New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-12-04
THE WCODEN SHOE.
From The London GlObe.

The wooden shoe. as we all know, is quite
National institution OF France. AID IN BllItany
more than in any other part OF that country lu2
"clank' il heard everywhere; people wear
almost habItually there who would hgnJ shy Vi ~
elsewhere, save on high days, holidays ana :" gTmoe
tcTHe when there is nothing Ike lear hct h 4t
follows the necessity for sufficiently large prouiGl
hood of sabOters, who, rs they could nor possIoly
live i'm towns or large villages by reason OF !he cpsI
of transport OF the rough material exceeding ne
price of the manufactured goods am sle hdIIes
well made shoOn Aforesaid may he boIght LOT mere
tTiilcaTe forced to reside in woods ana toreslS OF
other places whore suitable timber may be avail
able. OF the saboticTs hou3e, such as IL 49, inc
State takes notice; the taX-gal Ierer never CONES
near il the owner shift IT 10 another IocaliC
when he likes: the wood he has purchased IN tDiS
spot worked up and exhausted, away nc goes 10
another. He buVs certain number OF trces vi nc
requisite kind sometimes in q forest, sometimes by
the sides of fields which in Brittany are surrounded
by lofty wood growth to protect the crops from the
violent gales which here prevail The purchase' OF
rather the agreement to purchase, cohcluu!eu, az
some village notary's bureau. and the timber
Marked the sarotier comes to the place WIN nl5
dunkcy-cart loaded with the few poor fittings ana
furniture OF his cabin, the Of his ancient ana
much sOiled bedding, hts rough seh-Inade cIdulco
and cots some well worn culinary utensils ana inc
tools Of his trade--tO wit, telling axes ana saws
large sized gouges, spOkcshayes, and knives. heae
his only mOyabICS; for the rest the Sue vi
which he squats provides him. At dawn ne comes.
all day he Is labOTing with the sweat OF his brow ~
his roof tree b. night II finished, garnish'd ana
occupied. He beats even n London contractor oI
scampcd suburban villas in rapidiy OF construction.
81,
on the cho en- site for year or two; II other use
Il few months location, and he seeks another clear
ing. He is a regular Bedouin, this sabotier, ana,
like that nOnad, can say the rope which holds my
tent has seen all cities perish
The never altering end and aim Of a Breton
wooden shoemakeTs being ~ 10 iabricate saDOts,
and out OF this groove he and his never rum Such
as the father is ut Is the son, and for the majer
OF hat the daughter also. Children, so to spe K,
are - The manner born of making sabots and AT 80
fender an age rs i've or SIX years they may be seen
smoothing biackenng vanishing, strngng To,
ycthrr m lots he coverings which their parents and
other relations have cut, shaped and followed out
into chnHssurcs for the human foot. W hen sum
cent load of sabots has been npleted AT certain
fixing tine sabOticr goes with II 10 the nearest WI
LACE or town wnere his wholesale dea er Resides ana
10 whom he dispOs's Of the lot with the M. ey
thus obtained, ne replaces few articles Absolutely
necessary for his wants, and with the residue pays
for rm6cr already bought, feed, and utilized;
Money Is put into the purses Of tree owner ana
notary, but little finding its place in that of the
workman. Having no asaOcia ion with nelgh1ors,
abhorrcd by farmers disdained by townstolk, these
SeikIrAs, IU the midst OF high CIVILIZATION around
i've without further contact or intercourse win
society than that which has been told OF, VIZ, ~
buy wood, and 10 sell their handicratt