he Baron's Cane

ome time ago Baron Von Lodge was the head of a small country near Switzerland known as Lilliland.

A skiing accident left the Baron on crutches for a week. After the week passed, a cane was substituted for the crutches. The Baron did not use either the cane or the crutches; they just got in the way.

But the Baron was stuck with the cane for a few weeks. Lady Angela was getting annoyed with the Baron who protested against the cane with every step that he took.

The Baron even went so far as to have safety hand rails installed around the castle so that he could avoid the cane totally.

Professor Hamblin said, in an effort to comfort the Baron, that the cane he was supposed to use was more of a convenience than an annoyance. “Just be patient with the cane and give it a fair try.”

Lady Angela went even as far as having special canes made for the Baron. One was carved out of a tree limb, another had a carved horse’s head, and a variety of others were different to amuse the Baron. He now had a collection of a dozen gift canes, none of which excited his interest, but since they were all gifts from people who cared, he tried to use the cane that they gave him when they came to call.

The Baron decided that he did not like being confined in the castle with his collection of canes, so he went out for a walk. First, he walked along the shore of the lake. He could stop from time to time and sit and enjoy the view. Lady Angela usually walked with him to make sure that he was doing well.

Finally, one day the Baron decided to go shopping by himself in the Lilliland Shopping Center. He walked around the lake and into the town center to look in the shop windows. He didn’t dress or look or act like royalty. He wanted to look just like a tourist.

The Baron even stopped for a cup of tea at the Tea House and no one recognized him or spoke to him. All was going well for the Baron and his cane, which he still did not care much for.

He left the Tea House and was walking along with a small package when a robber ran up behind him and snatched his package and stole it from him. The Baron was caught completely by surprise but quickly turned and smacked the crook over the head with his cane. The hit from the Baron’s cane knocked the thief out cold, and when he came to he was arrested. The Baron said, “At last the cane was very useful.”