The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1895-12-15
HAVE A DAINTY root.
The Feet should Have ss Great At
tcnttou ne the Face.


II 10 safe to aver that there Ia no more
important part OF the toilet than that ~hioh
concerns ths feet, although I, seems usually
10 receive the lcast consideration why 60
Nttls caro- should be dcctned necessary In
the treatment OF those Wcful APPENDICES.
whoss duty It 10 to labor so srduowly, Is
difficult to determine: but tbs fact remains
that the average woman aken little or no
though, OF th~r delicate construction uuth
they begin to reoei--@ they must sooner
or leter-ssainst their long continued abuse
Posts have suus and novelisu have raved
about thu dainty feet Of their respective
herolres until we have come 10 regard
small feet as irrefutable evidence OF refine
ment and nistocreuc birth, Fsllaclous rea-
soning indeed is this. and Responsible for nm
incalculable smoupt Of self-inhioied torture,
silently endured for the sake Of that most
potent Of human viees-pelsona vanity.
The desire TO pcssess small and pretty
feet Il a. natural 70 the usual run OK women
a. the air they breathe. but TO seek TO
obtain by artificial means what nature has
denied seems unworthy q reasoning beins.
And yet II Is the rule aud not the exception
to so squecaa and compress these unfortunate
pedal e1tremltics that they become souros
Of constant pain and annoyance. instead Of
serving tho purpose for which they were
originally intended. So extensively Is the
custom prsctised that q woman whose feet
are innocent OF corns. bunons or other un-
slightly excr&cencee is a rarity IN the world
Of fashion. while even among the lower
classss tho usht shoe is becoming far moro
general than It once was.
Speaking generally, the foot Of little child
Ia absolutely perfect IN shape and proper
tious 1t seems a pity that tho approach
Of womanhood should be the slgna for the
commencement OF the torturiug process, dur-
Ing which the pretty dimpied member Is
gradually transformed into Tho inons;roeity
which the fashionable foot too often U.s..
Although we realize that the classic model
10 no recognized standard OF beauty, II Is
possible to preserve tho natural contour
Of the foot and etli render II lovely to
modern eyes We marvel at the cruelty OF
the Chinese mother. who arreNte the growth
OF her babys feet by encasing them in
spln,s and bandascs, but We Ignore the
fact that the Western neither IA but shade
less cruel who thoughtfully permits her
growing daughter to wear shoe that ie
TOO small or that Va In no sense adapted TO
the shape OF her foot.
Too mitch attention cannot well be given
to tho footwear OF young girls, aimee much
OF the comfort Of their after life depends
upon tho care which they receive during
their early years. Resdynsde shoes should
DO studiously avoided, for in the majority
d. cases they are eousructed upon lines
dramatically opposed to Nstures plan, while
Individual poculiarltcs can, Of course. re-
celve no consideration whatever Tho sole
of tho ancient sandal may be taken as a
model OF the required shape, since 1t fol-
Iowa all the graceful curves OF the foot and
allows free play Of all tho muscles
Tho danger attending the use OF ll-httlns
shoes. ~ well for grown persons % for
children, cannot be 0Veresumated IL the
rant folly 10 attempt to reduce ia size.
since compression is inevitably followed
hy more or less serious deformlty, while
not nfrequently Il Is attended NY disease.
Shoes that ara sharply pointed at tho too
should be avoided by wide footed women,
for no; only is the result~-yiewed from what
ever etRndrolnt- unieniahly ugly, but the
Shoe will always spread or apilt after {,
has been worn a few times. High heels too.
tend to permanently widen the bali Of thu
foot. owing TO the full weight OF tho body
being thrown forward while they are q
fruitful source Of enlarged toe lointA and
lngrownE nails, 10 say nothing OF greater
and leSter evils.
II Ia scarcely necessary to cay that no large
or irremedsby m chapel foot should bs
encased in 4 coi0red or otherwise SNOWY
boot. In this case black should be adopted
upnn all occasions ana alwsye in the snftest
and most pllshls OF fabrlcs. Agrees We
decoration In any form viii invariably at
tract attention to tho size or deformity Of
the foot and should therefore be avoided
Long akirts. though disadvantage IN many
lnstaucea are decidedly advantageous in
this. inaamuch as they can always be re.
lied upon-particulsriy II they are we'll
weighted and hsnounced-to cover mul.
rtuia OF SinP ~