Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1913-07-01
HOMEMAKERS COLUMN.
on topics Of interest 70 the adies
is solicited. Address: Editor H0hHhAktks
COLUMN, Oxford Democrat. South Paris, Ne.
Relation Of Footwear to Health.

Relation Of Footwear to Health.
A woman's walk 10 as characteristic OF
herself 40 IL any portion of her body. 1t
may be that some gifted persons are able
to read the past, present and future oy
the palms, but It does not require one
born with veil to tell the character BY
the shoes or by the walk.
A coquette may appear with modest,
down turned eyes, she may walk as de-
murely a. . Quaker; but no one ever
saw q coquette who would appear 10
what are termed sensible shoes. BY
some excuse or other she will manage to
have tho most frivolous Of footwear,
lust q little too pronounced In style.
Her gauze hose will be of the gauziest
and her high heels little higher than
the average. She will excuse her sx'
travagance or impracticality OF the shoes
by saying that she 'simply cannot wear
heavy. soled shoes because they hurt my
feet So" She must have high heels for
she has "such high instep, you know"
Naturally, she is not given to out-of-
door sports. She regards tennis as too
hoidenish. She cannot skate, cannot
walk any distance, cannot CROSS q tiny
stream without assistance.
Quite the opposite of this effeminate
creature is the masculine type OF girl.
She has become so used to heavy shoes
on her long tramps and rides that she
insists upon wearing mannish shoes
even to evening parties. She tramps
around in heavy boots no matter what
the weather or the occasion. She tramps
right on other peoples opinions, too, IS
though they were matters OF minor i'm
portance.
Fortunately these extremes of types
are In the minority and between them
comes the great majority-,he modern
womanly woman. When her work re-
auires her to be in the Office or store,
she wears business like shoes, but when
the cares of the day are laid aside she Is
found in the daintiest of slippers. Her
shoes reflect her progress. She has been
able to acquire a broad outlook
without losing one truly feminine
quality. She is the type OF girl who will
be able to manage her home correctly,
no matter If it be palace or only tent
| in some vast wilderness. She will be the
com panion of her childfen and the COM
| fort of her husband.
The walk is as characteristic OF q
woman as is the style Of her shoes. The
girl with decided ideas OF her own walks
along with firm step and comes down
squarely on the ball OF her feet. The
timid woman who makes door mat OF
herself has q hesitating tread. The
slovenly woman is not hard to detect
even on crowded thoroughfare. When
YOU see her SLOUGH unevenly down the
street, you do not need to glance at her
half-laced shoes and general air OF untidi'
ness to know that she Is the woman who
washes her breakfast dishes in the even
ing and sweeps the dust under the
couch where it will be out of sight.
Walking is one Of the most beneficial
OF exercises If done properly. As much
art and mind and common sense and
training are equired to walk correctly
as to perform any other feat Of skill
Walking Is a universal recreation, for II
requires no costly instructions, just at
tention TO a few important details.
To walk correctly the body should be
held erect, the neck in q straight line
from the spine, the elbows close to the
body, the chest raised, the abdomen in
the toes turned out and the weight or
the ball OF the feet. Breathing through
the nose should be the invariable rule
There is only one correct manner oil
walking no matter what may be the
prevailing style. The fashionable "tur.
tie trot" Of the present day cannot helI
but be Injurious to the health. Thit
style, which allows the head to stick for
ward and the abdomen to prOtrude
must pull in the chest and contract the
lungs. It also weakens the muscles OF
the back and causes "sway back" I'm
less one wants to look and act like
mannikin, the extremely narrow skirts
must be tabooed. The skirt need not bt
full, yet there must be sufficient breadth
to allow free movement OF the limbs
The older Chinese women with their de
formed feet are not more handicapped
than many q modern girl by her hobbls
skirt. Aside from their effect upor
health, such extremes of style show
poor taste.
Walking will correct many Of thu
most common complaints OF womankind
1t is one of the best of tonics. 1t viii
make cheeks pink without rouge. Il
will help in the cure of constipation ant
indigestion. 1t will make the lear
plump and the fat thin. This may
sound paradoxical but 1t is true never
thelees. The thin girl should walk unit
she has aroused good appetite, which
she should satisfy with good nourishine
food, such az eggs and milk. The CIR
who is too fat should walk briskly unit
she has induced profuse Precipitation
lShe should then take good sponge
bath or alcohol rub, but she must curl
her appetite and limit her diet. As 6
rule fleshy people eat too much, especial
Ily between meals. They should eat only
lat regular meal times and even ther
should limit the amount taken, eschew
ing especially the producing foods
such as sweets, pastry and potatoes.
Many of the pleasures and much Of
the ben, fit to be derived from walking
are marred by inattention to the care oil
the feet, shoes aud stockings. No one
can enjoy q walk II the shoes are un
comfortable or the feet afh cted will
lcorns and bunions.
The correct shoe for walking should
be stout, yet not too heavy and stiff
with q medium weight sole and low
heel. There should be plenty of room
for the toes without crowdiDg, but thu
shoes should fit the heel. A shoe Sc
broad at the heel that it rubs with each
movement of the foot Ia as uncomfort
able as q shoe that is too tight. Corn
and bunions are caused by an improper
lly fitting shoe rather than by tighi
shoe. The greatest defect usually |!
that there is not sufficient width for TIT
toes. The normal foot ia not pointed
yet the shoemakers try to make US point
ed toed race. When the shoe Is too mar
Irow across the toes, corns soon follow
from pressure. Not only this, but the join
of the great toe Is thrown out of lin,
and buuion results from the pressure
lCorns and bunions cannot be cured per
manently unless the sufferer studies th'
shape of her own foot and wears shoe
that is suitable.
Many people suffer greatly with theiI
feet during the hot weather. With cart
much OF this can be avoided. The hose
should be seamless and not too tight. II
a cheap stocking must be worn. II
should have white feet, for much Of ths
dye used in the cheaper grade of stock.
ings is poisonous. 1t usually Is economy
to buy q fairly good grade of stockings
for not only do they last longer, but they
are more comfortable and less liable to
cause sore feet. The hose should be
changed every day and the shoes pow
dered with taloum powder or borit
powder. II 1t is possible to change The
shoes during the middle Of the day much
relief will be obtained.
One who Is not accustomed to walking