Jasper County Democrat, Volume 5, Number 19, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 August 1902 — Boy Wears No. 20 Shoes. [ARTICLE]

Boy Wears No. 20 Shoes.

'Wken Lotjis Mer-kanen, a youth of Boston location, near Houghton, Mich., buys a new pair of shoes the shoemaker must “build,” not “make,” them. There Is a distinction. Louis does not wear an ordinary shoe. He wears Quite an extraordinary one, for In size It is No. 20. Louis Is Just 10 years old. Notwithstanding his youthfulness he Is 7 feet tall and weighs 289 pounds. He Is the wonder of his community, for his parents are small. His mother is not over 5 feet tall, while his father is medium sized. Louis went to a local shoe dealer the other day and ordered a new pair of shoes and now the wlelder of the awl is busy “building” ts pair of lasts the ■lze of Louis’ feet. The lad grows three Inches a year on an average and if he does not stop growing—which is unlikely—he will be 8 feet and 2 inches In height when he Is 20 years old. Two years ago he wore a No. 16 shoe. Last year when he was confirmed at the Finnish church the shoemaker “built” a pair, size No. IS, for that event. At this rate If his feet continue to grow as they have he will require size No. 28 when he Is 20 years old. Louis had sori.e difficulty In entering the door of the shoe store, for there was Just a fraction of an Inch to spare, but he made It all right. However, Louis Is good natured and happy, as most large people are.