The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-04-19
MARTYRS TO CUSTOM.
Queer Things We Do by Instinct
Rather Than Reason.

Queer Things We Do by Instinct
Rather Than Reason.
Why does dog walk round in a lit
tie circle before lying down? Because
his ancestors had to beat out hole in
the grass or the snow to make Il COM
Portable bed. Why does he lay his nose
on the paws? Because his ancestors had
to keep their noses clear of the dust or
snow, says the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Why does cat wash herself SO careful
ly? Because her ancestors had to be
clean, or their prey would smell them
and escape. Instances might be cited by
thousands Of ancient habits preserved
by animals long after they have ceased
to be useful Now. man does exactly
the same thing, without knowing it
preserves innumerable habits for CEN
turies after they have ceased to have any
meaning
Man asa street building animal is
guided by instinct far more than BY
reason. A builder is accustomed to
houses with windows all over. Suppose
he puts up corner house, where win
dows are needed only on the front. Still
he makes imitation windows on the
side wall, with Intel, ledge and sills,
end in some cases actually paints sashes
and curtains inside the frame. No mat
ter how hideous the result, he is accus-
toned to windows on every wall, re.
gardless of cost.
Posts are planted at street corners to
keep vehicles off the pavement. Old
cannon were often used as being both
useful and ornamental-ships' guns
sunk to the trunnions and a round shot
lodged in the muzzle to keep out refuse.
The supply fell short, but as cannon
were popular they were made on pur-
pose for corner posts.
Look at u corner post now, and you
will see that it is shaped and banded
like an old gun, with half ball on top
in memory Of the round shot in the
muzzle. Look at any iron railing. The
poets are shaped like spears, shaft and
tip, in memory Of some ancient, forgot
ten usage of weapons. Spears were used
for the fencing Of tiltyards in the tour
naments Of the middle ages
On gateposts you will frequently find
a stone ball Who would ever suppose
that the balls on the gateposts were the
heads Of the family enemies2 1t was
once the custom to stick your enemy's
CORY head as trophy on the gatepost.
On tna gates Of towns were stuck the
heads of traitors, criminals and other
offensive persons. In old London. for
instance, the bridge gate and Temple
Bar were always decorated with ghastly
relics of the kind, and the memory Of
the custom survives on the gateposts of
modern suburban villas.
On the back of mans coat there are
two buttons, because our ancestors
needed them as rests for their sword
belts. Now that women wear an iml-
tation of mems coats, they have the
buttons, too, yet it never enters their
heads that they are only useful for the
sword belt. And the modern dress for
sword play has no tail buttons.
When railways first came into use,
road coaches were mounted on hanged
wheels and hauled along the track by
the locomotive. Look at any English
railway compartment today, and you
will see that it is nodded and painted
in imitation Of stagecoach. It's seats,
shape, windows, doors and hatracks are
limitations of the forgotten mail car
riage.
The hairdresser's g shop has painted
pole in front That pole was the sign Of
the old barber surgeon and meant
bloodletting done here. !" How would
modern surgeon like such sign in
front Of his house7 Nearly every carpet
has flower pattern, because in the
days before carpets the floors were usrl-
ally strewn with rushes, interspersed on
state occasions with living flowers
At the head or foot of every business
letter you will see the address Of this
person to whom it is written, because
in the days before envelopes came into
use the sheet of the letter was folded up,
sealed and addressed to its destination.
On the flap Of the envelope you will
often see stamped mark in imitation
of seal. because long, after envelopes
were invented people distrusted the
gum and still used wax for security.
Animals have innumerable useless
habits, but for every one Of these we
men have 100 almost unaccountable
whims.