The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1857-08-28
Going Barefoot,

The BOSTON Courier gives Us the follow
!m- hi, q! pleasant philosophy, in The course
o: Il notice Of W!iiii!is poem Of The Bare
fro'c'l l"v<:'
The in%ensbiiiy OF most readers, and
perhaps al critics, to ibis exquisite piece
Il: lscS from The fact that they have never
been barefoot boys themselves. The pro-
grrSS OF so-c:!icl refinement is gradually
shutting us and our boys from some of the
pnrrSt ana most natural pleasures. One of
these pleasures is the dcliyht Of going bare
foot iii summer. Oar feet are treated al
most rs crnclv rs those of the Chinese wo-
men. No;a man in Il t!io',<and knows
what t" Go with his toes. They are useless,
pinchcd up, cfiolutcd appendag,.s to IL foot,
which civilization las reduced to a mere
stamp. Feet and toes are Ecw imprisoned
from early childhood, through every stage
I CT cxIS"nre, and when the last pincl, is over,
ihry a:r stretched out in the coffin, and
imprisoned in the boots they wore in lie.
Not "De man in Il Thousand ever has natu-
ra' sensation of pleasure through his feet
Their Only use is 10 serve as relcstals, props
to stand on, or supporters in locomolinn
Now, nothing is So delightful as the feel Of
TO the so!e-it miyh, almost be call the soul
oil the f,ot.
The frs, touch Of summer. thus impaired,
exceeds in cy'li~;cncsS the first breath of
the West winl in spring the first fragrance
and tender beauty Of the violct-the first
aroma Of the Guccnly rose. BESIDES. there
is a sense OF liberty. from casting aside the
stocking AMI the shoe, such rs the galley
slave may feel when the cl,ln and ball are
knocked oil from his accratcl leg. Now
and then sharp stone will cut, or bricr will
scratch; but these are too little pains that
give Il Zcs: TO freedom, AMI hrigl,cn the
thrill sent through, The sole of the foot and
prevailing the whole frame, from contac.
with g,ol old mother earth. Depend upon
it, city reader, who ,!irst never touch the
soil with thy naked foot. thou has lost more
than French boots, be they ever so delicate
and costly, can make good 10 thee. Slip
mo the eountry-to some remote and
primeval place. OF with shoes and stock
ings and reclaim the original liberty of-tl.e
long imprisoned extremity. Yes, Socrates
was ri ght to so barefoot. Plato well un-
'lers.oo / The poetry Of it when he immor-
taizcd, i'll prose rs rhy,Innical as the b,s:
of verse, that lcisurely stroll Of the philoso-
phcr, outside the noisy city, along the mar
gin OF the Iissus, into whose shining wave
lets ever and anon the great master dipped
his foot, and as he dipped, talked the most
genial philosophy 10 his loving disci pies.
And w!,a; resting -p!ace-the grassy slope
beneath the spreading plane tree, where
the Agnus Castus waved its perfumcd
boughs to the soft summer breeze !
BlG SMELl.-To hear Cough tell the
"Iruggcr" story is worth quatcr any time.
The story is capital one, but it takes the
man to tell it. This he docs in some such
words rs these
'A long, lean, caunt Yankee entered
drug store aud asked:
"lie you the drusger
"Wcll, 'spose so; sell drugs"
"Wnl, hcv you got any of this here
scentin' stuff as the gals put .lheir hand
kc'chcrs :" lnaSss.
"Oh, yes"
"Wal, our Sails switiieeF to he married,
and she gin me nmepcnce md told me to
invest the hu' mount III scentin' stuff, SOS
to mike her sweet ifI could end some 10
suit; so, ifyou've mind III jist smell
round"
"The Yankee smelled round without be
ing suited until the adrugger" got tired of
him, and, taking down bottle of harts-
horn, said: s9
"l'ye got scentin' stuff that will suit
you. A single drop oHsss handkerchief
will stay for weeIrs and yon cant wash 1T
out but. 10 net tIis strength oft, you
nusl taKs Il good st $.sSs,F
& Iassss lilli gst my hfsstE md when /.
VsoS. yoa ID sbdef my snsellar.' 8
sTks issitsbofyS 81 sssosssss Knocked sle
|<Yanll deHh, ss iiql6E has done many q |
Enan. D61yon suppoaehs Eot Ip and
kmslt again .ass the dfhakard doep f-sN Not
Fhe; but rolling up md dopblipg