The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-05-23
MAN PAID
$4,000 FOR PAIR OF SHOES.

I il two. When he came for them the next
time | told him that the shoes were as
nearly perfect as i could make then'
and again he asked for the bin.
II told him TO go home and write me "A
check for what he considered was fair.
| " l was satisfied ] would keep the check
7, and he could keep the shoes. Ii not we
would trade back again. He could Keep
the check and | would keep the shoes,
and we would part friends. Well. he went
away, and several days passed before l
received the check 1 don't know how
many he had written out before that
one but the one he sent was for 5000
"A few days latec he was passing my
place and he stopped and said:
" Wei, how 20 we stand"
." on our feet I said, and that was
the end OF that transaction
did he pay 5000 pair for the shoes
| he got after that?
'Oh no. It's only the first pair that
| is so expensive After the case is stud
led eHt and the right shoes designed and
made the expert work is done. OF course,
| the shoes are always expensive, because
! they are made entirely by hand and there
| is so much careful work on them. But
| the big prices are only for first pairs.
| CUSTOMERS DETERMINE VALUE.
And l don't always get big prices for
| them.
you may think IL is a queer way TO do.
but / generally let people set the price
| themselves. 1 say. What is that pair of
| shoes worth To your In that way the
| rich people. who can AFFORD To pay we'll
| and who do-nake IL possible for me TO
| work sometimes for the poor, who cannot
afford to pay-mueh.--
| Come into my chamber of misery. and
let me show you things that Will make
| you ashamed you ever kicked about any
| thing"
The shoemaker led the way into large
| room where the walls were hung with
dozens of leg braces, shoes with soles
and heels from two TO six inches In
thickness. and others In great clumsy
shapes obviously intended for club feet.
| There were crutches too, and iron sup
I>porters Around the upper part Of the
wall were wax models of inconceivably
| deformed feet. The shoemaker has 1000
plaster casts OF such feet which he has
| fitted.
From a sort of chandelier in the CEN
ter hung little wax models made from
| casts of babies feet. II was sickening
but the professor gazed about him with
| open pride.
Perfectly formed people do not
| dream he said of the suffering of mind
| and. body with the unhappy owners OF
| these feet have gone through. once lived
| for two years and a half with young
, man who was crippled by hip disease.
, II had always been a shoemaker, but
, | according to the old methods, 1 saw for
did for the cripple. and / began expert
menting on my friend TO find some way
OF relief.
, II must have put him through great
, deal of torture in the course OF the exper-
, menting but we won out I'm the end. and
from that day to this II has been my
mania. really that, 10 make shoes for
! cripples.
, "One OF my patients went on the stand
r the other day and swore that he was a
2 He plays golf now, runs and jumps on
1 and off cars. He paid me $3.50 for his
Z first pair of shoes. and he SAYS him
self he would have paid $1,000 rather than
{ | not have them
y Look at this taking a complicated
Y leg brace from the wall. "A young wo-
o man came her wearing this support and
e walking on crutches. There are the
! crutches up there 7 can't describe tc
| YOU the awful condition OF her leg. She
q had been I'm hell for years.
g NOW WALKS AND DANCES.
a ''she told me she was thinking of com
: mittins suicide. No power under HEAVIER
u could ever make her leg what II should
= have been, but IL is the truth that simp
ly giving her the aid OF properly al
iusted pair of shoes. has healed the liml
!. and that she walks-well. not long. ag'
:. l had to scold her for dancing too much
DAY after tomorrow one OF the mos
= famous city missionaries I'm New York Il
" coming to me. lie has no deformity o
, the foot but his knee If permanently ben
y so that he walks with cane. and has
! bad limp. lie tells me that at every ste
- he seems walking on a thousand tsoks
"a !, what do you think YOU can do 70
." me?' he said
Well colonel, said. you 90 on sav
!. I'm souls in heaven. Ill save your sol
- for this life
The professor seemed TO he making hi
humor harmonize with the surroundings
IN so the visitor picked IN a cast whic
,c seemed comparatively normal. and aske
what was the matter with that foot.
m THAT Is what We call a minor deform
Ia itv Here ~ the heel Of n little child
40 foot. the middle part is that OF a girl q
u: and the rest OF a hoy or about IN
same age The masculine foot II Away
.. broader and larger around than the fen
X min. foot OF the same length. This cas-
" OF "A half.grown girls foot.
4 ut il not exactly deformed. bur u
not normal. Here h the shoe for u. Io
re can scarcely believe mat " is VI look
entirely too small 50 " would be ~ N
N. weight we're not held right here feel ths
> ! -urfening--under the instep.
10 "Oh. it's a wonderful study eNclaime
20 the shoemaker. and AIS eyes glistenc'
Of / ''Nou outsiders think only about the MOI
10 90 and YOU keen ssyins tbNo for ~
k, pair Of shcssv That isn't What cal