The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-07-13
A TALK ON THE HEEL.
DISASTROUS EFFECTS OF ALLOWING
TITO RUN DOWN.. -

"Down In the Heels" Doesn't Always signi
fy Adversity-Heels That Are Away Dowr
Often Peep From Beneath Silk and Lace
Properly Fitted Shoes Prevent 1t.
Down at the heels" is an expression
generally signifying adversely. Some
times 1t is contradictory in its applica-
ton. This is proved by the number OF
disfgured, dilapiiated heels seen
glancing in and out from under silken
petticoats, and petstcoats with lace ON
them, and often wonder If their own
ers realize the value, in every sense Of
the word, of "a pair of clean heels
tidy heels to match their trim ankles
and chic costumes.
"Disfgured heels" are those which
result from the heel Of the individual
bearing heavily inward, thus throwing
the heel OF the shoe acutely outward
and causing it to rest on its inner side
Instead of the under surface intended.
As will be seen, the effect Of a rear
view is that of malformation. Some
observers would characterize it as
slovenliness. Said an intelligent sales
man in prominent shoe store in an
swer to my inquiry as to what is the
reason some women turn their heels
over and outward when walking
Because they are wearing, or have
worn, shoes that are too short and too
fat for them. The short shoe crowds
the foot back into curved position
and the fiat sole offers no support for
the arch; consequently the ligaments
become strained and relaxed, that part
OF the foot loses strength and cannot
uphold itself. and it naturally turns
over and In, thus throwing the heel out
as you describe. have at least TWEEN
ty such cases among my customers.
They have come to me in that condi-
ton, and am treating them by fitting
their shoes properly, and, in some in
stances, am also obliged to reinforce
the shoes alongthe inner side of the in
step to give the support they need when
their feet have broken down.
1T is a delicate task to remedy the
difficulty, for women are sensitive, and
do not like to be told they have been
wearing shoes too short for them and
have broken down their feet. They do
not so much mind being told their
shoes have been too fiat for them, for
every woman likes to believe she has
a pretty instep. l convert and cure
them after while, though, and their
heels are straight ever after-that is If |
they continue to wear properly fitted |
shoes. II women only would believe
how much prettier long shoe with
straight heel looks to him than a
short one with twisted heel, short
shoes would soon be a drug on the
market, and we would have no more
cases Of inturned heels to treat.
"A foot will also break down, even if
shoe is long enough, If it is too fiat.
A fiat or common sense shoe will
break down any foot having an arched
,r hollow instep. The sole of shoe
'hould curve so as to follow or be felt
long the sole of the foot, which al
ways needs support. 1t is useless to
ry to fit all feet with common sense
" Spanish arch shoe; and the for
ner is not common sense when worn
N foot arched in the under part of
he instep, any more than a Spanish
rich would be on a foot as fiat as the
roverbial founder.
"Too many ladies in buying shoes
t the eyes instead Of the foot, and pay
or their pride in suffering. Another
Mistake Is often made In having the
eel Of shoe lowered where a foot
equires curved sole. When the heel
, lowered by lift or two the curve Is
ost, and the foot rests in the shoe only
n the toes and heels, the instep thus
aving no support. The result is the
anne as described IN the other circum-
!igatures, broken
own feet. If the shoe feels as If the
eel were pitching It forward too much
pad under the hollow of the foot will
lstantly relieve the difficulty without
ny lowering Of the heels"