The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1878-09-26
WOOden.ShOe Makers,

Let us describe a party of wooden
shoe makers, or as they are termed, sd-
botierS, at work near clear stream.
The whole family is together; the father
with his son and son-in-law, the ap-
prentices, the mother and children run
ming about in the beds of cress. Under
the trees rises hut OF planks, where all
sleep; not far off, the two mules which
carry the belongings of the encampment
are tethered. They are birds of pas
sage, traversing the forest, and sojourn-
ing where the wood is cheap. In this
green forest several fine beech trees
are marked for the axe; they are fifty
feet high, and three feet in girth. Each
will probably give six dozen pairs of
wooden shoes. Other kinds of wood
are spongy and soon penetrated with
damp; but the beech Sabots are light,
of close grain, and keep the feet dry in
spite of snow and mud; and in this re-
spect are greatly superior to leather.
All is animation. The men cut down
the tree; the trunk is sawn into lengths,
and if the pieces prove too large, they
are divided into quarters. The first
workman fashions the saJot roughly
with hatchet, taking care to give the
bend for right and left; the second takes
it in hand, pierces the holes for the in.
terror, 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 polish it; carving
a rose or primrose upon the top, if it be
for the fair sex. Sometimes he cuts an
open border round the edge, SO that the
blue or white stocking may be shown by
a coquettish girl. As they are finished,
they are placed in rows under the white
shavings; twice a week the apprentice
exposes them to a fire, which smokes
and hardens the wood, giving it 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 out
in rain from morning to night. The
middle part is for the busy housewife
who is treadipg the wash-house, the
dairy, or stands beside the village foun-
tain. Next come those of the little shep-
herd 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 sa6ots in a corner of her
cupboard beside the baptismal robe.
Long after, when the child has become
a 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 toll the
workman talks and sings; he is not
taciturn, like the charcoal burner his
muscles continually in action, his work
in the open air keeps him in good
temper, and gives him refreshing sleep
and appetite. He sings like linnet,
while the women chatter and mend the
family garments. When the trees have
been all 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 for
est be tinted with pale spring verdure
or covered with the yellow autumn
leaves, in some corner will be heard the
workers, busy as bees in hive, gayly
carrying on their simple, healthy forest
Chambers Journal.