Evening star., 1905-10-22


tune being won by the making of a
pair OF shoes or boots has well nigh
II been forgotten, even abong the
shoemakers of today themselves.
The man who made the fortune was q
shoemaker located at Scranton. Pa, In
1850. His name was Robert Kahler. and
hard as he could for the election of Lin
coin. After the election he read every
scrap Of information that was printed about
his political idol One day he came across
a rather long article based upon the Presi-
dent-elect's trouble with ill-fitting boots.
According to the writer of the article, Mr..
Lincoln had been known to take off his
boots occasionally In the presence of peo-
pie of some prominence ito give his feet a
chance to breathe" he said, because the
ili-fitting footwear hurt him.
Peter Kahler didn't know whether the
story was true or only newspaper talk: -
but he didn't like IL, and he felt Indignant
that Lincoln should be obliged to make
himself laughing-st stock because his shoe
maker was not master of his business.
Kahler talked about 1t to his friends, and
more than once he declared himself most
emphatically.
"Ill bet could make pair Of fine boots
that wouldn't hurt Mr.. Lincoln" he told a
friend one day - r-.'-~
"Why don't you do it, then?' returned
the friend.
Kahler hadn't thought Of such a thing.
and the idea almost took his breath away.
why shouldn't do it?'' he asked him
self after thinking it over. Il can do it II
I try-and will. .-l--ssl-s-4..- -
His greatest difficulty was in getting the
foot measurements of the President-elect.
Writing for them, he received both the
measurements and also an outline drawing.
made, as Kahler had suggested in his let
ter, by having MT. Lincoln bear his entire
weight upon one of his feet when standing
upon a piece of cardboard With these to
help him. Kahler began, and never was
shoemaker's work more truly a labor of
love than his till the boots he was to send
the President-elect were completed.
He selected the material with the utmost
care. The "uppers' and ''vamps'' he cut
from the finest, softest calfskin he could
find anywhere. The bottoms and heels
were of the best oak-tanned leather. The
'waxed ends with which he sewed the
parts together were made from the best
shoe thread. presumably with his own
hands. In his minds eye he beheld the
man he had helped make the head of the
patton wearing the boots so perfectly fit
ted that he never once had to remove
them to rest his feet Nay. more the
boots, as Kahler imagined them were OF
such supreme perfection that once they
were on Ldncoln's feet the wearer never
had occasion to think either of his feet
or their dress.
1t Is doubtful whether Kahler ever had a
better time in his life than while he was
building those boots But all good times
come to end ultimately and at last the
boots were done, the soles scraped till they
were white, a red line FURNISHED on the
edges of the "shanks'' and the heels black.
ened and polished till they shone like look.
ing glass. At last the precious fine boots
were sent to the great rail splitter.
1t is easy to understand how anxfously
Peter Kahler must have awaited the news
Of their reception how he must have held
his breath almost lest the boots he had
made like all the others Mr.. Lincoln had
| worn for years. were so ill-fitting that he
frequently had to take them Off
Periods of suspense well as 'good
| times always come to an end, and one day
Kahler got a letter signed "A. Lincoln ~
The fine boots had been duly received, were