New-York tribune., 1922-02-26
SIDFLINES OF A BOOTBLACK
By BERNARD SOBEL

What are you reading.' 7 asked s,u.,
pretending not 70 have noticed his movements
"Oh, it is nothing, nothing at all,o be mum.
bled, thoroughly embarrassed.
Nevertheless, want to see t." said viii
the authoritative voice Of tr1ant officer.
Thoroughly in.imidaeed, he SUNK back to liz!
dark corner, dug around there for raonsr;|
and finally reappeared with the book, paper.
bound volume Of about one hundred pages.
He handed It 70 ne without comment. Il
gave it quick glance. Tie 7olume vas print
ed in Greek. This fact impressed NE deeply
needless TO say. Being brought 50 abruptly i,.s
contact with the language Of Eschylus, Eur.
ides and sophocles would impress any ore!
What kind Of booA IS mis-" asked .rens
lously
It's dream book" ne SAID slowly, "and
is quite up to date English Transitions a.'
now on sale at the second hand book dealers
At the rate Of 25 cents q copy. It's really II
excellent book"
'SWell, guess you mad better shine NJ
shoes" said hastily, deliberately changing -
subject. Thus silenced, he started operations
II once and made 70 further reference until ne
mad finished. Then he looked Up at me pleas
antl.T. saying:
Perhaps lie gentleman would Ike 70 haTs
MS dream explained
Nov, 7 never dream. as an quite careful
about not eating rarebits al night But By
some odd coincidence, lad dreamed strange
dream iust the night before. Perhaps .hs H.
terpretation would affect NY lie.
II you VII be so kind 7 said u would
be very glad % have you explain my DREAM
yes
What did you dream about" h. asked.
With lis fingers OF the cover.
Why, ah-I dreamt Of mice last night
Mice? All. very wei, I viii find ous tss
meaning Of that dream in a minute"
He hurried through TIE index, ran queay
bacz and forth through the book, whlls .
waited eagerly. perhaps q bit tremul0us'7s
Finally he found what he searched for' 'asA
he translated ii literally from the Greek
'To dream Of nice he intoned, is to loss
heavily in various business projects and u
sustain disappointment.'
That was all. He smut the BOOK sio"'s'
handed him a quarter for his trouble DIV
then made a solemn exit from the place
Scarcely had | lef: the shop, however, ~ ~
fore regretted that had not stopped "iu''
TO talk with tbs fellow. He appeared 10 ps -
q genial mood ard could, perhaps nave '0D.
dered me very faithful service by ans"ef,As
number of questions which have agitateo nl'
for many. many months. Why, Tor lns.sH''
don't the boorbacks charge propor.ior,a s,'
rate for service-5 cents for par u ~ !,
IS and 20 cents for pair Of 19s' WY ~, y
they always shine the shoes pertec'i!, ua.
them all up and then shine them al Wv Wv
again? Is it more interesting TO Sl''e ''N''-
shoes than gentlemen's?
These questions are irrevocaby rei@',' :.
vaI.-y, as the human race owes u'e ~,
black a debt OF perpetual grati;uae ~, ,lato
ing feet less conspicuous All the "0i'a
feet, and With good reason.
According 10 a noted specialist. fee'
latest embellishments Of the animal W.
have not yet assumed their proper p'0p.
tons. They are TOO large, and 100 'u'.1
some and too jc ne sais quoi-lsh. feop'O
never particularly wild about the possess ser
of feet Ii they were. bare feet w0ulu
more popular. Thus the process Oh w.
shoes is comparable only to the miSe,'ss s,
the Inouisition The first question IS ai"'.
Are they good looking9" Aud 'he S'''''
"Will they go ong'
Bat praise be to the bootblack, ana "'s
never be eliminated by L dcpersonailleu =.
chanical apparatus, He it is who as'S e., "a
safety valve for our vanity. lie Is INC i"''
ful guardian Of our beauty. 1t IS "0 '. ~
glosses over our peculiar protuperan'e'' ':
makes a shabby tip look new ana "lo' -
charity, covers the multitude OF cFa'n'
openings with generous coat of smeAy y
ish. Long may he shine!