The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-10-14
A TRIUMPH OF LEATHER.
The History and Mystery of the Shoe
in All Ages.
Fronl the Boston .Io1lrnnI.


From the Boston Journal.
From the beginning the shoe has been
something more than mere article Of COM
merce. lt mas been an index of the taste of
the time. The antiquarian can construct
a civilization from given shoe. as Cuvier
built the animal from the bone. The painter
finds a delight 10 the reproduction of a
leathery past when cavaliers were booted
and spurred. The history OF the shoe is q
magazine OF singular facts and supersti-
tions. a store house of the capricss of men
and women. As in other articles Of dress,
there has been rotation in fashion, from
the days when Egyptians wore sandals of
leather, palm leaves or papyrus, to the time
when Mary Queen restricted the width of
the toe to SIX inches; from the custom Of
the New England squaw to wear ''shoes Of
Nose skinuens, which is the principal leather
used Co their purpose" to the summer habit
OF white shoes that accompany a gown and
and adorn piazza. The barefooted little
man" 80 lovingly described by Whittier,
can point to Socrates or Cato, in whose
footsteps he follows. The stern Spartans
were partial TO red shoes. The silken shoes
OF the past century were adorned with
buckles and gold and silver stars; and the
saoot OF the French peasant, when il is in-
tended for house use, is curiously
ornamented. In the olden time, in
the days when Alcibiades was the talk of
the Athenians as he sauntered ia the streets
shoes were named after him, as now an
actor inspires the fancy in Ia cravat. There
was once famous swell in England, long
before Beau Brummel, 50 long ago that he
ate his dinner about 10 O'Clock of the morn
ing, and he gave his whole mind TO the ex-
tension of toe points, twisted like rams
horn" For women are not alone in their
fastidiousness and love Of personal display.
HNVVnra Etn1 - II
ticular In the appearance of their shod feet
But there are books without number that
deal with this subject in fantastical or seri-
Gus manner. When popes thought it worth
while to thunder against extravaganza in
the device or ornamenta.ion Of shoes, why
should not the lovers Of the curious trace
the evolution Of the modern suoe from the
thong-tisd sandal? The humblest Fronch
woman may have simple robe, but she is
shod most carefully. She knows the ire
sistible power of this weapon; she shares
this knowledge with her sisters Of all lands
Sucking, in England, has sung the praises
Of such feet; Restif de la Bretonne has told
in famous words of the mighty influence of
a well-made little boot, and is there not
disease, or rather q mania, for stealing
women's shoes known to the Germans as
" Frauensc ustehlmonomanie"-a formida-
bic name that magnihes the guilt of the
performance? Or why should women be
compelled TO wear shoes, or boots, or slip
pers that war against her taste, simply to
crafty the advocate of heAlth9 Would
the feet of antique goddesses, if they were
turned into human flesh, incite the poet or
haunt the lover! The woman of to-day does
not envy her sister Of China; she wishes a
becoming foot dress, just as 300 years ago
MarRery, the good wife of Simon Eyre, ex-
claimed with just pride, "Roger, thou
know'st the size OF my foot as it Is none of
the biggest, so, thank God, it is handsome
enough; prithee, let me have a pair Of shoes
made, cork, good Roger, wooden hesl, too."
Fashions change for men and women.
The terms boot and shoe are used loosely,
although the boot proper goes above the
ankle. Bluohers, Wellingtous, high-lows
are now unknown TO US. But the glory of
the American shoe remains, a fixed aud
settled quantity. Over a century ago il was
reported in the London Chronicle that shoes
for women were made at Lynn exceeding In
strength aud beauty any that were usually
imported from London. IL is true that
the American shoemaker has been fortunate
iu his models, but the feet OF men have
been as tenderfy9 treatsd. Not without
reason does tbs BooB and Shoe Club
OF this city hold, days of Qualifications; not
without reason does the newspaper OF the
craft exult In long and illustrated supple
ment. The method of manufacture has
changed since the days OF honest Thomas
Decker. and rubbing pin, stopper, dresser,
four sorts of avis, two balls of wax, pairing
knife, hand and thumb feathers and good
st. Hugh's bones" may Ia part have now
a foreign sound but now, as in that illus
trious "Shoemakers' Holiday" that pleased
the qusen's most excellent majesty. Shoe
makers are still gentlemen of the gentle
craft, true Trojsns, courageous cord
WAIVERS; they all kneel to the shrine of holy
ST, Hugh