Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1889-09-27

the sIloenaaE1ers say It Ruins .rIleir Heath
Ea-.e-.----- Is--.-.-.-.-l

The shOemakers Say 1t Ruins Their Health
A Reform Needed.
"Why DO women wear tight shoes 2
was asked a leading State street boot
maker for the fair sex.
Because they are foolish, he re-
piled. "That is the only answer I can
make, but if L were to try to convince
my customers Of the fact / would lose
their trade. The ladies are parti liar
about their pet vanity, and they pay
a great deal of attention to a nobby
and snug fitting shape"
what are the effects of wearing
tight shoes ?" was asked Of another
maker.
"The effects are corns and diseased
and crippled feet and continual misery.
Women buy tight shoes because they
are vain. Nine out of ten Of the ladies
who come in here tell the clerks they
want shoes that are at least one size
too small for them. By dint of stretch
ing and the use Of powdered soap
Stone many are enabled to get on and
wear away shoes that are half q size
or a size too small for them; but occa-
siOnaIly one is compelled to take the
proper size for her feet, but 1t is at a
sacrifice of her vanity, and the physic-
al comfort enjoyed does not cOmpen-
safe her for her apparent mental dis
comfort. A great many ladies insist
on having shoes from special lasts
that in no wise match the shape Of
their feet, and, as a rule, they are the
kind who want high heels, although the
stilt-like underpinning has largely
gone out of fashion. The evils Of high
heels are, Of course, we'll known"
L. L.
shoes that are too small for them, ;"
said another dealer. "Ihe habit Of
wearing tight shoes is as bad as he
Chinese habit of bandaging and de
forming the feet of their female in
fants. The red Indian of America and
the natives of Africa can give civiliza-
tiqn instruction in respect to proper
care of the feet. The natives never toe
out, but put their feet forward in a per
fectly straight line when walking.
Livingstone, in his writings on Africa,
relates how the natives laughed at the
shape of the white mems feet, which
they attributed to the boots they wore.
The Grow Indians make their mecca
sins to toe in instead of out; they walk
perfectly straight and have finely form
ed feet. There are ladies of my ac-
invaIids and their ailments were
brought about by wearing tight high
heeled shoes, which threw their body
forward and caused them to toe out
ward in walking. Many of my lady Gus
! toners are such sufferers from cOrns thai
they do not like to go out of the house
! and are in misery all the time wheI
walking, yet they viii not forego then
vanity and wear a sensible, easy fitting
broad-soIed, low-heeled shoe. Some
! of them do not venture to walk at all
and only go out in their carriages OF
upon short expeditions where the street
cars can be utilized for almost the en-
tire distance they desire to travel.
notice that a great deal is said about
dress reform for women, and hope al
contemplated reforms include the i'm
pOrtant matter of footwear. Of course
it makes no difference to US; the prices
would remain the same were the fash
iO1 to change, but we have to supply
the demand or go out of business, anC
it is undeniable that as far as the ladie.
are concerned the greatest demand i
for tight shoes. - Chicago Tribune.