Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1899-04-29
MARTYRS TO CUSTOM.
Queer Things We DO by Instinct
Rather Than Henson.


Why does dog walk round in lit
tie circle before lying down? Because
his ancestors had 10 beat ont u hole in
the grass or the snow To make com
Portable bed Why does he lay his nose
on the pawsy Because his ancestors had
Ia keep their noses clear of the dust or
snow says the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Why does a cat wash herself So careful
lyl Because her ancestors had To he
clean. or their prey would smell them
and escape. Instances might he cited by
thousands of ancient habits preserved
10y animals long after they have ceased
10 be useful Now. man does exactly
the same thing. without knowing it
preserves innumerahle habits for cen
turies after they have ceased to have any
meaning
Man as n street building animal il
gnided 10y instinct far more than by
reason. a builder is accustomed to
houses with windows all over. Suppose
he pnts up "A corner house where win
dows are needed only ON the front Still
he makes iiHitation windows on the
side wall. with Intel. ledge and sills.
and in some cases actually paints sashes
and curtains inside the frame. No mat
ter how hideous the result. he is accus-
toned Ia windows On every wall. re-
gardless of cost.
Posts are planted mt street corners to
keep vehicles of the pavement Old
cannon We're often used as being both
useful and ornamental ships guns
sunk Ia the trunnions and round shot
lodged in the muzzlc to keep out refuse
The supply fell short, hut as cannon
We're popular they We're made on pur-
pose for corner posts
Look ut IA corner post now. and You
will see that il is shaped and banded
like an old gun. with n half ball ON top
in memory Of the round shot in the
muzzle Look at any iron railing. The
posts are shaped like spears shaft and
tip. in memory of some ancient. forgot
ten usage Of weapons Spears We're used
for the fencing of tiltyards in the tour
naments of the middle ages.
On gateposts you will frequently find
n stone ball Who would ever suppose
that the balls on the gateposts were the
heads Of the family enemies? II was
once the custom To stick your enemy's
CORY head as a trophy on the gatepost
On the 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 We're always decorated with CHASTITY
relics Of the Kind. and the memory of
the custom survives ON the gateposts of
modern suburban villas.
On the back of man ; coat there are
two buttons. because our ancestors
needed them as rests for their sword
belts Now that women wear an imi-
tation of mems coats they have the
buttons. too, yet il 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 fianged
wheels and hauled along the track by
the locomotive Look at any English
railway compartment today. and You
will see that il is nodded and painted
in imitation of stagecoach Its seats.
shape. windows. doors and hatIacks are
limitations of the forgotten mail car
riage
The hairdressor's shop has a painted
pole in front. That pole was the sign of
the old barber surgeon and meant
"bloodletting done here How would
a modern surgeon like such a sign in
front of his houscg Nearly every carpet
has flower pattern. because in the
days before carpets the floors were usu-
ally strcwn with rushcs. intcrspersed on
state occasions with living flowers.
At the head or foot of every business
letter you will see the address of the
person Ia whom il is written because
in the days before envelopes came into
use the sheet of the letter was folded up.
sealed and addressed To it, 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 innumerahle useless
habits lut for every one of these we
men have 100 almost unaccuuntable
whms