Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-10-23
A CHAPTER ON SHOES.
sorE QUEER SHAPES DESIGNED FOR
THE USE OF cRIPPLeS.

Cork-Soled Shoes for Actors-For Those
People Afflicted with Bunions - Ten
dency Toward Common Sense-A Bellies
500 Pair-OId shoes.
! "Are there many queer shaped shoes
nade," a reporter asked shoe dealer.
/ Lots Of 'em," was the reply. I'VE
make quite busine of shoes for Grip
plies. You'd be surprised at the number
Of people whose underpinnings require
building up on one order or the other.
Some limbs are shortened from habit OF
standing, but usually disease, accident or
prenatal deformity is the cause. Cork
/ cut up in thin layers makes up the lin
/ ng of the thick soles. Itis light and thus
I prepared possesses the requisite elastic
.ty. We make cork sOled shoes for men
who do not possess uneven lengths in
lower limbs. Staunch old business men
who have learned the value of keeping
their feet dry, weGr cork shoes in
winter. Now and then little man who
is ambitious and disGruntled because so
short that the crowd overlooks him, comes
TO us TO he boosted up. We have made
sork soled shoes for actors who play ro-
bust tragic parts and lack in nature the
stature that the part calls for. Ministers
also who are somewhat abbreviated come
to US to be shod so that their pulpit pres
snce will be more imposing. Half an inch
on the bottom of mans foot makes a
vast difference"
isn't the custom shoe trade falling off
on account Of the low prices for which
the factory shoe is solds''
Not at all. So long as there is a de-
sire for comfort on the part Of those pos
sessed of money, and so long as feet are
made in different molds, the custom
trade will be rs good as ever. There are
men who would go barefoot rather than
wear a factory made shoe. They could
not do it If they wanted TO. suppose
we have 500 customers for whom we keep
special lasts that are perfect counterparts
Of their pedal eXtremities in form Mt least.
Bits of leather take the place of great toe
joints and painful bunions When man
gets shoe made over lass like that the
breaking-in process loses its terrors The
tendency in mems shoes is toward COM
mon sense shapes Broad low heels and
fairly wide rounded toes are the most
sought for. The box toe is a thing of the
past. Pointed toes are only worn in pat
ent leather dress shoes, and they are not
90 ultra as two or three years ago. Men
are not alone in their dress for comfort
or fOotgear, although some of them have
rows of shining half-worn shoes standing
along the mOpboards of their chambers.
Women are becoming very good custom
srs of the order made shoes"
BELLIES 800 PAIR.
"Twelve 10 fifteen dollars is the limit
for a gentleman shoe. / know of a pair
Of ladies' shoes on exhibition in O Broad
way window that will bring 800. They
were made for Murray Hill belle, who
has pretty foot and an equally attract
We pOcketboOk. They are made, save the
soles, Of plain black satin. Rhine stones
set in solid silver form the buttons
French heels are still worn in dress shoes,
but New York women do an immense
amount Of walking and have learned
from their English sisters that they can
not do it in narrow, high heeled shoes
Children and old ladies wear what are
called spring heels. They are in reality,
so far as the eye can see, no heels at all
Many girls of l5 wear this style Of shoe.
When You see lady whose walk is the
poetry of motion you can put her down
IS wearing low-heeled, broad-soled foot
covering. There was quite trade last
winter and the winter before in skating
shoes. These are broad heel, liberal soles,
light calfskin shoe with light lace tops.
Roller skating has declined, but ice skat-
ing will doubtless be more popular than
ever if the mercury goes low enough be-
tween now and March. The high lace
tops are great support to the ankle, be-
sides looking particularly neatn
A great many old shoes are gathered
np by the rag pickers. They are pur-
chased for a song and repaired by the sec
ond hand dealers workmen, blackened,
and in the dimly-lighted easements pre-
sent a very fair appearance. There are
thousands of persons kept busy all the
gear around in New York repairing and
putting new soles on shoes, whose own
ers are active men. Twenty miles a day
is small average for a stirring person,
and twenty miles day over New York
aagstones soon polishes off a vast
amount Of sole leather.-New York Mail
and Express.