The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-12-23
CELESTIAL COBBLING.
The Methods of the Chinese Repairers
of Shoes
From the Hartford Times.

Inc MethodS or the Chinese Reporters
of Shoes
From the Hartford Times
Chinese shoes, with their curved up toes
and thick soles, have always been more or
less of an object of curiosity to the average
American, who cannot conceive how the
clumsy-looking things can be kept upon the
feet, as they are neither buttoned nor laced.
while the highest ones never reach above
the instep.
Although there are no celestial shoe
makers in Boston's little Chinatown there
is one old celestial who, If he doesn't pre-
tend to be able to manufacture shoes in the
advanced state OF perfection in which they
are made in the land of tea, yet he can re-
pair the sabots with neatness and dispatch,
and while he does not make that his sole
means of support, he manages to earn 81 or
80 every week by mending the dilapidated
shoes of some of his Acknowledged brethren.
1t was for the purpose of finding out
something about the curious-looking shoes
that reporter for the Boston Globe paid
old Sing Lee visit. His shop is situated
in the cellar of one of the houses of the
block on Harrison avenue, between Essex
and Beach streets, but which one of the
houses it is in would be hard matter to de-
eide. for it is reached from narrow, dark
alley which runs between Oxford street and
Oxford place.
The writer was directed to the place by a
good-natured Celestial employed in one of
the general merchandise stores on the ave-
nue., and had the guide not been very ex-
plicit in his directions, which by the way
were given in the choicest of pigeon En-
glish, it is feared the place never would
have been found
At last, however, after stumbling
through several dark, damp, ill-smellinp
naSsaUec the writar hv Iiohfinra ,natoh
found himself in front of door, As it was
the only door in sight, it was reasoned that
1t must be the entrance to the cobblers
shop. There were several signs painted in
black on the customary red paper pasted on
the panels, but as the writer is not very
well posted in the intricaces of Celestials ;
writings, they proved valueless, and SO,
| as door bells are unknown AMI knocking is
not practiced in Chinatown, he boldly
| pushed open the door and stepped into the
| room.
Everything was as dark as pitch in the
| cellar, which smelled close and damp, while
| the air was laden with the stale fumes of
| opium.
"What you wantee?" came in treble
key from the occupant of the room, who
was as yet invisible to the intruder, who
nevertheless shouted, "Ho-la-mah,n which
is the Chinese for How do you doa and fur
| Their added: II came to see you mend some
| shoes, Sing"
''Me not mend shoe; you go home" said
the old Celestial, who was now seen in the
| dim light that struggled through the little
| grated cellar window, sitting on bunk on
which, previous to the interruption, he had
evidently been snoozing.
1t wasn't very warm reception, but then
| Cinnamon are seldom polite or pleasant to
white people who may chance to intrude
upon them in their own apartments-that
is, unless there is money in it. The writer.
| fully approaching this fact. made his wav
to where the old "Chinkn was seated, and.
putting a quarter into his hand, Offering
him at the same time cigar, and mention
ing the name of the Chinaman who sent
him, proceeded to make himself as comfort
able as possible by appropriating a sto ll
that was near
1t was curious to see the effect of the
money and the cigar on the old man, who
with a smile that was childlike and bland, :"
said:
so, me see. You likee lookee see how
China boy shoe be menaedn
| Yes, that's it," returned the writer
'Yo GU mend shoes, don't YOUR
| 20, yes, me mendee Shoe" he said with
grin. Before me not know who YOU be.
me hkee you to go way. Now me know, you
stay and see."
| 'All right, Hi watch you mend shoe.
and then won't bother you any more,n
NO trouble, said Sing, and ne reached
| for pile of shoes that lay in a heap on the
floor at the foot Of the bunk. Picking out
one on which the sole had been badly worn.
he proceeded to rip Off portion of the old
felt, and getting smooth surface at last.
he pulled big sheet of thick telling from
a drawer aud proceeded after the fashion
of yankee cobbler, to cut new sole
This done, he fitted it upon the sabot. and
then taking an avn, through the handle OF
which thong was run, he placed the point
on the surface of the felt, the shoe being
held firmly between his knees. Then taking
the thong in both hands, he gave it a
peculiar twist and the anvil went through
the new felt and the old sole that remained
| on the shoe
Repeating this operation several times,
he stuck small pegs in the holes to hold the
feit IN position and then proceeded to bore
holes in rows ali over the surface of the sole
OF the shoe, until there were eight or ten
rows of many holes each. Then the sewing
commenced, and it was surprising how dex-
| terously he used the needle When sewed
on 1t would seem that sole would never
rip on, and, in fact, Sing said they seldom
did. That part of the work finished he
| took sharp knife aud pared the new sole
down at the sides until it exactly fitted with
the Old, and then dipping little stiff brush
lnto something that looked like whiting he
daubed 10 all over the edges and over the
bottom, aud after rubbing it over with a
cIoth, the shoe was pronounced compla.ed