Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1876-03-23
Our First Boots.

We have seen many deys of Joy, but we
remember no such exhifiration as that felt
| by US on the day when we mounted our
| first pair of boots. To appreciate such
an era In life, we must needs have been
| brought up in the country. Boys In town
come to this crisis before they can appre-
ciste the height and depth of such an ac-
| QUESTION. The boot period Is the divid-
| ing line between babyhood and boyhood.
Before the boots, one is Tanpled upon by
comrades, and stuck with pins, and we
walk with an air of apology for the fact
that we were born at all. Robust school
fellows strike Us across the cheek, and
when we turn toward them they cry
"Mhat are you looking aty'' or what Is
worse than any possible insult, have some
body chuck US under the chin, and call
us Bub." Before the crisis OF boots the
country boy carries no handkerchief.
Whatever crisis may come in the boys
| history-no handkerchief. This Is the
very unpopular period Of snufties.
But at last the age OF boots dawns upon
| a boy Henceforth, instead OF always
having TO get out of the way, he will
make others get out of his way. He will
| sometimes get the Scripture lessen con.
fused, and when smitten on the right
| cheek, will turn and give 1t to his op-
ponent on the left cheek also. Indeed, we
do not think that there is any regulation,
human or divine, demanding that boy
submit to school bully. / think we
should teach our boys TO avoid all quar-.
rel and strife; but, nevertheless, to take
care Of himself. We remember with deep
satisfaction how that, after Jim johnson
had knocked our hat In the mud, and spit In
our face, and tore our new coat, we felt called
upon to vindicate our new boots. That,
however, was before we had any idea OF ever
becoming minister. But when the time
spoken OF in toy's life comes, look out
how you call him "Bub." He parts his
hair ON the side, has the end Of his white
handkerchief sticking out ut the top OF
his side pocket as ii il were accidentally
arranged so, has a dignified and manly
mode Of expectoration, and walks down
the road with long strides az much as to
say: Clear the track for my boots!''
We have seen imposing men, but none
have 30 thoroughly impressed us rs the
shoemaker who, with waxy hand, deliv-
ered into our possession our first pedal
adornments. As he put the awI through
the leather, and then inserted the two
~ '7esSo inv tuc holSp uno oicN tuCui
through it, and then, bending over the
iap-stone, grasped the thread with hard
grip, and brought them up with jerk
that made the shop shake, we said to our.
self: /" Here Is gracefulness for you and
powerln
II was Sabbath day when we broke them
In. Oh. the rapture of that moment when
we lay hold the straps at one end, and,
tui D.; 4
the boot went on We fear that we got
but little advantage that day from the
services. All the pulpit admonition about
worldliness and pride struck the toe OF
our boots, and fell back. We trampled
under feet all good counsels, We have TO
repent that, while some trust in horses
and some In chariots, we put too much
stress upon leather. Though our purchase
Mas SO tight in the instep that, as soon as
we got 10 the woods, we went limpine on
our way--what boots lily We felt that In
such a case 1t was noble To suffer. rH
~ For some8reasons, boots are mot what