Rensselaer Republican, Volume 27, Number 42, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 June 1896 — Ancient Swords. [ARTICLE]

Ancient Swords.

In the early ages, before men knew anything about civilized ways, they lived in caves and had to protect themselves not only from the attacks of anibut from those of their human brothers as well. The first weapon their unaccustomed fingers shaped was a war club. Experience, however, soon taught them that a deadlier blow might be delivered with a weapon that would cut rather than crush, and they made a hatchet Then, one day, someone discovered a substance in the secret stores of the good brown earth on which he finally learned to put a keener edge than he had ever been able to chip on his stone hatchet, and the sword was made;