The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1924-11-11
SOME SHOES OF
HISTORIC INTEREST
FIRST FOOTWEAR HAD SYM
BOLIC SIGNIFICANCE. TIP
ONCE INDICATED CASTE.

Several years ago novelty IN shoes
appeared in the form of brightly col
ored and unusually cut shoes. Leather
was dyed red, green or blue in varia-
ton upon the usual sober black and
browns; and these variations are still
more or less popular.
While this may not exactly be call
ed revival of an old custom, it re-
minds one of the ancient fashions that
made shoes such remarkable and Ell
fective part of the costumes OF his
tory.
One of the earliest fads in shoes
was designed entirely for the satsfac-
tion of the wearer. Before the Chris
tan era certain eastern peoples were
accustomed to line their shoes or san
dals with cloth on which was painted
the figure of a captive, the Illuminating
position supposedly being suitable Tor
their political or personal enemies.
The practice Eliminates the words
spoken of the Biblical king: Thou
hast trodden the impure Gentlles UNI
der thy powerful feet"
Symbol of Property.
Following up the idea OF symbolism
one finds the shoe came to be regard
ed as a symbol of property and so an
emblem OF prosperity. Nov this was
the manner in former times in Israel,
concerning redeeming and concerning
changing for to confirm all things: A
man p1ucked off his shoe and gave it
TO his neighbor; and this was testi-
mony in Israel
Therefore this act was equivalent to
the present custom of signing deed
in transferring property. But the only
survival of it is the custom OF throw
ing an old shoe ''for luck" in the wake
of a newly married couple
In Middle Ages.
In medieval times when the office OF
kingship was more than honorary, and
the nobility had little to think about
except fashion and court life, eXtrava-
gance of dress was widely eXempllhed
in shoes. From the various simpler
cuts evolved the very long tip, curved
inward. outward or up according to
the whim of the wearer. Some, indeed,
were so long that they were turned
up and chained to the knee, or even
the belt of the wearer.
The interference of law curtailed
them by decreeing that the tips, eX-
cept for the shoes of nobility which
could be either an inch or an ell, must
be not more than two inches in length.
Immediately fashion retaliated by
making the ends of shoes very broad,
some times as much as a foot wide;
and this necessitated another law to
regulate width, which was fixed at six
inches
Gayly Colored Footwear.
And colors! They were of as many
colors as there were dyes in those
days Some were ornamented with
jewels, and striped or checked The
kings of England usually wore theirs
striped with gold The efigy of Henry
II, that has been preserved, wears
green shoes banded with gold. Those
gold, forming diamondshaped spaces
in which are painted the coat-of-arms
of England.
All this time attention was paid to
comfort but the kings OF England
continued to introduce their favorite
styles, down to Charles II, who
brought back from France the boot
with wide top, turned down like a
cuff and decorated with handsome lace
to be seen in portraits of him and OF
gentlemen OF his time.
Pretty Poetry.
Variations in ladies' shoes were re-
stricted to slight differences in cut, in
height and shape of heels and i'll ma
terials used. For, until not more than
50 years ago, this verse was still in
vogue and considered justly poetic:
Her feet beneath her petticoat
Like little mice stole in and out,
AS if they feared the light;
But oh, she dances such way,
No sun upon an Easter day
Is half SO fine sight!
The history of the lives of shoe
makers affords examples of many who
started out in the trade and rose to