The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1878-10-19
wOOdsn-shoe Makers.

Let US describe a part of wooden.shoe
makers, or as they are termed. sabotier.
at work near 4 clear stream. The whole
family is together; the father with his son
and son-in-law, the apprentices, the mother
and children running about in the beds IF
cress. Under the trees rises 4 hut Of
planks, where all sleep; not far of. the two
mules which carry the belongings of the
eueampment are tethered. They are birds
OF passage, trayersing the forest, and So
Journing where the wood is cheap. In this
green eombe several fine beech-trees are
marked for the axe; they are 80 feet high
and 3 feet in girth. Each will probably
give six dozen pains of wooden shoes
Other woods are spongy and soon penetrat-
ed with damp, but the beech saJots are
light, OF a close grain, and keen the feet
dry In spite of snow and mud; and in this
respect are greatly superior to leather.
All Is animation. The men cut down the
tree, the trunk is sawn into lengths. and
II the pieces prove too large, they are di-
vided into quarters. The first workman
fashions the sabot roughly with a hatchet.
taking care to give the bend for right and
left the second takes it in hand. pierces
the holes for the interior, and scoops the
wood out with an instrument called the
cutler The third is the artist of the
company; it IS his work to finish and pol
ish 1t, carving rose or a primrose upon
the Top, it 1t be for the fair sex. Some
times he cuts an open border around the
edge, so that the blue or white stocking
may be shown by a eoquettish girl. As
they are finished, they are placed in rows
under the white shavings; twice a week
the apprentice exposes them to fire which
smokes and hardens the wood, giving il a
warm, golden-brown hue. The largest
sizes are cut from the lowest part of the
bole, to cover the workman's feet. who is
In the rain from morning till night The
middle part is for the busy housewife who
Is treading the wash-house, the dairy. or
stands beside the village fountain. Next
come those Of the little shepherd, who
wanders all day long with his flock, and
still smaller ones for the school-boy.
Those for the babies have the happiest lot:
they are seldom worn out. As the foot
grows, the mother keeps the little sahots
in corner of her cupboard beside the
baptismal robe. Long after when the
child has become man, and his chair is
vacant by the hearth, they are drawn out
to be. looked at, sometimes with smile.
too often with tears. During All his top
the workman talks and sings; heis not tao.
turn like the chareoal-burner; his muscles
continually in action, his work in the open
air keep him in good temper, and give him
refreshing sleep and appetite. He sings
like linnet, while the women chatterand
mend the family garments. When the
trees have all been cut up, the camp is
raised, the mules are loaded, adieu to the
green hollow, and another place is sought
for Thus all the year long, whether the
forest be tinted with pale spring verdure
or covered with yellow autumn leaves, in
some corner viii be heard the workers.
busy as bees in hive, gayiy carrying on
their simple, healthy forest-life-C Cham
ber's journal