The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-10-20
THE CANES WE CARRY.
Some Historical Chat About Their
Origin.
t,-on tJle Mem York Graphic.


FIo,n the Mem York Graphic.
rha antiquity Of the cane or walking
st;ck is a little obscure. Here and there
history has mentioned walking stick, but
4ho article in these times, like the people,
soo,,,ad best qualified for war. Abraham
Introduced the fashion of carrying sticks.
When he went up into the mountains to
.ocr;fca his son he took stick with him as
o companion. Then Moses commended the
go 10 the prohibltionists of his time. He
oel,r rock with a rod and the rock i'm
sr,adiatalv gave forth water. The three
,risa men from the east are painted. though
~ described as carrying sticks, and it is
netan mentioned in Biblical history that
Sbenherds used a two-story walking stick to
ouard their flocks, dogs not being generally
Inown in those days. Adonis, the Adonis
~ Mythology, had q sort of walking stick
Ven him that was magical in its power.
S,,t he paid little attention to his present,
tavrg a mania for the cross bow. And
+Di.h 4 short jump into Greece, just across
I've HellespoiDt, the Alemanni carried short,
thick sticks as sidearms to their broad
Having apparently fulfilled their mission
&C weapons of war, walking sticks fell into
disrenute. For centuries nothing was
board or at least nothing was written,
ahout them that outlived time. In the last
cLanters of medieval history they came
20 the front. but as an article of the preserv-
srs wardrobe instead of the destroyer. 1t is
cold that in the sixteenth century physicians
Ieran the carrying of canes as an emblem
If their Office In the court of France, in
the DAYS of the latter Louis, the court
nbvsician carried hollow cane filled with
smelling salts. The custom extended to
Fnrland. and in the canes of some of the
nhySicians all sorts of medical properties
,uera slowed The fashion developed into
The doctor placing diSinfectants in the
chamber of his walking stick when he was
obliged to associate with contagious dis
eases, ..- 1890.
canes in America When the Spanish con-
nuered the country queer custom was
introduced. The chief executive of the
town carried a stick with a gold or silver
baad II was kind of scepter. The peo-
rle of course, rarely knew how to read or
write. and when any one was wanted for
crime one of the mayors subordlnatesw would
take the cane, find the culprit and place it
horizontally upon the latters chest. The
proceeding was equivalent to summons,
and the man had to appear before the mayor
under the penalty of being cast into prison.
This custom was borrowed from Spain,
where it still prevails in the more impor
tant sections.
The English, first to dispense with the
sword, doubtless originated the scheme of
using a cane as an article of fashion merely.
It is said of DIR. johnson, the philosopher of
the last century, that he had weakness
for canes which grew out of prospective
SANDER Samuel Foote was an actor of
very little merit, but as mimic and carl
caturist probably never had an equal.
Foote was a cripple, having but one leg.
johnson affected to despise him. Foote
was anxious to obtain recognition from so
great man, and he thought it would gain
him the acquaintance of the philosopher and
the applause of the public if he would
mimic johnson. He thereupon announced
that he would burlesQue the stage. Johnson
learned of Foote'S intentions.
''How much can a stont cane be pur-
chased fora" he asked of a friend.
'Half a CROWN" was the reply.
ssThen," commanded johnson, in his per-
emptory way, there is a crown. Buy me a
doubly stout one. I'll make that fellow
walk with no legs"
Shortly after johnson died the walking
stick fell into disuse. A crutch made T
shape was affected for a while, but never
gained popularity, and the walking stick
came to the front once more, ard its place
as an assistance to gentle1nanly carriage has
never since been usurped.
The cane of early American history, like
that of Biblical times, was part of the re-
pertory of the leaders of the church. 1t
was the principal badge of the deacon. The
cane was about five feet long. One end
was embellished with big knob; the other
with feathers. When the small boy rebelled
against the STRAIGHTFORWARD pew he got
rap on the head with the uncharItable end
of the cane. If the head of the family got
to dreaming about the old English home
and the cosy little nest in one of the shires
the turkeys plumage on the deacon's cane
feathered the sleeper into life again.
The Irish have always been associated
with lackthorne stick of short and thick
dimensions They used these queer little
sidearms in the invasions of the English
kings and in the religious wars. Even in
its unpublished state the blackthorn stick is
one of the most cherished by cane connois-
SeurS