Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1889-05-12
REMARKABLE SHOES.
SIR WALTER RALgIGH'S PAIR COST $1,000
POUNDS.
The japanese Take Of Their Slippers as Sign o
Respsct-Ths Origin Of Shoes and Some
Of the SupsrStitOns Regard
ing Them.
NetO York Sun.

Net0 York Sum
Nobody knows who was the first shoe
maker. Undoubtedly there was time
when al! our forefathers went barefooted,
but at length somebody made pair OF
shoes, rough foot mats or shields OF woven
reeds or skins. The original shoemaker
songht comfort. Style came later. The
Celt, who at times wandered over moor or
morass, at others over stony mountains, in
vented a shoe admirably adapted 10 his
use. A sole of heavy hides protected his
feet from sharp stones, while uppers or legs
of lighter skins protected his ankles and
legs from thorns and bushes. The buskin
was 90 constructed that the water exude !
from it as soon as the foot ceased 10 be i'm
mersed. In the modern shoe the idea is
that wster be kept out, not let out. The
Csltic buskin was tough and elastic, and
could be replaced wherever there were un-
tanned skins at hand. Every Celt was his
own shoemaker. With the Norman Con-
ouest came the introduction into the
British Isles of tanned leather, which had
iopg been in use in Normandy, where 1t
had been introduced by the Romans.
The old good soft shoes of untanned
leather, which must have been deliciously
comfortable, ere set aside, and then came
curiously shaped shoes of many styles and
variety of colors. From the close-fitting
shoe fashion led to many extremes. First
came long, pointed toes, which soon as
sumed the shape of peak, fashioned like
ships Prov, and in time assuming the
likeness of scorpions tail, which IN time
grew to devils claws" and fastened to
the wearer's knees. King Richard, the
Liou Hearted, had tis boots stamped with
gold. John Lakeland, his brother, wore
boots spotted with golden circles, while
Henry Ill wore boots checkered with gold
en- lines, every square of which was en-
riched with a lion. Cardinal Wolsey' g
shoes were.
OF gold and stone prec' GUS,
Costing many thousand pounds.
Sir Walter Raleigh wore shoes studded
with diamonds said to have cost e80,0C0.
The gallants in Charles IL time wore
their nigh boot tops turned down to the
ankles to show the gorgeous lsces with
which they were lined. High-heeled boots
were worn by ladies for three parts of the
eighteenth century. They raised their fair
wearers some inches, rendering walking
difficult and running impossible.
Boots and shoes of all kinds have been
worn-shoes made of wood, leather and
reeds; brass bound, iron bound, gold
bound; with wide toes, narrow toes and
pointed toes foot long, but the right and
left shoe were shaped exactly alike. About
the year 1900, however, an Englishman
invented rights and lefts." This was soon
followed by many improvements, both in
style of the shoe and the tanning Of the
| leather.
The Highlander carved brOgsns out Of
the hide of the deer the Staying of which
had afforded sport and adventure. He
gained for himself the name of "Rsd
Shsnks" by wearing boot legs from the
same hide, dashed around his calves with
the hair outward.
Even fairies have been credited with
taking an interest in shoes, for we are told
that the merry little Cornish pixies liked
not ing SO we'll as to hammer away in the
dead of night at the unfinished shoes on
the cob6ler's bench, to surprise and glad
den him next morning with the outcome
of their energy.
1t is supposed to be unlucky to put
either shoe on the wrong foot, nor must
one put the left shoe on before the right
unless one wished to bring about some
direful calamity. Augustus Cesar, it is
said, put on his left shoe first, and be-
fore nightfall narrowly escaped sssassins-
ton. DR.. Brewer says that plucking off
the shoe among the Jews, smoking the
pipe among the Indians, thumb licking
among the Scotch, breaking straw to-
gether among the Teutons, and shaking
hands among the English, are all cere-
monies to confirm a bargain. The
Jewish custom of plucking off the
shoe or sandal is frequently referred
to in the scriptures. In the story of Ruth
it is recorded that a compact which Bosz
made was sealed by shoe being drawn of.
One of the verses reads: NOW, this was
the manner in former time in Israel con-
corning redeeming and concerning chang
ing, for to confirm all things man pluck
ed of his shoe and gave if to his neighbor;
and this was testimony in Israel"
The Jew who failed to keep a compact
of honor was summoned before the author
titles, and if he then refused to fulfil his
compact, the offended party would loosen
his shoe, spit in his face, 'and," as Holy
Writ says, ''his name shall be called in
Israel, the house of him that hath his shoe
loosed."
To say mans sin his boots" implies
that he is very drunk. 1t comes from an
old Welsh word "boOzi," meaning to be
saturated with liquor. But to stand in
another's shoes is to claim the honors Of
another. 1t has its origin from custom
common among the ancient Mortimer,
among whom if a man adopted son in Or
der that the youth might lawfully inherit,
ne must for a certain length of time wear
the shoes of his sdopter.
An old Roman, much to the surprise of
his friends, sought to divorce his wife, with