The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1901-01-24
THE DAYS OF BOOTS.
WHEN eoor HOOKS AND eooTJAcKs
WE'RE FAMILIAR ARTICLES.

Fitting weIIingtons on and on.
Over on the other side of Canal
street, in the local Latin quarter, there
rs a little cobbler's 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 decaycd 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 cobbler himself Is
a smallish. stoop shouldered man, with
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.
II was working for myself two years
before the California excitement be-
gan in. 1Sa9," he said. ",rhose were
grand days. All gentlemen wore boots
then made out of the finest calfskln,
with tops about IL inches high.
The Wellington boots were fashionable
just before my time. but Pve 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 hugged the calf
of the leg close and came TO point In
front, finished with a small red or pur-
pie tassel. But the boot that every
body wanted was plain, fine grained
calfskin. and 1t had to,ft like glove
or II 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 acgentleman, especially a
young gentleman, who went into So
ciety wouldn't have a boot that he
esuld wear without curslng for first
week or so. They wanted them tight,
tight. as wax. and every young buck
had his collection Of boot hooks and
bootJacks to get 'em on and Off. Those
tools :swere common birthday and
Christmas presents back In the forties
and f1ftles. and some of them were got
up very fine. I've seen boot hooks with
silver mounts and mahogany handles
800 a pair.
1.-The strain of pulling on a pair Of
tight boots was SO great" continued
the little cobbler musngy, 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 thereabout by the
breaking Of his boot straps. | remem-
her the circumstance well. He was
going to a. ball and was sitting on a
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 80 that he died next day.
Yes, sir: that's fact. The family are
still living here, and | made bsots for
one of his uncles up to less than ten
years ago.: No.: can't 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 soles, generally finished
around the. edge with stitching of
yellow thread. A good pair of boots
could be resoled four or five times. but
II was seldom done. When they began
60 10
give them to his body servant.
'The price of boots then was never
less than SIG and more often $50. and
the planters, up the river thought moth
ing of ordering half dozen or even a
dozen pair at time. had one good
customer from Lafourche. He was q
6ne gentleman,- with grand manners
One day he came into, the shop to order
pair of boots, and while I 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 1t out. and
he pursed.ap'his lips. like man whis
Ting. .a:Hum-m-m! said he. How Is
your appetizer 'Poorish,' said l. for
wasn't feeling very well just then
Make me IL pairs Of boots this time.
said he and walked out without anoth
er word. I 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
enties. but a good, many Of the oldipeo
pie still stick to them, and. for that
matter ;Asnes:REe- worn. lereh. to this
day. 4 have four customers now that
make boots for regular They are al
middle aged men, and used to work
for their fathers and uncles. They say
that the high leather legs keep then
from catching cold. and they dom
want the feet tight. but prefer then
large and roomy. So i don't have t
70 to sthe trouble of correcting theil
lasts. as did In the old days.
II don't make Shoes" added the ole
man. with touch OF asperity. II new
er made pair In my life. but It's lucky
for me. perhaps, that they've taken t.
wearing them and make them as pooI
as they do. That brings In enough
eobbling to keep the pot a-boiling."-
New Orleans Times Democrat.