Lincoln and his cane?

[David Lockmiller]

(07-08-2017 05:05 PM)Donna Wrote:  Hi All........what a fabulous and informative site for Lincoln enthusiasts! I am a lifelong fan of Abraham Lincoln and am curious as to why he was never photographed with a cane even though he owned many that were given to him by friends and dignitaries. Does anyone know if Abe ever actually used a cane for its intended purpose, or were these canes simply ceremonial gifts? I have read many biographies that touch on the subject but never really resolve it. I would be grateful for any definitive information on the subject.
Thank you.
Donna

A gentleman calling at the White House one evening carried a cane, which, in the course of conversation, attracted the President's attention. Taking it in his hand, he said: I always used a cane when I was a boy. It was a freak of mine. My favorite one was a knotted beech stick, and I carved the head myself. There's a mighty amount of character in sticks. Don't you think so? You have seen these fishing poles that fit into a cane? Well that was an old idea of mine. Dogwood clubs were favorite ones with the boys. I suppose they use them yet. Hickory is too heavy, unless you get it from a young sapling. Have you ever noticed how a stick in one's hand will change his appearance? Old women and witches wouldn't look so without sticks. Mega Merrilies understands that." (Six Months at the White House," F.B. Carpenter, 1879, page 256.)