The Red Cloud chief., 1895-08-02
CARE OF THE FEET.
THE cRAMpep AND TORTURED FOOT
NO LONGER THE IDEAL.

ADOut Sorns IN" hhv"
70 Treat Them.
Very few seem to realize the impor-
lance Of giving tho feet proper attention
In order to secure better health as we'll
~ general comfort. 1t Is almost incoD-
ceivable that in our civilized nation in
the modern age there are still so many
otherwise sensible women who are will
ing to MAIN and cripple their feet and
mffer torturcs for the sake Of wearing
shoes Just q little too small, or which
are, as they imagine falsely, pretty or
more fashionable. We see the folly Of
the cramping process upon the feet OF
the Chinese women, but how much more,
inexcusable it is for women Of this en-
lightened country.
In former times il has been the fash
ion for shoes to be made with high
heels, narrow. pointed toes and oil sorts
Of extravaganza shapes contrary to a s
and comfort, and as too many people
have felt IL incumbent upon them to
bow to the demands of the tyrant fash
ion, no matter how unreasonable her
demands, the result has been for sue
cceding generations untold suffering in
the form of corns, bunions and other
deformities, until now ii is comparative
ly rare TO see, except among savage ma
tions, q perfect, well shaped foot. But
o moro sensible fashion allows the wear
ing Of v~arious styles Of sensible shoes
that are adapted to the ease and COM
fort of the wearer, with thick soles,
wide, low heels and plenty Of room for
free expansion Of the toes and muscles,
and the numerous cOrns, which are not
only exceedingly painful, but often seri-
Gus affairs, are gradually disappearing
from tho feet Of the sensible ones and
the ideal foot is no longer the cramped
and tortured foot.
The celebrated anatomist, Professor
Hyrti Of Vienna university, opened one
Of his lectures to his class with the sim
gular question, (Which is the most beau
tiful foot, considered from the anatom-
ical standpoint" and then continued:
ut is remarkable that there are so many
divergent opinions on this subject.
| While the sons Of men look upon q
small, slender and graceful foot, a lady's
foot, rs an ideal one, the anatomist ut
terly rejects it as beautiful, and only
the large, long and broad foot is the
ideal one in his eyes. Even the greatest
classic writer's Of antiquity, Horace, Ca
tallus, and others, who had great appre-
citation Of the feminine beauty, never
mentioned in tho descriptions Of their
beloved-and, as is we'll known. they
had many-their small feet.
1.-THE people belonging to the Celtic
race have small feet; the Hindoos es-
pecially have such feet and hands that
they may DO envied by many European
countesses. The native troops Of tho
English army in India possess in Eng
land their own armory where peculiar
kinds Of weapons are constructed for
them, and tho sword hits made for
them arc much too small for US to grasp
with ease. The greatest beauties Of Eu-
rope, the Italians, have really long and
broad feet"
But even il we do not care to DO con-
vinced that the ideal foot is the foot
that is long and broad, we al certainly
realize the importance Of care in select
ing shoes Of the proper size for comfort
rs we'll as beauty. The foot never looks
pretty in II shoe too small for it,. and
such shoes soon become u~nshapely from
undue pressure, giving anything but u
pretty appearance.
On tho other hand, we should not fall
into the error Of buying shoes too large.
| Tl.Ap, ..rn 1y.,t M mt IN ma Dw,,a nc
small Ones by rubbing certain parts OF
the foot. II any one has the misfortune
to fall into this mistake, it can be RENE.
died to u great extent by inserting a soft
wad Of cotton batting in the toe Of the
shoe or in the part that rubs against
the foot.
Tho same care il necessary in buying
shoes as in buying gloves. They will
last much longer and have q better ap'
p~earance when made Of new, good skins.
Old leather or kid is not soft and elastic
and does not easily shape itself to the
foot or the hand. This is not only Q
matter Of comfort, but Of economy. II
this, as in many other things, "the besI
is the cheapest" and as few women, OF
men either, for that matter, are goot
judges Of leather il will be wise to buy
only Of honest, experienced dealers, IL
whom we can confide, for we cannot
afford risks in q matter where so mucl
il involved. An uncomfortable shoe IL
: really u very serious matter when W,
| take into consideration the pain ant
discomfort, the probable deformities il
: the way of corns and bunions, the wea
on the nervous system and the unpleas
: n consequences Of our irritable tem
pers because Of personal discomfort.
n 1t scarcely seems necessary to speal
: OF the Importance of frequent bathing
: OF the feet and pairing Of the nails, an,
|" yet many are surprisingly careless il
!, this respect. Corns are simply compose,
OF q great number of layers Of cuticle
9 or scarf skin, one above another, eacl
successive layer being larger than tn
preceding, SO that the whole assume
= the form of u grain N Indian corn
hence its name. This is constantly press
ing its point upon the tender flesh whe,
the shoe presses or rubs against it, an
az his cuticle il easily dissolved IN