The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1892-05-26
soU-IE.AlKING BOOTS.
some Rel ections on the Subject of Self
s.~... Asscrtiva Footwear.

some Rel cctions on the Subject OF Selr-
4.~.s; Asscrtiva Footwear.
The earliest impression of squeaking
boots which we have treasured in our
memory was of Col Talmadge, of Litch-
field, in Connecticut. He was a tall and
venerable gentleman of the old school.
His dress was precise. His manners
were very dignifed It was a sight
worth watching for, on Sunday, to see
him issue from his house, and walk
with military precision, under the shad-
ing elms, to the village church-not
speck on his coat not an unregulated
hair on his head or wig, with lmmacu-
late ruff1es to his shirt, and a sort OF
Gen. Washington look On his face. He
had the air of = man who had not no
ticed anything within yard OF the
ground for score of years. Our eyes
fell from hist face ti1nidly, but found
comfort in looking at his boots, which
were great, broad, easy boots-none of
your modern ones, that cling to the feet
like a close-ftting glove to the hand
but broad, nple, well creased by cross
wrinkle. and affording to the foot room
| enough for door-yard all around 1T.
But, though polished like a mirror,
! their brilliancy was not the chief at
traction. They were musical boots
Every time the venerable man laid his
foot upon the ground his boots re-
] sponded, If it was on week day they
said: March! March! March!' as
plainly as squeaking leather could
speak. But it was on Sunday, and the
colonel was on his way to meeting,
every time his foot came up or rested
| down it said: "a men! A-men!' Al
least so our little ears used to interpret
the sound.
1t was at that time matter of silent
speculation with US why boots squeaked
At one time a shadowy idea Of life anc
| suffering suggested itself Then we
imagined that there were humble bee
in them; we don't know why unless thu
sound resembled that made by bee
when some one stepped on their mes
in the moving lot.
Soueaking shoes! There is such al
air of pretension in them, they soun'
their own praises in such an unneces
sarv manner that we find our tempo
bristling up at the very sound. VIII
wants to hear mans, boots proclaim
inc his advance along the hall-sayin
plainly, Here come, Here come!
Or, the congregation. is gathered, tn
organ has ceased. The audience is lis
tening to the invocation. just the
some fat man, very much at peace wit
himself, pert and smiling, enters tn
door. Of course, his pew is at the othe
!. | end of the aisle He will not wait til
the prayer is over-not he He onl
! walks little slower, so as to give tn
squeak its full effect Squeak
squeak! as if the organist had ler
) him the sesduialtera stop Of the orga
: orgthe cornet in five ranks. About hal
: way down the aisle, it occurs to tn
] owner of the boots that they are maxim
| a noise. and that all the nervous peop
are scowling at him, and the boys an
t girls are looking with u worldly cur
D ositv So, to mend matters he begir
2 to,walk on tiptoe. A fat man walkin
= tiptoe in squeaking boots in meetino
4 time! Tie noise is none the less. II
< Bquealz is simply rolled out a little THU
: ner and prolonged little more We:
atiously.
It Before it was a frank and 1ot
+ "squ-ea-k squ-ea k!'-real staccat
But. now it is a diminuendo-'sq-u
q e-e-a-l<!-su-u su-u-e-e-e-e-a-k-e- e-k!' with
vanishing duirl to it. In order to nal
:. the most of it, he walks slower al
i slower. holding out as long as the mi
ister does, and sitting down in the pc
Q with complacent look just as t
l. "Amen" is uttered.-N. Y. Ledger.
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