Telegram-herald., 1889-11-01

e. wrote = treatise on the
shOsmaking Il the ancients, ia which he
traced the art % Adam. Adam" he
says. was shoemaker and Eve tai
loress." Without going back 70 Eden
sst it suffice = know that the sons Of ST.
Crispin can smile at the claims OF long
descent" So doubt there was a time
when al oar forefathers went bare
footed. In those good old days a man
could step on his neighbors toes without
bringing spasm OF agony, for corns
and buniOns were unknown.
Il has been discovered, By paintings
on the walls OF Thebes. that shoemaking
formed a distinct and no doubt lucrative
trade away back IA the reign Of Thoth-
mes III. some /, 500 years before Christ.
At first every man was his own shoe
maker, the first being Minter. In the early
attempts at shOemaking the aim sought
was not a covering for the feet, but
rather protection 70 the soles from
stones, sticks, etc. These sandals (1) were
mostly made OF leather, though some
times wood and even iron were EN-
ployed.
The ancients were not long in learning
that the sandals could better be held IN
place by stitching low rim or wall of
leather along the sides and about the
heels OF sandals; 70 these the straps or
thongs were attached. Soon these strips
were made higher; finally they met, and
then was shaped the first shoe, crude
though il was. The next step was 10
have the leather reach from sole to sole
and OF one piece covering the toes, while
the ankles were protected as well. At
this stage OF progress the only thongs
needed were short ones 70 tie the shoe at
the ankle; thus came the shoestring into
fashion (2).
1t was soon discovered that the legs
could Do protected as well, and the quar-
ter was carried 70 a heIght half way up
10 the knee. Previous to this the only
protection afforded had been the fashion
OF wrapping the legs with skins or
cloths. By the time that the shoe had
reached this degree OF perfection came
the desire for Ornamentation. At first
few scaIlops about the tops (3) sufficed,
then the scallops were made from bright
colored feathers, and finally the use Of
embroidery became the fashion.
To Persia is due the credit Of first in
Producing sandals with heels. The men
wore sandals which rested on blocks of
wood (4). From these was the idea
taken which led to the addition of the
heel. The Persians protected their feet
By raising them from harms way, while
other nations had more effectually &C
complished it by inventing the shoe.
After the fad Of Ornamentation had
taken hold of the people. some bright
dude Of the period one day astonished
his companions by appearing with a
pair Of shoes under which he had placed
a pair of Persian heels.
In Persia these blocks Of wood were
used by the men to raise the feet from
the burning sands Of that country, and
were about two inches high. But with
the women it was quite different. Often
times the blocks assumed a close prOx-
unity to being stills. Eighteen inches
was the usual height, though supporters
two feet high were not unusual (5). In
after years this same fashion was intro
duced into Venice, though from differ
ent motives. BY its means jealous hus-
bands thought they would be able to
keep their wives at home. The supports
Of such shoes in Venice were called
"chapineys," and to appease the vanity
Of the ladies were made highly ornate.
The height Of these chapineys deter
mined tho rank Of the wearer, the no
blest ladies' were permitted-more often
/ compelled-to wear them one-hah yard
+ or more high.
China had already adopted similar
f measures regarding the elevation Of wo-
men. Instead Of the two supports, as
used IN Persia and Venice. a block of
wood tapering almost to point was used
/ ~ This rendered walking almost i'm
possible, and lady would scarcely vent