Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1881-03-31
NO. IA.
HIGH HEELS.
The Mistake that Ladies' Make Who
Wear the Dainty Things.
l.
New York Times.

In one of those news items which fit
round the world it was mentioned
few days ago that at fashionable ball
IN Paris some American ladies attract
ted particular attention, not because of
the splendor of their attire, but for the
simplicity of their footwear. They
did not move about in the high-heeled
boots which have been fashionable of
late years, but wore neatly ornamented
slippers. which were bound to the foot
by variegated straps. These slippers
must have closely resembled in shape.
if not in style and material, the san
dals worn by Hindus and other eastern
nations, or the "chupplies" which eth
er decorate or protect the feet of the
Afghans. Few travellers in the far east
have failed to remark that the natives
have an easy gait and a distinguishing
upright carriage. This is undoubtedly
due to the fact that they either wear
light, easy-fitting sa andals or no shoes
at all. A Hindu woman CARRYING a
pot of water on her head, never spilling
a drop, nor never using her hands to
keep the vessel steady, proceeds with
an easy, swinging stride, which could
not be initiated by heavy-booted wo-
man belonging to the humble classes
in the West. Her figure is generally
erect and faultless III outline, while
that of her western prototype is bunchy
and ungainly. All the difference may
be ascribed to the freedom of the limbs
and feet which the one is allowed as
compared with the other. Chinese
women and western women are both
abusers of the freedom of the feet, and
the result is APPARENT. The ChinawO-
man is clumsy and HELPLESS as n ped
estrian, and the western female would
be quite as bad if she went much fur
ther than she does in her evil treat
ment of her feet. Those high-heeled
boots with two-inch heels sloping down
to the middle of the sole, and termin-
ating in point about the size of cent
piece, may appear elegant and ''rak-
lsh, but they are certainly the most
diabolical invention for covering the
human feet that has ever been devised
by the arch-demons who are the crea-
lures of fashions. They throw the body
out of line and cast it mo curve
which may or may not possess the true
delineation of beauty, according to the
way people look at it. They do worse
than this; for, according to the eminent
medical men, these boots are RESPONSE
BILE for many sprainings, bone disloca-
tiOns and incurabie cases of spinal cur
vature. A contributor to the Lancet.
the principal medical journal in Loa-
don, protests, in Il recent issue, against
high-heeled boots. He says that in
consequence of these instruments of
torture, he has on hand two cases of
sprained ankle, in both of which there
are partial decorations of the internal
and external hgaments of the ankle.
Both cases threaten to terminate in
permanent disability. He was recent
ly called in to attend another case of
high-heeled boot wearing. The victim,
a young lady of sixteen, had a spinal
affection, from which she was cured
only by compelling her to remain many
days III a horizontal position. Other
physicians contend that the present
fashionable boot not only produces
spinal diseases, but also Injuries the
lungs from the contracted position into
which the chest is thrown when the
upper half of the body is continually
bent forward. 1t seems clear on the
whole, therefore, that the young Amer
ican ladies we have referred to have in
troduced sensible innovation, which,
if widely adopted, will promote grace
fulness of person, ease Of carriage, and
healthfulness of body among the ladies
in general. So let us hope that the
scandal than which nothing better
becomes pretty foot-wili soon dis
place the high-heeled boot, which was
originally used by a class Of French
ladies, who are not generally esteemed
worthy of i'm ito tiop