Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-05-25

Many Interesting references are made
in the Old Testament to the use of the
staff. The patriarch Jacob, when about
10 meet his brother, and filled with APP
prehension for the issue. in his prayer
for divine protection, exclaimed:
with my staff 1 passed over this
Jordan" The simple shepherds rod of
Moses, more powerful than the sceptre
Of Pharaoh. was the appointed instru-
ment for conveying the wrath of God
to devoted Egypt, and for performing
miracles of mercy to Israel. The rod
OF Aaron was for centuries preserved
among the mysteries of the sacred
place, as a memorial of the divine APP
pointment of the Jewish priesthood.
Homer describes the Grecian heroes
as "sceptre- bearing princes" and rep
resents Achilles saying: Il will swear
great oath. even by this sceptre which
shall never again bear leaves or shoots.
nor will bud again from the time it left
it's trunk upon the mountains, when
the axe stripped it of all its leaves and
bark"
These sceptres were not only the in
sigma of authority. but We're the or
binary walking sticks of the Grecian
magnates. Agamemnon is stated never
to have gone forth without his paternal
staff of royalty.
Not less eminently was the walking
stick signalized in the celebrated enig-
ma of the sphinx This monster Is
said to have infested the neighborhood
Of Thebes. ill-treating the passengers
and committing many offences. The
oracle of Apollo gave forth that these
evils would cease as soon as the follow
ing riddle had been solved:
What animal is that which goes
upon four feet in the morning, upon
two at noon. and upon three at night?'
The solution was given by the hero.
Oedipus: That animal" said he, is a
man, who in his infancy creeps upon
his hands and feet. when he grows up
his two feet, and when he be-
comes old, he uses the support of a
staff, and so may be said to go upon
three feet"
It is said that the sceptre of the
Egyptian kings bore the shape of a
plough-a testimony confirmed by ex-
listing monuments. in which the long
staff which forms the sceptre termi-
mates in a shape obviously representing
a plough.
On some of the monuments of Egypt
persons in authority are depicted walk
ing with tall. slender slaves crowned
with the lotus, and among the discov-
cries in that remarkable land have
been found sticks with knobs and
hooks for the hand. which do not differ
in the least from those in present use.
A Ninevite monarch on one of the
r.
his hand simple staff as the emblem
of knightly dignity.
In the days when piety, superstition
or curiosity led multitudes on pilgrim
ages to the Holy Land, each pedestrian
was equipped with his bourdon-a
strong stick about five feet high, with
a spiked foot to aid its possessor in the
ascent of steep and perilous places.
About foot from the top was handle
to facilitate powerful grasp. or bring
down from trees adjacent to the road
refreshing fruit. Glad to avoid all en-
cumbranCe on his lengthy journey the
pilgrim skilfully contrived to make this
staff almost the sole receptacle of his
chattels. He was of the mind of the
Romans, who called trunks and bag
gage impedimenta hindrances. Half
way down the bourbon was joint
which unscrewed and revealed the up
per half followed for the reception of
treasures. Here were the relics the
wayfarer had purchased from imposing
qua rdians Of foreign shrines: in this
snug receptacle was the silent lutte,
which. as occasion served, would be
drawn forth to earn Scanty meal in the
towns through which he passed. or to
charm the denizens Of wayside
hostelry. In this curious crevice. too,
many boon was smugsIed which be-
came n source of private wealth and
even national advantages. In pill
grims staff was brought from Greece
to England the first head of saffron. at
a time when it was death to take
plant out of that country. 1t has been
wondered what price the monks of
Walden paid the bold adventurer for
the rare treasure which in course of
time so much enriched their refectory
and other Golfers. and gave a name to
the town which grew upon it's culture
Saffron Walden.
In the same manner n solitary silk
worm found it's way into the south of
Europe, and made the wealth of the
Italian valleys.
On hook near the top Of his staff
hung the travellers water bottle, and
the whole was surmounted by hollow
globe. A bunch of PLAN tied round the
head of the bourbon denoted the trav-
eier's return. These palm leaves were
the guerdon of the enterprise. and gave
the name to the tribe-"Palmers."
All the modern inventions which have
been conceded in sticks-swords. pipes.
limitations of the palmers invention
Among these was one which served the
purpose of a miniature wine cellar and
others have contained a voltaic battery,
subjecting the handler to an electric
current. a collection of mans. an UNI
hrella campstool and similar conven-
fences. -
The traveller over the lips is invaria-
bly, equipped with an alpenstock.
horn to grip the CLASSY road. and
mounted with channels horn
An inventory of the contents of the
royal palace at Greenwich. in the reign
of Henry WILL. contains the following
entries: "A cane garnished with sylver
and gilte. with astronOmie upon it.
cane garnished with golde. having q ner-
fume in the top under that a dali. Win
pair of twitchers and pair OF com
passes of golde: and a footrule of golde
knife and a file of golde. with a whet-
stone tipped with golde.'
From the middle of the 18th century
canes aprear to have increased in lux
ury, both in respect to the mountings and
the material of which they were mada
the improvements being principally de-
rived from France. In the earlv portion
Inc nor, tI,z