New-York tribune., 1922-02-26

to the shoes which I was wearing
and retroactively to the boot5iack
tojiug over them Just why should say ere
troactively" I don't know, but I suppose its
almost impossible, from the psycho-analytieal
standpoint, not to pay some sort Of attention
to bootblack, especially if he happens TO be
shining ones shoes.
In days gone by Z conscientious bootolack
nearly always grew into state Senator, and
in some instances, had the chance 10 run for
tbe nomination for President. Before
Harold Bell Wright became popular great
authors nearly always made bootbacNs their
heroes Many Of Hora.io Algers heroes, Tor
instance we're boothlacks, and one CT his most
successful works vas entitled, believe, Joe,
the Bootba ack' It described IL fascinating
manner how this wonderful boy rose from
veiled obscurity to conspicuous popularity
through the timely quoting Of appropriate
proverbs and the deft plying Of his speedy
brush. Whenever he encountered an obstacle
to his success he would straightaway recte -
stitch in tine saves nine or Early to bed
and early to rise" and everything would iln-
mediately turn out all right.
Since those days. OF course. the bootDlack
has boone somewhat more sophisticated. II
stead Of quoting proverbs he swears copiousy,
showing equal proficiency IN tour or i've Ian
guages For recreation he INDUCES in an IL
nocent half hour Of shooting craps OF the more
moGish put and take Sometimes, too. he takes
fier in the yacht races. Thus he IS able 70
keep happy and young. for many of the boy
yvora We, x-,o,,- e.o va
still bootbacks gray haired and bent boasting
Z oootblaching progeny, but still aston shingy
deXtcrous.
According TO popular accounts the represent
ative modern bootblack is not the poverty
stricken creature Of days gone by, but real
millionaire, though thus is no advantage 10
the man who needs a shine, as the bootblack
charges, along with the price Of diamonds and
everything else, have gone up frightfully
Once Or twice | have met bootblacls at City
Hall Square who were willing to serve me for
a nickel. Overcome by the desire to be econon-
ica. stopped one of them the other day and
let him shine my shoes, but scarcely had done
50 before I regretted the arrangement. No
sooner had he begun to apply the paste before
began to grow uncomfortable | felt as if
stood out as prominently as the Statue of Lib
erty and that every one staring at ne
ana dubbing me "cheap.
The longer he shned the more uncomfortable
] grew. BY the time he had finished was per
spring so freely that ] feared | was going to
succumb to nervous prostration Then, in or
der to satisfy my conscience and to correct
simultaneously any false Impression which the
onloohcrs might have as TO my being penuri-
GUS | handed him, with much ostcntalion, a
ten cent tip"
or his recently acquired fondness for silk
shirts mancurcs and gold-tpped cigarettes the
bootblack never speaks, fer he is as secrctive
about his own affairs q cabal. About other
matters. however, he is often talkativc TO the
point Of garrulity. He makes predictions about
the weather; he disscminates the social gos-
sip which emanates from his patrons; he dis
cusses inventions, discoveries and the latest
political activities And, if he knows you we'll,
he may talk about his gir-cr yours.
The other day | mot a very interesting
bootblack. As ] entered his shop l found him
so deeply absorbed in a book that be did not
hcac mo enter. ! coughed once or twice, but
he kept his eyes glued to the volume. BY this
time my curiosity was aroused.
what are you reading, young man.
asked, with some dignity. | felt very much
impressed at meeting such a studous boot
black who employed his idle hours in such a
worthy manner
For answer he jumped speedily to his feet
flushed Il deep red and pitched the book un-
tremendously into dark corner