The San Francisco call. [volume], August 20, 1905, Page 4, Image 4

About The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913

Image provided by: University of California, Riverside; Riverside, CA

                
Keith Gordon
RICH MAN
POOR MAN!
The left side guard is with tne rerrule
end. As the blow glances off you can
whip in a hard back-hand .blow thai
will cut him across'the face. ' This will
give you time to step in for close quar' .
ter work. . . \ "'. . •\u25a0
Then there is the low guard, .which
is the same for the risht»or left side.
The blow is taken on the heavy send.'
For a person to: strike • low he must
step in. The moment the blow, is struck
you send the cane .upward and in almost
every case, you will reach the face.
Now for the holds. Supposing'yotir
opponent grasps , the ferrule end. A
quick step forward will bring the cane
ncrqss your stomach and strengthen
your "hold. At rtae sanie time a- left
back-handcr will do the trick on .the
point of \u25a0tne'chJnl-; \u25a0 • • .
If your opppuent should see 'the
movement coming and should throw Op
his hand to block "tho blow", shift your
foot behind his and the pressure of the
outstretched ; left. 1 hand- will? throw.hlni
off his "balanced ; But your \ opponent •
may have taken hold of the end of the
cane with both 'hands, jj which ; . would .
make 1t Impossible, to use I the single^
hand-break. Both your hands ": now
come Into play. 'Quick as ;a flash you
turn, bringing the cane"over;the ; shoul-^
der, giving you Hfio long leveraged It
takes but % the left hand to' hold while
the elbow/ of v,the', right. arnr, goes into
your ; adversary's , stomach.' ;\u25a0\u25a0.. ; \ ' ?\u25a0•. \u25a0
p. This; play .is. like the famous' shift- 'of
Bob Fitzsimmons. It* is ;..; speed; that
counts. -Done slowly, you are lost. 'An- .
-other 'hold 4 break. Is" when your, opponent •\u25a0
grabs "each end of 'the cane. Both your j
hands , grasp the '\u25a0 center and you '; shove \u25a0
upward, which*- will brjng- your | opponent *
'close to you 'and-you can glye.him'the t
\u25a0knee. \u25a0-\u0084:; ' . ."\u25a0 ' r '\u25a0\u25a0\u25a0. ', \u25a0 ,\u25a0;.-; ;' ...
Exit opponent.
These are but a few of .the : tricks ,. in *
this- kind of.stick^play.ivEveryvone-who "*
practices : wijl -find-.that' they form 1 unique:
defense -and offenseT.work,: whiclr is their-';
oughly practical.'-^ • : *'. . ' -. /V:- '.r ",
| But It must: be C remembered' that .with
out lots of i practice^ and /courage nothing.*
jCanl be i done' in • the way > of : . self-defense .
:.yjrtth:a^cah«.-,-.-;.;*v' " '• ' : "'
best to get out of the neighborhood.
He is not going to stand quietly and
let you do all this, but will be just
iis busy as you. Your advantages* lies
in that you have taken him by surprise
\u25a0\viUj your cant. You must follow it up
quickly. Your practice will stand you
in stead here, tor after gaining your
Jirst point, you will spring, other blqws
in rapid succession that will : keep him
looking continually to a defense.
Take the ruman that tackles you on
the street: In most cases he is larger
a.nd more powerful than you are.
Toughs very seldom tackl« any one who
is a match for them lii size or
strength. . \
When your adversary tries to grab,
you the same upward movement can
be brought into play. Only this time
it 13 aimed at the point of the chin. It
is surprising how'slight a tap with a
ttick on this point will do the trick.
More than one person has taken the
count when this trick has been illus-
trated, the blow . seeming harply to.
touch the chin.
There arc times when the attack will
be made so suddenly or the opponent
will close in so. that the upward move
ment cannot be made. It is then that
the : straight cross comes into play. You
give. your opponent the force of the
heavy eiid on the jaw. This, if it does
not put him oifC\will stagger him.
Then straighten ing out the arm the
second movement of the blow is given
which brings the ferrule end across the
other side of the' jaw. This will gen
erally be enough to d~op him./ If not.
it can be repeated and the next will
catch the point of the chin as his head
is turned.
A defense comes into play when at
tacked by a person who also has a cane
or stic». If the blow is aimed horizon
tally at: the right side or downward
on the -right a mere raising of the
right arm, laying the cane along 'the
forearm as when measuring, will . catch
the blow and It will; glance off. • You
will then be free for your stick* play.
By straightening, out' the arm' youVcan'
stick the ferrule end in your opponent's
Copyright, 1904, by Frances "Wilson.
EFORE they reached the first
V.:.} ledge overlooking Sausalito a
J-^ .mist like floating globules of
/J> J crushed pearl . rolled noiselessly
Vi^y through the fissures of the hills
and blotted onY the vlllage.\;the bay
and the towers and chimneys "ot San *\u25a0
Francisco-r-In other .', words. 1 the world.,
In v the damp. air the girl's hair curled'
more distractlngly than ever..- Never
Had he'seen It when it framed the low
forehead in so bewildering 'an ara
besque of rings and/curves and waves.
"You look rather swell yourself." she
laughed in response to his eloquent
glance of approval. "Knickers and
a I Norfolk cap and the jacket aren't
half bad on you. - Taken -In connection
with your cleft chin," she went on.
throwing her head back and screwing
up her eyes critically, "they make you
a very presentable youth indeed!"
"We won't talk" about that," was the
terse reply. "This walk to Point Bon
ita has an object!"
She opened ber eyes wide.
VCertainly." she assented politely.
"Point' Bonita. for instance. If it has
any other object," she went on stern
ly, "if you're going back' to that old
subject I won't ,go a step further."
By this. time they were moving in
the midst of a cloud.
It was his turn to be innocent.
"You mean— oh!" with a fine imita
tion of impatience. "Doesn't a girl
ever forget it if a fellow has once hap
pened to fancy himself in love with
her and say so?" i
The pink of the girl's cheeks — it had
the soft, furred look that Is responsi
ble .for .the slang adjective "peachy,"
deepened suddenly, unaccountably. Ouf'
of the tail of his eye the youth ob
served this interesting- fact, with cruel
Klee. reflecting with a pang that he
should have chosen diplomacy as a .vo
cation instead of. engineerins.
"You should forgive and forget the sins
of ; my youth," he. resumed. VYou know
you Insisted that .you would -always be
the best of friends— and that's what I
need how!"
"You change' quickly enough, I must
cay!" she remarked with .some heat. .."It
isn't six months sinee — "\u25a0'*'*£}\u25a0'•:
' "Since what?" he challenged, but she
turned away and did 'not reply, while
the walls 'of mist lazily closed In nearer
and' nearer. : '-'
"What do you want" to tell me?" she
questioned at last in an oddly subdued
manner. He did not answer immediately,
but swung on, ahead of ber. in the nar
row path, as if he were making a way
for her through the mist. She felt a
shuddering sense of desolation. Still, she
argued, she'could scarcely have supposed
he would, go on caring, especially since
she had explained to him with judicial
carefulness that she ro^st marry a" man
with money, on account of her mother"
aad the younger girls.
Strangely enough, though she had pic
tured herself as married to another, there
had. always been' a somber, interesting
figure hovering in the background of that
picture-^one to .whom she meant to be
so kind, so gentle, so all-sweet that his
regret should become like a beautiful,
sad- song— to be .wept over— and - enjoyed.
And 'now;. -he 'brute -.was asking her to
"forgive and forget", that he had ever
told • her that . he loved her!' - ;
They had reached the summit of a hill
and he' proposed that they sit-down upon
a '; convenient 'boulder to rest before at
tempting the next "one. Apparently her
silence was 'unnoticed.
"You* see. Fate's been telling off my
buttons lately," he began In a business
like tone, "and the decree Is that it ha 3
got 'to;be"money!"_ '_ -" » ; "
"What do you mean?"
.^ "Rich ~ woman, poor woman., beggar
woman,' squaw!" he elucidated, touching
the buttons orirhis. jacket, ."and the- lot £
falls to rich woman every time. It seems
l beastly thing to think • of— marrying for
money. I would be a cad enough to do
it, but the thing is that there's a girl—
a mighty fine girl— and I really— l— bang
it, "I like her! But how am I to tell
whether it's the real thing or whether
her. money hag something to do with it?
You see. there are reasons why I should
have money, right away. long before 1
ta ga^n It bj» ray o\|rh efforts.
The governor' is '"brcakrns dpwt*.and.his
affairs are In bad shape, and there are
the two kkl3 and mother to provide for."
The girl's heart was sinking as tha
mercury does In a falling temperature.
AH the joy of living seemed to be oozing
away through her finger tips, leaving her
cold and inert. He turned toward her
curiously.
"Of course, you don't think I'd consider
such a thing: if I were not farced to it
by duty!" he went on fervenUy. "And
I came to you because I thought you'd
understand, because circumstances are
forcing you into the same thing. They
say you're going to marry Bradsnaw.
You'll be a rich woman— and a happy one.
I hope— but whether you are or not, you.
will have done your duty by. the family.
That will be your consolation, and that's
why I come to you In my difficulty. What
do you think— can I decently ask the girt
to marry me? Remember. I like her, be^T
I'm not sure I love .her!" . *
The fog, which had seemed about to
crush them softly a few momenta be
fore, was now falling back, hut they
were still In a remote world. With th»
very Bight of habitations cut off from
their view. It was hard to believe In the
reality of purple and fine linen, horses
and carriages and gold. • Suddenly the
scales fell from tbe N girl's eyes, thoujh
she realized with a pang that it wa» too
late. She had put the only thins that
mattered out of her life, as thoughtlessly
and carelessly as she would toss a pebble
from her path. She had not even realized
what she was doing. Down below, where -
the Bradshaw fortune cast its glamour,
everything had looked different. She had
thought that with money all thinys el 3»
must fall into place. But here, cut ofT
from the world, the Bradshaw - wealth
seemed less than nothing, and love tha
only thing! .
Farther and farther th« tog reached.
showing thin in spots, but still conceal
ing the valley beneath them. But sh»
was very sure now. Even when the
world assumed its old proportions It
would be the same. She had had her
lesson.' The peachblow tint was gone
from her cheeks, and her eyes were grava
and unglrlish as she spoke.
"I'm not going to marry Grant-Brad
shaw!" she said steadily, "nor any other
man whom I don't love. So you see I
can't help you- after all! I don't think
1 could ever really have meant to do
such a thing—"
Her voice broke, and the eyes that
had been looking into his with a plead
ing stronger than any words suddenly
filled with tears.
"I'm such a silly!" she explained rath
er unevenly, "but I bate to be accus?dv*
of . such a thing. And I think you ouglvY
to be ashamed. Jack! You're a man. anaJ
you can make money for yourself and—"
But he seemed to be paying .no atten
tion to her word 3. With deep absorption
he was naming the button? of her ! coat.
as if he were consulting an oracle.
"Rich man. poor man. beggar man.
chief." he chanted. "Doctor.- lawyer,
merchant, thief. Rich man. potfr man!"
he stopped, looking anxiously for another
button, but there was none there.
"You see!" she gibed triumphantly.
"Perhaps you've made a mistake in your
own case, too." and with a demure- face
she counted the buttons. "Poor woman!"
she announced, and then something in
hi 3 glance brought the bloom back to her
face and her head went down upon hts
shoulder. . " . •.— :•'.;: -
The thin places in the fos gave way.
leaving two Jagged spaces that framed a
beautiful picture. Down below the sen
was shining on the blue waters of the
bay, on the trees and hedges, among
which nestled . the housss of Khe town.
The girl caught her breath. Sh'p tslt as
if it were. a. benediction, a revelation of
the peace of the years to come. ',
"But what about our families?" she
asked in a troubled voice when th<» mist
had blotted out the pictures once stCy<-
He laughed joyously. . r *
"See that?" -he said holding «ct a
brawny right arm.
he is standing at least six fefl from
you. S •\u25a0 -'
The upward movement of, the hands
in compliance with his command will
bring the heavy end of the cane in con- ,'
tact with the pistol and knock it out,
of his hand or destroy his aim.
A Quick downward blow briags the
other end of the cane over to catch
him on the top of the hand. By this
time you. will be able, to seize, the gun
with the "left hand and "keep out of.
range, while with the ferrule' end you
can jab, him in the face or eyes.
It should be ;remembered right here
that this'article is jiot published for the
benefit of those who, even if they had ;
a cannon,' would give up their valuables. '
The most important factor in self-de
fense is courage. Fully half of the
liold-ups would not be successful if
tliose held up would make a stand.. A
little bravery will do more than all the
work of the Police Department to les-
Een the profits of the knights of the road.
A jab in the eye or a kick will take
all the fight out of - footpad. He will
let you have his gun and will do bis
The first practice should be with this
bold, going through shadow work of
the defense and offense order.
\u25a0VThon the muscles have become suffi
ciently strong then take on an oppo
nent. It may be a little monotonous to
begin this way.' but if the muscles are
not accustomed to the play it is very
easy to strain them so that the hand
car.not be used for some time.
The reason for this grip is that It
Elves perfect freedom of movement to
the wrist, which plays the most im
portant part in the whole uefen>-e.
The blow that does the most effectual
work is an upward or straight cross,
which Is struck with that portion of
the cane that is measured oft along the
elbow. It is started either by throwing
the hands upward or as if to strike a
blow, bringing the hand across the face
of the opponent.
The cane rests on the heel of the
hand and the force of the tjlow comes
from all the muscles and the full
weight of the body along the forearm.
The other biow is wnh the ferrule end
and is the blow ordinarily struck by
one if lie were hcldins the stick at the
end. V
Now that one has heard how to hold
a cane the next thlnr to be considered
Is how to put it into practice.
Take. for. instance, the ca*o .- of &
footpad who suddenly sticks a pun into
yotjr face and commnnds "Hands up!"
You don't stop to -discuss the matter,
but up £O your hands. If the run
Is within four feet of you It means that
< —^ X-CHIEF OF POLICE WITTMAN
.J once remarked. "It is strange
I f how few men who carry a cana
' \~ are held up."
There is "something about a
good stout stick that commands respect.
From time to time articles have been
written about the proper use of the
walking stick in self-defense. In prac
tically every case the pupil has been
told to \u25a0wield his cane as he would a
sword. But once let his opponent, by
this method, gret a hand on the stick
he xr III have an enormous leverage by
which to disarm its wlelder. •
It is, however, to the Emerald Isle
that one must look to get instructions
on the wajs in which, the cane can be
most successfully brought into use as a
weapon of self-defense.
The \ivid literature of boyhood tells
how at the fairs at Donnybrook and
places as well known the fights of the
factions were the delight of the coun
tryside and the number of broken heads
the criterion of the fair's success. There
is more truth than fiction in some of
these accounts, for years ago the shille
lah played a most interesting part in
the country festivities.
By using a cane as a son of Ireland
would use a blackthorn you can put
nine out of every ten ruffians bent en
a holdup out of business. And before
they are aware you have commenced
to defend yourself.
The cane, when used this way. is far
preferable to cither the knife or pistol.
But to use the walking stick tuccess
fuily one must practice with it. Instead
of taking lessons with the foils, if you
are a member of any of the athletiG
clubs, try a light stick the length of a
cane. Put on the broadsword mask
and coat and a heavy glove to protect
the hand, then play "Donnybrook."
After a few weeks of this kind of
wcrk one will f.nd that he has acquired
a lightness and speed that are the per
fection of grace. For, in order to
successfully defend one's self under
this system he must keep perfect poise.
For outdoor use get a good stout
stick, or.c that has some weight and
can stand a battering. A good bit of
oak with tlie bark on Is tne best. Grip
the cane in the center, laying it along
the forearm. "With the left hand push
the cane through the right hand until
the «nd just extend* beyond the elbow,
which will give the right balance. It.
will be found that the other end, to
ward the ferrule, vill t»e a little longer
than that measured off.
The only hold is with the thumb, in
dex ar.d center fingers. It is the same
rrip that is used with the foil. Never
grasp the cane with til the fingers, not
even for a straight blow. In this case
the third and little fingers are merely
held lightly around the cane to steady
it.
THE "SAN FRANCISCO SUNDAY' CALE,
THE FOOTPAD AND THE CANE