Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1901-07-18
THE DAYS OF BOOTS.
WHEN BOOT HOOKS AND BOOTJAcKs
WERE FAMILIAR ARTICLES.
Fine Footwear Was Then an Expen-
sive Luxury, and Men Of Fashion
Had Time In Getting Their Tight
Fitting wellington. on ami on.


ia little cobhers shop that looks like
an etching by Durer. The tools, which
are stuck In leather loops around the
walls, have'an air Of serious antiquity
like decayed gentlefolk, and over the
threshold is an empty wicker bird
cage, canted at just the right angle to
make what the artists call "a good
composition" The cobbley himself is
a smallish, stoop shouldered man. with
a perfectly bald head and iron spec
tacIes half way down his nose. The
other day he told friend how the an
cient and honorable craft of boot
making had gone into' decline.
81 was working for myself two years
before the California excitement be-
gan in 1910" he said. "Those were
grand days. All gentlemen wore boots
then made out of the finest calfskin,
with tops about II inches high.
The Wellington boots were fashionable
just before my time. but I've made a
few pairs, mostly for foreign gentle
men. and they looked very elegant out
side Of tight pantaloons. The top was
generally morocco. 1t Rugged the calf
Of the leg close and came to n point in
front, finished with n small red or pur-
pie tassel. But the boot that every
body wanted was a plain. fine grained
calfskin. and it had to fit like n glove
or 1t wouldn't do at all.
"DO you see those lasts up on the
shelf? Well. the men they were made
for are dead now, the whole crowd.
But I'll bet you there isn't one in the
lot that hasn't been patched and al
tered at least 40 times. That shows
you how particular they were. Feet
will change more from year to year
than you have any idea of, and we had
to keep track of such changes so as TO
make the boot set perfectly snug. In
those days II gentleman, especially n
young gentleman. who went into So
ciety wouldn't have n boot that he
could wear without cursing for a first
week or so. They wanted them tight,
tight as wax. and every young buck
had his collection of boot hooks and
bootiacks to get 'em on and off. Those
tools were common birthday and
Christmas presents back in the fortes
and ffties. and some of them were got
silver mounts and mahogany handles
500 pair.
'"The strain of pulling on a pair of
tight boots was so great" continued
the little cobbler musingly, that we
used to 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 1850 or thercabout by the
breaking OF his boot straps. | rCmem-
Der the circumstance well. He was
going to bail and was sitting on
stool in his room pulling on pair of
new boots with the hooks they used
then. Both straps gave way together,
and he fell over backward and hurt
his spine so that he died next day.
Yes, sir; that's a fact. The family are
still living here, and | made bdots for
years ago. No; | cant say there was
anything especially peculiar about the
boots of that time except that they had
much higher heels than are worn now
and very light solcs. generally finished
around the edge with n stitching of
yellow thread A good pair of boots
could he resolcd four or five times, but
it was seldom done When they began
to wear, n gentleman would generally
give them to his body servant.
"rhe price of boots then was never
less than $40 and more often $40, and
the planters up the river thought moth
ing of ordering half dozen or even a
dozen pair at n time. | had one good
customer from LafOurchc He was
fine gentleman, with grand manners.
One day he came into the shop to order
n pair of boots. and while | was meas
uring him to correct his foot he looked
AT me very sharp. viii YOU allow me
to see your tongucT he said presently.
| was surprised. but / put 1t out, and
he purScd up his lips, like man whs-
Ting. Uum-m-m" said he. How is
your appetitcY 'Poorish,' said |. for |
wasn't feeling very well just then.
Make me T. pairs Of boots this time
said he and walked out without anoth-
er word. felt kind of uncomfortable
for awhile after that; but, Lord bless
you. I've outlived him these 20 years
Boots went out of style in the sew
cnttes but good many of the old peo-
pie still 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 to work
for their fathers and uncles. They say
that 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
20 to the trouble OF correcting their
lasts, MS | did in the old days.
~ don't make shoes" added the old
q