The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-11-21
WALKING STICKS.
THEIR ORIGIN AND HOW THEY
CAME INTO USE.
Abraham the First Man to Use a
Cane-Walking Sticks In Mod
ern Times-The Cane as
aDeacon's Badge.


The antiquity of the cane or walking
stick is little obscure. Here and there
history has mentioned walking stick,
but the article in those times, like the
people, seemed best qualified for war.
Abraham introduced the fashion of
carrying sticks. When he went up into
the mountains to sacrifice his son he took
a stick with him as a companion. Then
Moses smote q rock with rod and the
rock Immediately gave forth water. The
three wise men from the East are painted,
though not described, as carrying sticks,
and it is often mentioned in Biblical
history that shepherds used two-story
walking stick to guard their focks, dogs
not being generally known in those
days. Adonis, the Adonis of mythology,
hid sort OF walking stick given him
that was magical in its power, but he
paid little attention to his present. hav-
ing a mania for the cross bow. And
with short Jump into Greece, just
across the Hellespont, the Alemanni
carried short, thick sticks as sldearms
to their broadswords.
Having apparently fulfilled their mis-
sion as weapons of war, walking sticks
fell into disrepute. For centuries moth.
ing was heard, or at least nothing was
written about them that outlived time.
In the last chapters of medieval history
they came to the front, but as an article
of preserver's wardrobe instead of the de-
stroyer. 1t is said that in the sixteenth
century physicians began the carrying
of canes as an emblem of their o.tice. In
the court of France, in the days of the
latter Louis, the court physician carried
followed cane filled with smelling
salts. The custom extended to England,
and in the canes of some of the physi-
clans all sorts of medical properties were
slowed. The fashion developed into the
doctor placing disinfectants in the cham
ber of his walking stick when he was
obliged to associate with contagious dis
eases.
1t seems that ..the Mex.cans first used
canes in America. Whe the Spanish
conquered the country queer custom
was introduced. The chief executive of
the town carried STICK with a gold or
silver head. 1t was q kind of sceptre.
The people, of course, rarely knew how
to read or write, and when any one was
wanted for crime one of the Mayors
subordiuates would take the cane, find
the culprit and place it horizontally upon
the latter's 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 i'm
portant sections.
The English, first to dispense with the
sword, doubtless originated the scheme
of using cane as an article of fashion
merely. It is said of DR.. Johnson, the
philosopher of the last century, that he
had a weakness for canes which grew
out of prospective slander. Samuel
Foote was an actor of very little merit,
but as q mimic aid caricaturist Prob
ably 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 a man, and he thought it would
gain him the acquaintance of the philoso-
pher and the applause of the public if
he would mimic johnson. He thereupon
announced that he would burlesque him
on the stage. johnson learned Of Foote's
intentions.
"How much can stout cane be pur-
chased for2" he asked of friend.
"Half a crown" was the reply.
"Then,n commanded johnson, in his
peremptory way, "here is crown. Buy
me doubly stout one. I'll make that
fellow walk with no legs"
Shortly after Johnson died the walk
ing stick fell into disuse. A crutch made
T shape was affected for a while, but
never gained popularity, and the walk
ing stick came to the front once more,
and its place as an assistance to gentle
manly carriage has never since been
usurped.
The cane of early American history,
like that of Biblical times, was part of
the repertory 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 mob, the other with feathers.
When the small boy rebelled against the
straight backed pew he got a rap on the
head with the uncharitable end of the
cane. If the head of the family got to
dreaming about his 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 q blackthorn stick of short ard
thick dimensions. They used these
queer little sidearms in the invaslons 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 connoisseurs.- .-Ne'0
York Graphic.