Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1901-01-16


Over on the other side OF Canal
street. In the local Latin quarter. there
Is little cobbler's shop that looks Ike
an etching hy Durer. The tools. which
are stuck In leather loops around the
walls. have an air OF serious antiquity
Ike decayed gentiefolk- and over the
threshold II an empty wicker bird
cage. canted at just the right angle to
make what the artists call - good
composition" The cobbler himself IS
. smaIlish. stop shOuldered man. with
q perfectly bald head and iron spec
tacles half way down his nose The
other day be told friend how the an
Gent and honorable craft OF boot
making had gone into decline
Il was working for myself two years
before the California excitement be-
gan In 1884, be said Those were
grand days All gentlemep wore boots
then made out OF the finest ealfskin.
with tops about u Inches high.
The Wellington boots were fashionable
just before my time. but I've made q
few pairs. mostly for foreign gentle
men. and they looked very elegant out
side Of tight pantaIOons- The top wss
generally morocco II Rugged the calf
OF the leg close and came TO q point IN
front. finished with q small red or pur-
pie tassel But the boot that every
body wanted was a plain. fine grained
calfskin- and Il had TO ct ike a glove
CT II wouldn't do az all
DO you see those lasts I'D on the
shelf Well. the men they were made
for are dead now. the whole crowd
But IN bet you there isn't one In the
lot that hasn't been patched and al
tered at least 20 tines That shows
you how particular they were Feet
VIII change more from year TO year
than you have any idea OF. and we had
TO keep track OF such changes 20 sS &c
make the boot set perfectly snug. In
those days a gentleman. especially a
young gentleman. who went into so
ciety wouldn't have a boot that be
could wear without cursing for a frst
week or so. They wanted them light
tight az wax and every young buck
had his collection OF boot hooks and
boOuacks TO get 'eTn on and OF. Those
tools were common birthday and
Christmas presents back in the forties
and hfties. and some OF them were got
mp very dne. I've seen boot hooks with
silver mounts and mahogany handles
800 pair.
The strain Of pulling on a pair OF
light boots was 50 great" continued
the little cobbler musingly. that we
used 20 run the strap ends half way
down the Inside OF the leg and double
sew them with waxed silk twist A
young gentleman was actually killed
here In 1880 or tbereabout by the
breaking OF bis boot straps. I remem-
Der the circumstance well he was
going TO a ball and was sitting on q
stool In his room pulling on a pair OF
new boots with the hooks they used
then Both straps gave way together.
and he fell over backward and hurt
bis spine so that be died next day.
Yes. sir: that's fact. The family are
still living here. and I made boots for
one OF bis uncles up 20 less than ten
years ago No: | can't say there was
anything especially peculiar about the
boots OF that time except that they had
Light lENAc A-AaL 44N NOAA AOff
and very light soles. generally finished
around the edge with a stitching Of
yellow thread. A good pair OF boots
could be resOled four or Eve times. but
II was seldom done. When they began
20 wear. gentleman would generally
give them TO his body servant
The price OF boots then was never
less than SIC and more often $50 and
the planters up the river thought moth
ing OF ordering half dozen or even a
dozen pair at a time. I had one good
customer from Iafourche. BE was a
nne gentleman. with grand manners
One day he came into the shop to order
q pair or boots. and while was meas
uring him TO correct his foot he looked
at me very sharp. VIII you allow me
TO see your tongueT he said presently.
! was surprised. but put IL out, and
he pursed up his lips. like a man whis-
Ting. 'Hum-m-mP said be. How is
your appetite? 'Poorish.' said /. for
wasn't feeling very well just then.
Make me 10 pairs OF boots this time
said be and walked out without anoth-
er word. ! felt kind OF uncomfortable
for awhile after that: but. Lord bless
you. I've outllved him these % years
Boots went out OF style IN the sew
entities. but good many OF the old peo-
pie stin stick to them. and, for that
matter. some are worn even to this
day ! have four customers now that
make boots for regular. They are all
middle aged men. and / used 20 work
for their fathers and uncles- They say
thSt the high leather legs keep them
from catching cold. and they don't
want the feet tight. but prefer them
large and roomy. SO ] don't have to
60 to the trouble OF correcting their
lasts. az did In the old days.
81 don't make shoes" added the old
man. with touch OF asperity. II new
er made pair In my life. but it's lucky
for me. perhaps that they've taken to
wearing them and make them as poor
as they do. That brings IN enough
cobbiing TO keep the pot a-boiIing."-
New Orleans Times-Democrat.
An Aspersfon.
"Policel PoliceP yelled a man en-