The indicator., 1897-05-29
GETTING HER SHOES sAlnEp
Rooms Fitted up for Ladies' who Want to
Get Their shoes shined.


"Of truth, Barbara, am never so
fully convinced OF a woman's equality
with man rs when l am getting my
shoes shined," quoth the pretty girl
with pompadour and dimples, as she
mounted the backing stand, dropped
into the chair just vacated by her
friend and stretched out n shapely boot
upon the foot rest for the deft touch
of the expert manipulation OF blacklng
box and brush, says the Philadelphia
Times.
So. mark you. Adam. II you still think
that getting your shoes shined Is the
exclusive prerogative of your boasted
masculine superiority, stop thinking!
You're wrong. At last it's one of wo-
mans rights.
Adams mother wife or sister never
dreams of backing her own shoes any
more. 1t isn't up-to-date. She has 1t
done. and done far more eNpeditiously
and satisfactorily than she could begin
TO do 1t herself, at her bootmaker's
The consequence is that the polishing
department Is the latest wrinkle intro
duced by the wide-awake shoe store
which caters to the very exclusive
trade In some stores ladies' mount
the white marble stand and sit along
side the men; but the advent of the at
tractive little room fitted up exclusive
ly for lady patrons shows that the In
novation is proving great and grow
ing success.
There is no suggestion of femininity
about one of these rooms. 1t has an
extremely business-like air, with its
big backing stand set with capaclous
cherry-arm chairs, and In front the
trimmest of little brass foot-rcsts
awaiting the touch of tiny foot. Not
| so tiny, however. as In our grandmoth
| crs' time. Those ancient danes We're
| wont to step in Cinderella shoes with
| paper soles and lofty heels. Women
| are growing much more sensible re-
| garding their footwear. Bicycles and
| athletics have had n perceptiblc III
tiucnce in this direction.
| Many of the shoes worn by the fash
| ionable girls of Philadelphia are very
| much like II mans except in point o'
size and the half-grown brother needs
to keep his eye on his Sunday shoes
lest his big sister purlons item when
| her own shoes need shine. Just
| fancy, too. giving our grandmothers Il
ticket to have their shoes shined free
of charge, Yet women are taking them
every day in Philadelphia. and there
are days in the muddy season when
from 100 to 125 ladies have had their
shoes hined in one fashionable store
alone. only very expert attendants
are employed. They study the needs
of the shoe and treat IT accordingly.
There is an old saying that gloves and
shoes shincd in one fashionable store
women are not nearly 50 careful about
the condition of their footwear as are
men. Women instinctivcly disnko
backing their own shoes. Its so
messy" n college girl remarked pa
theticaily to n Chestnut street shoe
man the other day. You see, we have
to do it mt school, but think that's the
reason \ appreciate the Easter Holt
days so much more, now that ! can
come home and get somebody else Ia
do the polishing. A needle and roll
ing-pin are all very well for woman
but backing brush, never
The shoe-blacking innovation. how
ever. remedies all this. and fair fem
ininlty now has her patent feathers
heavy boots. French kids or russell ties
kept spick and span all the year round
without the expenditure of single
nickel.