The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1888-03-03
QUEEN asss. SHOE.
An Tntsresting Relic Now In the Posses.
sion OF New Yorker.

An Tntsresting Relic Now In the Posses.
sion OF = New Yorker.
A so uvenir Of England virgin Queen
is extant to-day in the shape Of a slip
per and sandal worn by her more than
three hundred years ago. They are at
present in the possession Of Mr.. Joseph
+. Graham, who keeps shoe store in
an old building Mt the corner OF Vesey
and Greenwich streets. So rare and
precious Is the relic that he keeps it in
his safe with rs much care as any Of
his other valuables. The shoe, not
withstanding the centuries that have
passed since it encased tho Queens
foot. is still in wonderful state of
preservation, and Is interesting not
only for its associations but as n speci-
| men Of the handicraft of the Crispins
of those days.
The Queen must have had tiny
foot, rs the shoe Is only number one
In length. though rather too broad to
be considered precisely shapcly at the
present time. 1t is very similar in
shape and form, however. to lady's
fashionable dress shoe of today. 1t is
made OF yellow brocadcd satin. lined
with fine stout linen canvas The
sole is of o,ik-tanned leather, somewhat
coarser and heavier than would Ire put
into such shoe to-day. The heel is
exactly like the high French heel of
modern times, though well under the
heel of the foot. and is at least two
inches high. The toe of the shoe runs
to sharp point. Across the instcp are
two satin straps which were evidently
fastened with y buckle or clasp, and
the back of the shoe is entirely
devoid of counter or stiffening. The
edges are bound with yellow silk braid.
The workmanship is remarkably good,
as many shoe manufacturers who hnve
seen it testify.
Accompanying the shoe is sandal.
evidently made to 20 with it, rs the
bits of silk in the straps across the in
step are of the sam9 yellow satin of
which the shoe itself is made. The
sandal is even more curious in its way
than the shoe. 1t consists simply of
two thicknessess of sole leather, cor
responding in size and shape with the
sole of the shoe except that il is flat on
the bottom and hecllcss. On the upper
side there is an elevation to fit in the
hollow of the shoe itself. 1t was evil
IDENTIFY only intended to keep the
! sole of the shoe from contact with the
ground, and is without sides or uppers
except the narrow straps to hold it in
place and which, like the straps on the
shoe, were intended to be fastened W it'll
buckles.
Il The authenticity OF the relic is
vouched for by the possessor, who has
its history back to the time when on e
of tho Queens maids of honor gained
possession of it at the time of the
; Queens death and retained it as a
'souvcnir, handing it down TO hor son,
an officer under Charles H. who was
: killed at Marston Moor. Tho shoe then
came into possession of II younger son,
, who fled to France ut the time of the
execution of Charles the First, and re-
, of the restoration. The shoe was kept
, at his house in the north of England us
u semi-religious relic for many years,
descending from father to son and be-
coming more valuable as souvenir as
. the years rolled into centuries. EARLY
in the present century the main line of
I the family became extinct and then the
? shoe came into possession of IL collateral
branch. who had secured q royal con-
9 cesson of territory in Louisiana and
. went there to live.
The only living descendant of the
family espoused the Southern cause in
9 the late rebellion, was wounded at Get
3 tysburg and retired to his plantation,
where he lived for several years. but
Y never recovered from his wound. Cap
, tain Vorheis. an officer in II New York
5 regiment. became the provost marsh al
G of tho city district where the Southern
officer lived. and became we'll and
pleasantly acquainted with him. b eine
I interested in historical subjects and
relics, his Southern friend told him he
8 should have the shoe after he was dead.
\ In time the Southern man died and the
A Captain came North and brought tn c
Q shoe with him. A few years ago he
L gave it to Mr.. Graham for safckecping
e until such time us he should turn it
0 over to some historical society or mu-
seum.-M. Y Commercial AiUcitiser.