Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1891-07-03
SHOES OF ALL NATIONS.
AReE COLLECTION AT THE Mu.
scum IN WASHINGTON.

devised by different people under DIFF
ferant conditions All the shoes made
have one thing in common, and that is
n sole. There are shoes consisting of
sole without an upper, but none That
consist of an upper without sole. Not
"a have n sole on ones shoe has been
taken tiguratively to represent extreme
destitution. So when one wants to
speak of person who is in impecunious
circumstances, one, if he uses slang, is
likely to say: He is walking on his
uppers."
The oldest form of shoe or sandal
seems to have been merely flat sole
secured to the foot by thongs.
FIRST EFFORTS TO PROTECT THE FEET.
This form can be seen represented in
Roman and Greek sculpture. The Egyp-
tians had similar soles or sandals made
ordinarily of leather. but sometimes of
palm leaves or papyrus. In the Ninth
and Tenth centuries the common form
of shoe in Europe was the wooden SHOE
Even the mobiles and princes wore clumsy
wooden shoes, such as now are found
among the peasants. The Fourteenth
century produced the grotesque long
pointed shoe The points had been ex-
tended by fashion SO far that in the days
of Richard ii they were secured to the
knee by little chains. The church thun-
dered against this absurd and useless
fashion, but almost without avail, for it
held sway for 900 years or more. in l463,
however, so much Roadway had been
gained against the mode that decree of
the English parliament was obtained to
oppose the decree of fashion.
An act was passed prohibiting shoe
makers from making points more than
two inches long for the unprivileged
classes Henceforth the long point be
came badge of the criminal class But
a reaction came, the long point went out
of fashion, and people went to the OPP
posite extreme. The toes of shoes were
made of grotesque width. This absurdity
was carried SO far that Queen Mary felt
called upon to issue proclamation re-
stricting the width of toes to six inches.
! If there vera any of her sub ects who
had a natural spread of the toes greater
than six inches they had to go barefooted.
In the Sixteenth century boots were
generally worn III England and France
and the boots of the cavaliers were made
with enormously wide tops, that We're
rolled or folded over. After the restora
ton the tops of the boots were orna-
mented, at least by the fops of the day,
with lace The simple form of shoe,
which has held its own among Euro
peans and Americans to the present day,
made its appearance in the Seventeenth
century This shoe has undergone sew
eral notifications 1t was fastened with
buckle before shoe iaces and buttons
came into vogue.
In the National museum in the depart
ment of cthnology are gathered together
specimens of foot wear from all over the
world. Shoes are studied not alone from
the economic standpoint. Ethnologist1
see in the development of shoes, the
growth Of the heel, the sole and the up
per, the process of evolution, just as
the naturalist sees it in the mechanical
fitness Of the prehensile tail to the con
ditions of life of the monkey that has it.
Many drawers are filled with shoes, and
in one OF the alcoves of the museum are
stored away another collection of shoes.
Ii there was a procession representing all
nations and even the subordinate divi-
slons Of all nations, the representatives
of the different countries and localities
could all find in this collection the proper
boots or shoes to wear.
FOOTGEAR FROM ALL NATIONS
Then, scattered through the museum
are ettigies-armies of very little ones in
cases, representing the dress and the i'm
pements and ceremonies of different
people, and here and there large figures
startling in their lifelike character, and
on each Of these the students of shoes
can find an interesting study. Woodel
shoes, or sabots, are worn now among
the peasants in many countries in Eu
rope, Their advantage is in their cheap
ness and durability, In France and Bel
GUM are factories where they are made
OF maple and ash. There are some in thi
museum from Norway and Belgium, anc
some used among the Scandinavian set
tiers in the northwestern states and ter
rltories that seem heavy and clumsy tc
one accustomed to fine leather The sho,
is made all of one piece, followed out
They are fashioned III the form of tht
foot, and sometimes have little carving
outside to represent buttons and the teI
} caps on leather shoes. The uppers arr
about quarter of an inch thick and The
soles twice as thick
On one pair of wooden shoes in Tho
museum, from Belgium, even a repre-
sentatlon of the little knob supposed tt
, be made by the wearers corn appears
An attempt was made to establish The
manufacture of wooden shoes in this
country during the war, but the indus
try never reached large proportions
, Some, however, are made now and solo
among the foreign born people of TIN
northwest or exported to Europe. In thu
tin district of Cornwall, Egypt mad,
wooden shoes or pattens are used.
One OF these in the museum is simply
flat piece of wood, with an iron rin}
fastened underneath The ring is OF
the ground, and raises the fiat shoe an,
its wearer above the ground, The sho
is fastened to the foot with straps Shoe
with wooden soles are very common
They are used in some countries for or
! binary wear, and many arc made 70
the special use of persons employed il
bleacheries or damp places. The imper