The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1922-08-07
ODD TRADE SIGNS
Signals That Puzzle American
Visitors in Europe.
Bunch Of Straw, for, Instance, Has
Many Meanings, Somewhat 6afI-
Ing to the UnInltlated.

Many Meanings, Somewhat 5ahI-
Ing to the UnnItiated.
In many streets OF continental
Europe are still to be seen signs, or
unwrltlen words which have no such
clear significance as the hat before
hatters shop or the boot before Il
cobblers. Certain Of these signs are
so obscure In origin and meaning that
no one could understand them with.
out reference TO tradition or the pass
ers.by.
Everybody In this country knows
Inat II pole painted with spIrals Of
red, white and blue ia the usual sign
before BARRIERS shop. But how few
know that the stripes are supposed
by some persons to represent surgical
b0ndagesf That was when BARRIERS
performed simple surgical operations
Before many barber shops In Europe
small brass plates are hung. These
are oval, c0ncaye and curiously
scooped out on one side, as If piece
had been bitten out Of II. This repre-
sents the old-fashIoned cupplng dish
which barber Outrageous, or surgeons
used In taking blood from patients.
Who would naturally suppose that
mats OF straw, loosely plated and
fastened TO the corners Of buildings
signify, that oysters are there for
sale? But this Is their meaning In
Europe oysters are never eaten ex.
cept raw. and in mild weather they
are exposed on the sidewalk beside a
man ready TO open them for custom
ers. In bad weather, when the oysters
are not exposed, persons who can read
may find them mentioned among the
names Of fish on the shops placards,
but the mats are then expected to
inform the illIterate on the point.
The old proverb. Good wine needs
no BUSH" refers to the custom of put.
ting bush before wine shop door
as sign. Sometimes branch is
placed above the door instead. Often
no name or any other sign is displayed
by the wine seller
Such bush may be Of any tree com.
mon to the locality. In the North II
Is often spruce or pine or n huge
branch Of mlstletoe. In the South II
Is almost always olive or myrtle, and
generally renewed on fete days The
bushes have acquired the name "bouch-
ons" In France and this Is applied to
small taverns also.
The ancient usage of hanging a
bush over the door is obsolete In cities.
but was doubtless the origin Of the
habit of placing small evergreens in
portable wooden boxes outside cafes
and restaurants in Paris and other
large communities.
A common sight in Paris Is that OF
horses led through the streets with
punches of straw tied to their tails
This signifies that these animals are
for sale. In fact. bunch of straw
tied to any object can always be inter
preted to mean that the present owner
is ready to enter into negotiations With
any one who takes fancy to his
property.
Thus, as he passes along the streets
enc sees baby carriages, bicycles or
any secondhand furniture with the
bunch of straw attached He who
runs may read such sign even better
than a written or printed card.
1t serves another end as well for
advertisements can be taxed, while
there is no tax on bunch of straw,
In France, unless an owner has Il
regular license to sell, he must place
government stamp on any sign or
writing hung at the door. In the
same way even dressmaker or shoe
maker in want OF apprentices must
put government stamp on any no
tice so displayed.
A curious instance Of this use OF
straw used to be seen near English
law courts of the Eighteenth century
Men willing to bail criminals or debt
Grs were seen parading with straw In
their shoes. thus signifying that they
would bail for pay. Thus worthless
bail came to be called straw ball.