The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1890-12-20

Az INTERESTING HISTORY o. THg
PALM LEAF AND MS CHILDREN


Marie Antsinetts's Waving Wcnder--Iiha
Oldest chinoss Ean IN Enistsnce--Tha
JAPANESE General directs the Movements
of his Trssps with bia. and ThroVu n
IN the Air 80 Tire Signal aor Attack.
The origin Of the inb is concealed n
the dim beginnings Of history.
The Hebrews knew OF the fan and
used lt not only 10 cool themselves, but
10 winnOw their corn. Il ls said that
there is not q single early tombstone
In Hindostan which II not decOrated
With the carvings OF q fan, hy brow
and parasOl, three articles peculiarly
the products Of tOrrid climate.
In India gradations In rank are indl-
Gated by the more or less iuxurianoe Of
these three, and from the simple palm
leaf to the richest ivory and silk might
be traced the ascent from peasant to
prince. In Egypt the fan seems 10 have
been an emblem o. authority, for we
SEQ It on all representations Of royal
personages, whore it IL borne before the
monarch. Monarch and ian seem 10 be
lnseparable.
OF course, China is held BY many to
be the original homo OF the fan, as II is
Of everything else. The Peruvians and
Mexicans weil understood the virtues Of
the fan and devoted considerable talent
to its adornment.
The oldest Chinese iAh In existence la
preserved In one Of the museums in
Europe. It is made OF bamboo leaf,
ornAmented with bulrushes. Later on
the Chinese used silk with elaborate
embroidery. In Japan the fan seems TO
be Of equal antiquity. Il Is there part
Of the national costume and seems to be
necessary adjunct TO every ceremony
Of Japanese life. The japanese student
takes his notes on It, the condemned
criminal goes TO the block with fan In
his hand, the signal ls given with a fan
TO the exeoutiOner, who holds the same
article while dealing the fatal blow.
With the Asiatios, ss with the old
Egyptians, the fan seems to be assooia-
ted with the idea OF authority. The
japanese general directs the movements
Of bis troops with the fan and throws Il
In the air as = signal for attack. Among
the Japanese the fan was greatly I'M
proved In form and loving attention waa
given to Its decoration. 49,
II grew from leaf Of tail.like form
through various changes to its present
common quadrant shape. Bronae, ivory,
sandal-wOod, tOrtoise-shell, silver and
gold have been applied TO the manuGact-
ure Of Japanese ribs; paper, linen, silk
and feathers have ell been used as cover
Ing, while the Japanese Imagination hns
run riot in fan decoration.
To the Japanese is also attributed the
invention Of the folding ian. Those
used In Egypt, India, China, Greece aud
Italy all appear to be made Of feathers
arranged in half circles OF in the form Of
pheasant's tall, but all appear stiR and
unchanged In form
But II 10 only In the Western world
that the fan became an article Of hlstori.
cal Importance. In Europe It has play
ed no unimportAnt and ne inconspicuous
part In the Affairs Of men. Il has been q
veritable instrument of war, mono the
less effective because used quietly In the
hands Of women.
From the time OF Ctesar to the Cru.
sades It appears to have been used as a
part of the religious ceremonial, as an
instrument Of worship and very little "a
domestic article. Even now the dea.
cons Of the Greek Church receive fan
upon being ordained, TO remind them
that they are expected to keep intrusive
insects from annoying the superior
priests IN the performance Of their S.
cred duties.
Il is not too extravagans 10 say that
civilization IL In way epitomized by the
fan. On 1t were Grst recorded the
logends Of mythology, then among the
Afabians and Christians the roliRtous
spirit Gnds expression, while Later on
the spirit Of love and ohivalry ls shown
by the inscriptions. In the seventeenth
century fans were made Of enormous
sise. This style was gradually super.
seded by the oppOaite and they became
almost imPerceptible.
The riOtous extravaganza OF the French
Court in the days before the Revolution
showed itself In fans e IN other thlnrS.
Marie Antoinette was presented With 4
fan said to be the most beauttful snd
certainly the most costly one ever made.
Thirty thousand dollars was conRealed
In this luxurious trlhe. When the Revo-
luton came on partisan ladies' Inscribed
ON their fans "Vive 10 Roi" Or "Vivs
10 Nation" according a. their prsiudioas
were royal or republican.
And az there Waa an ansctation of aim.
pllcity for q time the elaborate fans Of
Marie AntOinstte gave place 70 simple
devices appropriate 10 a. republican
court. But the simplicity did not last
long, for soon this luxury, harbAFic In
many respects, Of the Napoleonic court
revived the practices OF the former
regime and fans partook Of the new rloh-
ness Of spirit.
The last prominent appearance Of the
ian - = factor Ia history was When the
Dey Of Algisrs insulted tbs French Con
sui By touching o. striking him on the
cheek Thls Was immediately folIowod
By the occupation Of the eouRtry by the
French and It's conquest and snnsEailon.