The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-01-03

o.,. with the mirror he knew that 10 was
ono that had been touched 10y boIa'" '.
,.oaee when the young man taxes inc
,,frfature cane with him DE must hho"
mat the miniature is a silt rom '".
Sofre.t of hands. Famous painters fel
nm These cane miniatures. Ihcy pia'e
them with delicate touches upon poi'e-
lain and color tho lips with me rove
carminc. Upon the forehead is lHe u'N
Uv and the throat shines win 'he Hio"1
ncarl. That makes q blessed miniature
Amelia Kuserer has painted those NINA
tnres and the great CarOlus Duran couio
tell story of cane portraiture. INTO lhS
canes sturdy head SIS now imhedoei w
fair face and over 10 is set glass Around
the rim of the glass are small pearls ans
there is 70 CLEAN of gold n the feiilnt.
Tho whole is very valuable. hut were 10
NOT costly IL would Doe no tal-man. I'm
oldon DAYS a man beggarod himself 20
buy a tansman. I'm this one. gold stands
for truth. glass for purity. and pearls for
tears. Each has its own mission.
The miniature cane. when completed. Is
n very beautiful thing il is not too fine
for use. for many of the jouncsse doree
whom ono hears great deal about. carry
much more expensive walking ticks, and
this one IS for every day service.
The old idea Of a talsman was that II
should be something as inscparable from
person as his breath. Men of old
went 20 the block and were behcaded
with the talisman held tightly in their
shut hands They believed 10 would
save them 90 the very end, and doubt
less 80 did. for they wore a smile when
tho talsman was UNFINISHED from their
fingers.
The talismanic cane travels around with
the man about town. I'm the street car
you see il lifted 10 his lips. At the
crossing you see him clutching r. tightly.
In a crowd ne has Il under his arm.
Once having one man never parts from
IT, II IS his personal talisman
The talismanic cane has been for
long time q secret Who knows but 10
may have been the innocent cause Of
the ridicule which the young man OF
the town. thu dude. used 20 suffer whca
his cane head was inseparable from his
mouth? lie may then have owned tall
isamnic cane and suffered martyrdom
for 70: and no one knew it. And the
Book OF Proverbs speaks of men who
lean on props for a support. Perhaps
these were talismans.
OF ANCIENT ORIGIN.
That is a question 10 debate but the
talisman cane has just come TO light
and is becoming very numerous. Ii made
The ideal holiday fit ana VIII inquire "a
a birthday token during the year Tor
those who ala not get one az New Years
Day
There are small talsmans like the por-
trait silk handkerchief. This has the
face OF q woman upon the corner. The
linen is sensitzed and the picture Is pho
tographed upon it by regular process. The
singular thing IS that II Will wash and not
fade nor dstort. With handkerchief Of
this kind there Is also match box upon
the front OF which there Is a face photo
rraphed. These are Gil fads In photo
graphy. but the cane is the principal one.
One OF these canes. owned by young
man whose love for a talisman amounts
20 a superstition. Is provided with a slid
ing door of silver. The door. when closed.
covers the miniature. II slides over
Ike the sliding cover TO box, Iron the
door is the young mans monogram.
Once seated, IN street car or public
place. where there is q long. dreary wait.