon the floor or bruise all of
the furniture within reach. If cat or
dog gets into the room and behaves in
perfect legitimate and gentlcmanly
manner the chances are ten TO one that
the old man will throw his cane at him
before he gets out again.
A mddle-aged man of busin oss, a
bank president or any of those kind
of men will walk moderately fast on a
week day and strike his cane upon the
pavement at an average of one stroke
to every three steps. As soon as he
strikes the cane upon the walk he will
raise it TO a nearly horizontal position,
pointing directly ahead, but as soon as
the stick gets at the proper height it
will begin the descent again and so
long as he walks the cane will be in
perpetual motion. On Sundays this
class of gentleman will walk slowly
and with q comfortable, self-satisfed
air, if they've been making money
during the week, but the cane will
move just about the same.
There is very large number of men
who carry canes, but who very seldom
use them in walking Their great
hobby is to thrust the stick under one
arm, with the longest portion protrud-
ing from the rear. When they 90
through a crowd in the street or any
where else everybody behind them is in
mortal fear of having an eye or two
or three teeth knocked out When
one of these gentleman jump upon
street Car with one or two men stand
ing upon the step those r1cn are apt TO
literally "get it in the neck When
they don't dodge adroitly enough as
the gentleman swings around they Of
ten get rap in the jaw. These gen
tlemen with the canes do great execu-
tioC when they go into a cigar store
for a smoke. They will lean over the
glass case and the cane will keep ev-
erybody else away until they have Sc
lected their cigars and lighted them.
Then they back away from the case
and punch everybody in the ribs as
they go out.
a dude probably makes less trouble
with cane than anybody else. He
will generally carry it perpendicularly,
with the head nearly on a level with
his chin and he will seldom move it
from that position unless he desires to
change hands.
There are the energetic gentlemen
who carry light rattan or whalebone
canes and who walk fast. They go
with head slightly inclined forward
and every time they put the cane down
they will bend it almost double. Then
there are the "flp" men, who keep the
canes in constant motion. First, they
will walk with it touching the ground,
then they will drag it along little
way and then they will place it in the
other hand. Then it goes over the
shoulder like a soldier carrying his
musket at "right shoulder arms" Then
they will take it between the thumb
and forefinger and twirl it the same as
an Irishman on the stage does with his
shillaleh.
Then there are the high toned boys
who carry thick, stout cane and new
er use it to touch the ground. They
just grasp it in the middle. "Thats
English, you know