The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-01-30
VALUABLE WAKING STICKS.

Interesting Historical Facts About
Some Famous Hisl.Priccd Canes.
Tit-Bits: In hairdrcsser's window
at the health resort OF Ln Bourboule
some little time ago an ugly, ungainly
cudsel worth about six-pence was dis
played, together with the notice. "a
stick OF genuine olive wood from Jeru-
salem. II formerly belonged to Pontius
PLATE in the year twcnty-seven Of our
area. Price, 1000 francs" Any one de-
s!rous OF wasting little time might
have asked the vendor for proofs OF his
veracity, but We, having duly recorded
the existence Of this remarkable stick.
viii pass on TO that OF DR.. II. Hale, Of
Detroit. which Is. to the best OF our
belief, the most valuable stick extant.
1t was formerly the practice Of ply
slcians, as old prints prove. to carry
canes In the hollow heads of which
some disinfectant was placed. which
the doctor smelled through perforations
in the gold top; DR.. Hales famous staff
however, boasts of head containing q
fine chronometer. and is. with Its jew
eled ornaments, worth about e5OO.
1t is somewhat of Ii coincidence that
two OF her majesty's most famous
walking sticks should be intimately
connected with the Stuart regime. but
such Is the case. The staff OF the stick
she habitually uses we learn. Is Of
stout English oak and was made for.
and presented TO Charles II by a loyal
subject at Worcester. the wool being
culied from q branch Of the famous tree
hnnpI,c ~ thn wander
ing king shelter from the Cromwellian
soldiery. The origin head of gold was
removed some time ago and replaced by
an ornament taken from Seringapatam
Mt the fall OF that city. in order to give
her majesty better grip.
The Prince Of Wales. who possesses
no fewer than liz walking sticks, Is OBJ
riously also a collector. but We very
much doubt whether he possesses
more interesting specimen than that
purchased at the Culloden sale by her
majesty the queen In July, 1897. The
stick in question was made or hazel
wood, and the head was fashioned SO
as TO represent Wisdom and Folly but
the special interest its possesses Is the
fact that 1t was once the property OF.
Bonnie Prince Charlie" Her majesty
became It's owner by an outlay OF Sl6o.
a stick of more than ordinary inter-
est Is one fashioned from an bar be-
longing to one of the most famous YES
sells OF this half century. the Confeder-
ate steamer Alabama. that eventually
cost this nation some c3,500.00O.
The head Is carved to represent Capt
Semmes of the Alabama below the bust
is dog symbolical OF Mr.. John Lam
casters yacht, the Deerhound. through
whose agency many of the Alabama's
crew were saved when the ship was
sunk by the KearsarEe, off Cherbourg.
In 1864. Four cannon. beautifully de-
signed, form the upperp art OF the stem,
and the remainder Of the SHAFT Is carr-
ed to represent hempen cables--alto-
gether walking stick not less interest
Ing than the one with q gold handle
shaped like cap Of liberty. bequeath-
cd by Franklin to George Washington.
In July. 1890 n walking stick. once the
property Of George ". and before him
OF George III. was sold by auction for
els. The staff was OF ebony with
top of gold. upon which We're engraved
&c. r." and a crown; the top also con-
tanned some locks of hair of the
Princess Elizabeth, Mary and Sophie.
II is somewhat strange that the stick
of Napoleon Bonaparte, Great liri;ain's
terrible opponent at the time OF the re-
sency, should be sold during the reign
of tn. fourth George Cor c3S-the stick,
b. the way, was of tOrtoise-sheil.