The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1892-10-28
QUEER USES OF Stills.
Employed il ElChtoenth-Century
Journeys By the French.
Easeony shepherd who Walked on Them
All Day Long without nIsmouut-
ing-Feat- al Wonderful
Agility.

The custom Of walking upon stills
dates frOm the earliest times and in the
art there have. been some distinguished
professors who have attained a remark
able degree of proficiency. Some of
them have danced upon IA tight rope like
REGULAR acrObsitS- In the eighteenth
century, ut Namur, il France stilt com
bats were a tavoritr game among the
young men. Most Of theS, stilt fights
took place during the f5tes of the carni-
val and other great occasions. The
harcchal SAKE WAS in I54S entertained
with one of these Journeys. In dcscYib-
lnS one Of these COmbatS IarDcr'S
Young People say, five or six hundred
Young men were divided into two op-
posing bands, formed themselves iatn
brigadeS, wearing costumes of different
coiorS. and advanced against each other.
The stills Were about four feet high.
The combatant., carried No vcappns-it
was against the rules To do so-thcy
had their elbows and their stills, b. 4
vigorous use of which they did their
best To place their enemies hors de com
bat. The struggle often lasted for two
hours, the cOmbatantS Swaying from
side to side, advancing. retrcating.
crouching toward the earth, or spring
ing up To avoid "A yccll-aimed blow The
battles often waNed hot and furiouS.
bnt did noC by any means necessarily
result III the death of those engaged in
it. As long a. it lasted the flags of the
rival factions floatcd from the windows
of the town hall. The spectators. many
of them women, did all they could by
5hcir presence, cries and gestures To cX-
cite the combatants To further eXer-
tionS.
From one of their silt fights the
Namurois won Il privilege the i'm
pOrtauce of which they have never
ceased to appreciate. Archduke Al
bert, of Austria, at his entrance into
the low countries, was greeted by the
governor of Namur, who promised To
bring before him two troops of war
riors who, without being either on foot
or on horseback, would affOrI him the
spectacle Of a rev mode of lighting"
The archduke was 50 much charmed
with the exhibition that he accorded II
the Inhabitants of the town the priv-
lege of being exempt perpetuaily from
the duties on beer.
In GaScony the L.andeZ shepherds
used stills so as to be sufficiently high
ly perched to be able to survey their
4A'SfNS 81 N''S'' diliohS tLi' h''tti anu
bruShwood. The stiita they used were
very high: they mounted them early in
the morning and did not quit their clc-
waited position until evening. In order
- get upon thcnl they climbed the roof
of = stable or the window of IL house.
The stills were furnished with rest.
like stirruPs for the feet, and the lower
ends were shod with bone II keep the
wood from being worn down or broken.
They We're attached 10 the thigh in
such way To permit the knees be-
ing freely bent. Each man was further
provided with a long pole, which he
used for climbing up to his position and
for support when he wished tn rest.
These shepherds moved with wonderful
agility, clearing hedges and wide
bitches without difficulty.