The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1901-04-04
BOOTS CHANGED HIS CAREER

BOOTS CHANGED HIS CAREER
A southerner Whose Success in Life Hinged
ON His Substantial Tootgear.
s'Talk about your two good suits of
Clothes" said the son of well-known
Confederate army officer. "In my
young days shoes, one pair, was the
badge of the plutocrat. I came of
large family, eight sons, and when
things were going particularly well
one OF us had a pair of shoes. was
the youngest, so that it never was 1.
Now, you would be surprised to know
the effect. mental, moral and physical,
mat shoes have on a man. I consider
tnaS my career, aye, and my charac-
ter, hinge upon the possession of
pair. When went to school in Vir-
glnla thirty years ago. of course was
barefooted. I was a quiet youth,
strong for my age, but phlegmatic
and would put up with lot rather
than get into fight.
my particular enemy in the school
was an impudent and conceited boy,
somewhat older than myself. He was
the son of our family doctor, an only
son, and the proud possessor of pair
OF shoes. shoes of the old country
type, with thick soles adorned with
plenty of steel. You see we were not
utterly poverty stricken. We had
family doctor. You couldn't expect
a southern gentleman to be able to
stand for family doctor and shoes
for his family at one and the same
Tune. My enemy was forever tor
mentlng me, but endured it
silently for a long time. At last one
DAY my patience would endure it no
longer. fell upon him and sangui-
nary conflict ensued. We fought for
an hour or more. We fought like
Windmills in a hurricane. 1t is true
we did not often hit one another. We
We're usually too close or too far off.
put we smote everything in sight,
trees, walls and particularly the air.
Tweedledum and Tweedledee were not
marker to us. We managed to
blacken each others eyes and bleed
each others noses, chiefly through the
contact of our heads.
Finally, however, my enemy be-
thought him of his superior arlna-
ment. He drew back and delivered up
on my unfortunate bare shanks kick
Of cruel force and precision. 1 can
feel to-day the impact of that mass OF
leather and steel. 1t was agony.
surrendered Internationally. Now
began period of the most heartrend-
ing humiliation and misery. Wherev-
er I went that wretched shod youth
followed. 1 was his slave. ran his
errands. He thwarted me in all my
undertakings. He stood on his steel
and leather between me and the small
est taste of enjoyment.
"There was a girl, sweet little
blue-eyed thing of twelve summers.
my first love who was to me as all
the world, including the village candy
store. With her would commune I'M
der the trees near the village school.
With her / would wax gallant and
eloquent. Yankees I would STAY Ey
the score, rather than that hair OF
her head should be disturbed. wish
ed her to believe me Paul Jones and
Stonewall Jackson in embryo, only
with a spice Of wickedness.
s'I believe I should have succeeded
but for that horrid boy with his shoes
One day when was holding forth to
my lady love in an especially lofty
strain, the wretch came sauntering
past. AS he took in the situation, his
eyes lighted up with malicious joy
He made straight for me.
"'Get OUT he said in tones of per-
emptory conteptm. I want to talk to
Della
For a moment, as the spirit OF
Jackson and Jones burnt bright in my
breast, was for giving battle. But he
merely raised his foot and saw the
flash of steel beneath the leather. The
fire Of my valor was quenched. turn
ed one last despairing glance on Della
who was laughing and skunk away
The horror of those shoes was upon
me and my knees knocked together
"But / swore vengeance, and all
things come to the man who knows
how to wait. That winter my father
carried through successfully Liect
cf business. Result, the who.s :a..liIJ
was shod. My own footgear was es-
pecially magnificent. No shoes, mind
you, but boots, with stout leathe,
reaching even unto the knee. Homer
was all right when he made the well.
grieved Achaeans the victors. Mine
enemy and met. He was yanquishe6
from the start. I think he turnet
pale when his eye fell upon my leath
er-clad shanks. He would have de
clined combat. But burning with thu
wrongs 1 had suffered I fell upon hin
without giving him time to retreat
| The battle was short and fierce.
scorned to use my feet, but was nov
proof against his mulish onslaught.
took his kicks without feeling then
and smote him with my fists Finally
I got him down and choked him unit
was weary. But as he arose, hum
BILE, bruised and trembling, I deliber
ately landed my armed feet on eacl
of his shins, and with howl of agon,
he turned to flee. delivered on,
more kick, the most satisfactory O
all, on Natures appointed kickins
place.
my fame reached Delia's ears. am
she was all smiles when she received
me. She had understood. she said, al
along and her heart had bled for me