Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-10-11
P1NCRlNG THE PINK TOES.
HOW Some Mothers Torture their Ia.
bies with Very Small Shoes.

From the St. Louis Post Dispatch.
shoe dealer said to reporter last evening
that the majority of mothers exhibited more
vanity than judgment in the selection of shoes
for their young children. Zone will bring her
BABY In here" he continued, land ask me to
try pair of shoes on it that will look real
sweet l know what that means, but I'm al
ways sorry for the baby. who is usually In its
first short dress and as skittish as any old maid
about having its feet meddled with l don't
say that I'm going to put shoe on it a size
larger than the foot seems to be, but l do; at
least get it on as we'll as any one could fit a
foot operated by a perpetual motion power
Then L trust to the mothers sense for results.
If it's her first baby she will be indignant and
say that she doesn't want the treasure to look
sloppy In It's shoes They must fit exactly OF
she won't take them. / insist that the child's
weight will push the foot out at least fourth
oil an inch and that the shoe is Just right Ir she
objects again give up and find what she wants.
The foot is squeezed into tight shoe and the
baby protests by squalling. She says the seraph
Is teetnlng or e0licky, or hasn't had its usual
nap, and she shakes it up vigorously. while de-
claring the shoes are Just lovely and that its
papa will be delighted.
THE chances are that when she wants another
PAIR she Will leave the baby at home and bring
down its shoe literally burst out at the toe She
wants several pairs to take home for trial and
noticed that the only ones | considered unsuita-
bic are the very pair she prefers. Children would
have better looking feet if they had wiser
mothers, and the fault lies in the first shoes
worn. One pair too short will ruin the feet, no
matter how loose subsequent ones may be-
Then some women learn your phlOsophv?'
Yes, but after the little people have laid q
foundation forcOrns and bunions. know many
children between the ages of two and three
years who have both these Affections because
their mothers wanted them to look cute as they
term this phase of foot squeezing
lis there no change in the shape of children's
shOes?"
None. There can't well be- because the sole
must be sufficiently broad to stand the wear and
tear. Square toes are preferred to round be-
cause they allow freer development of the toes.
The spring heel, which was introduced nearly
two years ago. is worn as early as two years of
age, and has recently become fashionable for
girls in their teens. 1t is nothing but slip OF
leather inserted between the sole and that
part OF the shoe pressed by the wearer's heel
1t Is seldom that smaller than No. 8 is made
with regular heel and that Is on the common
sense plan. low and broad. These and the
larger sizes have a higher top than has been
usual for several years"
Iell me something about baby shoes. How
high are they numbered?"
Number is the first shoe out Of babyhOod
No. o has soft sole of white kid and paste
BOARD and is the successor Of the little knit
wool boots that are sold for babies i'm long
dresses. Nos l, and 3, have what is called
the turned sole, sewed together on the wrong
side and turned out. There are from four to
nve buttons on the side. and q black tassel is
now fastened at the top in front. The latest is
to have vamp Of French kid with calf uppers:
or what Is still better, half-bOxed round toe
tipped with patent leather"