The Arkansaw traveler. (Little Rock, Ark.) 1882-1???, 1883-09-22
A SHOEMAKER'S STORY.
Exchange.


EXCHANGE
was born in Luxembourg Just about
fifty years ago. Goodness How used
TO work at the bench when | was lad,
sewing and hammering, hammering and
sewing on boots and shoes. There was
that dear old father of mine, with his
steel-rimmed spectacles perched on his
nose, who set me an example OF thrift
and honesty. above all, ;" he used TO say
to US, for brother then worked with me,
" be good shoemaker. Never scamp
anything. Do the best you can, and do
il all the time We would work from
sunrise to far into the night. The pay
was little enough, so small that we used
to watch the candle that Auttered in the
wind, and worry over its cost. If We
worked very, very hard, and custom was
good, we might count on gain of ten
sous each, but sometimes we would all
stop pegging away because the poor peo-
pie IN our village had no money to spend
for shoes. Oh, how difficult i, was to
buy sack Of coarse flour or little scrap
OF meat. We lived from hand to mouth
Poor old father, do what we could do to
help him, he got in debt. and owed at
one time as much as thirty francs. Wha,
huge sum that seemed to me to be |,
what a whole mountain of embarrass.
ment!
starved myself in order to pu, a little
money aside. One day said to father,
This thing don't work. I'm going to
clear out. can, stand it," You will
leave me, my son. Your poor old father
is an incumbrance to you - NO, not
at all. But must so away to work for
him." 1t is well" replied my father.
You are a good shoemaker. Your
stitches are strong and even. You shape
well. Go see the world, and Gods
blessing accompany you"
went to Paris and led miserable life
there for a time. hardly gained my
bread at first. The habits Of the Parisan
shoemaker Mortified me, for had been
brought up by pious father. Twas
good workman, hon ever, and after
awhile found steady employment but |
could help poor father but very little.
Oh! it used to make my heart sore to
think Of him oramped up in his little
dingy room, working away for dear life,
with meagre reward Of crust of div
bread. The habits Of economy he had
taught me helped me then. scraped
together sou by sou, and at last sent him
ten francs. He wrote me that the sum
had saved him from being turned out of
his poor old chamber. This will never
do ! said. IL must 60 somewhere else.
am good shoemaker, and my ex-
perience in Paris has given me the finish
ing touch. must 60 somewhere else,
where the art of Crispin will be appreci-
ated. One fine day in 1850 took
place as landsman on an English bark,
from Havre to Boston. landed in the
United States with just forty cents 1.-TWO
trancs) in my pocket. sought work at
once. ! saw in little shoemaker's shop
up a narrow street sign written en-
paper and stuck on the glass with waters.
could not read il. l did not know
single word Of English then, but over the
door there was a German name. | made
bold to enter, and talked German to the
proprietor. SIT down." he said, "on
that bench, and sew me on that SOLE" Z"
am fair shoemaker rs you will see,"
replied. II was . pleasure to take hold
OF the tools once more; they seemed to
know me. How blessed my father then
My boss was satisfied, and got a lob
right of At 81 q day and my food. This
was fortune to me then. I worked for
six months steadily, and, save for
secondhand pair Of trousers bought by
me at bargain, boarded every penny.
sent the dear old father $50, and back
came his blessing. He wrote that he had
never seen so much money a. one time
in his life. But ! was ambitious. lust
then the California fever was raging.
Something told me to go to the Pacific
coast. took ship and crossed the 18TH
mus. Just before arriving at San Fran
cisco there was heavy gale we came
near being shipwrecked, and lost my
hat. remember that quite well. |
landed in San Francisco with ST exactly.
On board there was a carcusing shoe
maker, who had been sent for from the
east by man who kept a shop in San
Francisco. heard him say that he had
come before his time, and that, anyhow,
ifhe could do no better, he was going to
work At cobbling. He mentioned the
name of the man who was to hire him,
and had his consent to apply for the
place.
went to the shoe shop Z, once and