The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-02-01
THE POOR BOOTBLACK.
His Trade Shown to be an Ancient
and Honorable One.
CHAT WITH A BRIGHT BOY.
Lord Chesterfield Confessed That 1t Was
More Dignified Than the Authors Pro-
fession-What History Tells.

Not many persons, who look upon the
bootblack as he plies his avocation upon
every corner In this city. says the New
York News, are aware that he belongs 10
q fraternity that boasts OF literary me-
MORALS penned by England's greatest
poets. The colored man. Walker, whom
Postmaster Van Cott has placed In charge
OF the bootblacks at the post ofice, says
that Chesterfield and Walpole both con-
fessed, In a jocose mood, that the shoe
black profession was more digniied than
the authors.
He says. that In his Investigations, he
found that Lord Chesterfield had written
this:
Far be It from me. or any OF my
brother authors, to lower the dignity OF
the gentlemen trading In black ball, by
naming them with ourselves; we are
sensible Of the great distance there Is be-
tween us; and 1t Is with envy that we
look up to the occupation OF shoe cleah-
ing, while we lament the severity OF our
fortune In being sentenced to the drudg-
cry Of less respectable employment.
But while we are unhappily excluded
from the stool and brush. 1t Ia surely
very hard case that the contempt OF tho
world should pursue US only because we
are unfortunate"
Walker states that whenever any super
cilious person happens to come to his
stand he pulls out his copy OF Chester
field and refers him to the passage, which
he requests him to read. In his exper-
ience, Walker says that the supercilious
man always goes away with sense OF
the great importance OF the bootblack
after reading this passage from Chester
field.
History has left no record OF the first
bootblack. We can we'll understand, how
ever. that he could not have existed In
those days when "pantofiies were worn,
whereof some be of white leather and
some OF red. some OF black velvet and
some Of white. red and green. stitched all
over with silk, and laid on with silver and
gold"
The history OF locomotion In London
proves that the era OF shoe cleaning must
have begun with the reign of Queen Anne.
In the days earlier than this the records
show that all travel in London was on
horseback until the time OF Elizabeth,
when the first coach appeared. In twenty
years coaches became SO general that an
act OF Parliament was passed to limit
their use.
But about $50 years ago the era OF
pedestrianism commenced, and became
fashionable, for John Gay. poet, ex.
claiming against the "jolting coach,
"leaky boat" and "boxedchair," says,
Stiff ret me- walk. But what wttfk +
| Those who have described the streets oil
| those days state that the centre OF the
| narrow streets was occupied by an open
| drain, or channel" and the carriageway
| was full OF holes and quagmires. Ia 175),
| in London, the leading streets were al
most impossible as those OF new Amerl-
can Western town.
These were the palmy days OF the shoe
| blacks, when the calling was the theme oi
the wit and enshrlned in the verse Of the
| poet, and 30 ii remained until about the
| year 1920, when the scene changed ano
| the evil hour of the fraternity was al
hand. For, 10! at one OF the corners OF @
court leading out OF Fleet street might be
seen one who proved to be "the last OF the
shoeblacks." He seemed TO be dedicated
to his profession by nature, for he was Q
negro.
This son OF Africa stood patiently from
early dawn to night, with his little tripod
depressed and wretched at the prospects
OF his declining trade.
I'd like to bring TO your attention. Mr.
| Reporter" Walker, the colored bootblaci
at tho Post Offlce. said, to the persist
ency with which Gay, the poet, speaks o
shoeblacks. You and every sane man nov
know the present term bootblacks is very
wrong. Seldom, or ever are boots brough
TO us to polish. 1t is always shoes. Like al
not, by persistency In human nature tha
is proverbial, in the old days it was boots
that were polished by the shoeblacks. Well
sir, let me tell you that the spirit OF th'
last OF the shoeblacks must have waited
to other shoes, for about this period
when the shoeblacks vanished from tn,
London streets. they were first very &C
lively employed at every corner OF Paris
a city then In as filthy a condition as tn,
London OF Queen Anne's reign. The!
first made their appearance in this cit,
about 1880, learn from the public records
And altogether, you'll say with me tha
the bootblack is a great boon, equal to th'
doctor or the lawyer for he, like thes
gentlemen, helps man out OF many trou
bles. Good day, cir"