Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1884-03-20
SHOES AND CHARACTER.

He is no ordinary cobbler if the fine pro-
portions of his head and the peculiarly
knowing expression of his countenance are
any index of character. For years he has
been cutting and trimming and hammer
ing away in his little shop, his eyes are
bent on the work in hand, but the active
brain philosophising Oh all creation. Such
men ooze wisdom as a soaked sponge oozes
water when squeezed. The reporter tapped
the font of his profundity by inquiring
whether worn shoes didn't tell something Of
the wearer's disposition. The knight of the
awl and last gave sharp glance at the hole
in the scribe's shoes and still sharper look
at the interlocutor and answered: .-.,
Eyes, sir; they beat palmistry all hollow.
Take yourself, for instance; in your shoe l
see vaccillatiOn, irresoution, fickelness,
tendency toward negligence or evasion of
unpleasant duties, occasional spells of mo-
roseness. Show me any PERSONS foot COW
ering after two months wear, or often less
than that, and I'll tell you that PERSONS
character If both heel and soul are evenly
worn level, the wearer is clear-headed, de-
cisive and resolute, a good business man, a
valuable and trustworthy employee or an
excellent wife and mother. If the outside
soul is cut through, the wearer, if man, is
inclined to be adventurous, unreliable and
spasmodic in all his acts if woman, she
is predispOsed to boldness and wayward
tendencies. If the inside of the sole is cut
through, it indicates weakness and vaccilla-
tion in man and modesty in woman.
"a certain merchant in this city whom
1 posted concerning this curious method of
Misunderstanding sends to me whenever he
wants new clerk, and he has received sew
eral of my customers on my recommends
ton. He says that shoeOlogy beats phre-
nology all hollow.
ga few months ago there came into my
shop stranger having pair of shoes with
the outside of the sole worn through and
the toe somewhat cut away, while the hull
was nearly as good as new. | said to my
wife after he went away: "that man is a
sneak and so he was. The very next day
boy come up from the police station to get
the shoes, the wearer had been arrested on
clear case Of sneak-thieving.
GA certain young man who has patroniZ-
ed me for years, was keeping company with
two girls, also customers of mine. noticed
that one of them wore out her shoes on the
out side of the sole first, while the other
stepped squarely and wore down both shoes
alike. I've always had a liking for the
young fellow and knowing he was Waver-
ing between the two girls, l took him aside
one day and showed him the shoes of his
flames, and told him what have told you.
The result was that he married the square
stopper and is happy, while the other girl
disgraced herself and has gone to ruin.
"Do / believe that character can be
moulded by keeping the shoes properly
soled and heeled? Well, it has influence.
The gait Of a person is as closely connected
with his disposition as the expression of his
countenance, though not so easily read by
most people. TO continue the wearing of
shoe which is run over badly only tends to
confirm the habit in the PERSONS walk.
II can also tell something of a PERSONS
tendencies by the size of the shoe, the
breadth Of the sole, the condition Of the
buttons or strings, the amount Of wear on
the toe, the condition of the lining, etc. !
would not advise friend to marry girl
who squeezes a number four foot into
number two shoe, for such is apt to prove
vain and frivolous.
"Your job is done sir, sorry / couldn't
give you a better character, but truth is
truth and I never fiatter D-TrOU Standard.