Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1847-05-14
MISCELLANEOUS.
From the .AngIo Saron.
Bob Racket'S Search for Shoes.

in the depth Of the winter season., a very
hard frost set in, which lasted a long time.
Not such a frost as is common in ordinary
winters-noihing like it; but much more Sc
we're than England has known for the last
quarter OF a century. The earth bit mems
toes as they trod upon ii; and some Of those
unfortunates who per force went shoeless,
never, it is said, found their feet again, but
had them witbered up long before the great
time came. Oh, it was a hard time for the
poor, that; if, indeed, any time can be said
TO be easy with those upon whose shoulders
the yoke Of poverty is doomed to sit. II ii
only CALLED the flesh but it gals the soul
Of course, for amid our selfshness we have
much real feeling for the ills of others
There were all sorts Of charities set on foot
Blanket and Flannel Charities, Soup Chair.
ties, Coal Charities but no one thought Of
Shoes. II they had, feet would not have
witherGd off aud, as Bob Racket would
have been shod by the Shoe Charity, | should
have no tale 10 tell.
Bob had no shoes, and his mother This
father was dead) could not afford to buy him
any. After paying her rent, she had Just
three-and-siypence a week left to furnish seven
mouths with food. Sixpence a mouth less
than a penny a day, and provisions were dear,
as they ever are, when it is the interest of the
poor to have them cheap. Therefore, as
there were no Shoe Charities, Bob was like
10 90 barefooted.
Poor Bob! the soles Of his feet, from long
practice in walking upon them unshod, had
got hard, almost horny /; but the frost found
them out, and pinched them, as if it paid
them Oft a grudge long owing, and did it
with a spite, as dunned oxquisitcs of intem-
nnTafo dtenActttoa 1isoIax-z III. ILL.,
The worst Of il was, that d quotidian three
pence was of Bob's earning, and there was
consequently no staying at home. For he
must 90 and tread the Indictment rround.
when the morning clock struck eight and if
he would find his feet after half an hours ex-
posure to the frost, he must look for them,
Tor feel them he could not. Well-booted
glancing at his shoelcss extremi-
ties, were shocked. Eyesores 10 r%entilitv
are naked feet. Oh! if there had but been
Shoe Charities !
The modification was, that urchins more
than himself, noted the naked ex-
remities, and jeered him. There were boys
nd begging who had shoes. The very
lorses, as Bob thought, had them and in
ord WAIVERS shops were hundreds and hum
reds OF pairs unappropristed, asking to be
vorn, longing to escape fiom the shelves and
ee the world outside, with iron tips that
-etted themselves to rust because the roads
ere slippery with ice, and they wero never
iken out to slide. Hundreds and hundreds,
y, thousands and thousands of pairs, and
'ob's feet smarted, and Bob's feelings vino
d, for lack of one pair. Oh if there had
ut been Shoe Charities I!
Bob stopped before a shoe-shop in Holborn
ne day and went the length of handling a
air that dangled with many others at the
DOR. 1t was a presumption that they were
ubmitted for public touch and general in
and Bob thought that he underwent
10 risk. But a boy seeing his fingers close
pom them rushed out
"Oh you would, would you9" cried the
10Y.
Would WHAT" asked Bob Racket.
"Steal them shoes"
"No,' said Bob, quietly, and he went on
them. Stout serviceable shoes they
to look at.
Nov, Tom" cried e voice inside, what
ire you dawdling at the door for! There's
he three pair of W~ellingtons to 90 to Great
Ormond street."
Eye upon the fves, father,' replied the
boy. The "fves" meaning Bob's fingers.
"Tll attend to them,' said the parent
g You make a conveyance Of the Yelling
tons.
Eye upon the fves, father shouted
Tom again. I'm stiff if he amt got 'em
off the nail!
Bob had indeed venturcd so far as 10 in
spect them more closely.
What is this that's a interfering with
them Wellingtons going 10 Great Ormond
street," cried the cordwainer, approaching
the door. Them Shoes" addressing Bob,
''are ive-and- sixpence."
please, sir" said Bob Racket, looking
impIoringly in the mans face, would you
take it by the week, sixpence a week 7" and
he pointed to his red and raw feet. "Cold
weather, sir,''
YES, | take weekly payment" said the
man. PAY the first ~sixpence now, and I'll
stow them safely away for you"
"But please, ain'tl TO have them at once "
stammered Bob.
I'VE dent do business on that principle.
1t wouldn't stand, Ell, father,' cried Tom,
inlerposing. "1imes is hard"
mot exactly, Tom" answered the shoe
maker, laughing. Come, take those We'll
lingtons-and you Ito Bob) pay sixpence on
the nail, bring s~ixpence every week, and in
ten weeks the shoes are yours"
In ten weeks the spring will be here"
sighed Bob, and walked away.
When days went by and weeks, and jan
tuary was nearly out, and no signs of the
breaking up of the weather had been limited
to the sagacious in such matters, Bob Racket
limPed, nay, went very lame. Chilblains
had SCARED his poor feet until their shape
was nearly lost. He suffered excruciating
pain, and got no sleep o. nights. And thou
sands upon thousands Of appropriated pairs
Of shoes burdened the cord wainers shelves,
filled their windows, hung temptingly at
their doors; though skins stripped reekins
from the fat sides of animals, were trans
ierred from a6atoirs, TO tanpits, and thence to
the curriers', and thence to the shoemaker's
workshops, where avis pierced, and ham
mers rang on lasts and lapstones, from morn
ing to night; yet Bob Racket got no shoes.
Still the frost became more severe than
ever. For his quotidian threepence, Bob did
errands for a lawyer. Dark, dingy rooms