Rensselaer Republican, Volume 18, Number 15, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 December 1885 — Vanity of Mothers. [ARTICLE]

Vanity of Mothers.

“Mothers exhibit more vanity than judgment in their selection of shoes fortheir young children,” saida shoe dealer to a reporter. “One will bring her baby in here and try a pair of shoes that will look ‘real sweet,’ I know what that means, and am always sorry for the baby, who is- usually in its first short dress, and as skittish as any old maid about having its feet interfered with. I don’t say lam going to put a shoe on it a size larger than the foot seems to be, but I do; at least I get it on as well as any one could fit a foot operated by a perpetual mot ; on power. Then I trust to the mother’s, sense for results. If it’s her first, baby she will be indignant and say that she doesn't want the ‘treasure, to Took sloppy in its shoes’. They must fit exactly or she won’t take them. I insist that the child’s weight will push the foot out at least a fourth of an inch, md that the shoe is just right If she objects again 1 give up and find what she wants. The foot is squeezed into a tight shoe, and the baby objects by squalling. She says the sereph is teething or colicky, or hasn’t had its usual nap, and she shakes it up vigorously, while declaring the shoes are just lovely. “The chances are that when she wants another pair she will leave the baby at home and bring the old pair, literally burst out at the toes. She

•wants several pairs to take home lot trial, and I notice that the only ones I consider unsuitable are the very pair she prefers.” “Children would have better looking feet if they had syiser mothers, and the fault lies in the first shoes worn. One pair too short will ruin the feet, no matter how loose subsequent ones may be.” "Then some women learned your philosophy?” , “Yes; but after the little people have laid the foundation for corns and bunions. I know many children between the ages of two and three years who have both these afflictions because their mothers wanted them to look ‘cute,’ as they term this phase of feet-squeozing.” “Is there no change in the shape of children’s shoes?”

“None. There can t well be, because the sole must be sufficiently broad to stand the wear and tear. Square toes are preferred to found because they allow freer development to the toes. The spring heel, which was introduced nearly two years ago, is worn as early as two years of age, and has recently become fashionable for girls in their teens. It is nothing by a slip of leather inserted between the sole and that part of the shoe pressed by the wearer’s heel. It is seldom that a smaller than No. 8 is made with a regular heel, and that is onjthe common-sense plan—low and broad. These and the larger sizes have a higher top than has been usual for several years.” “Tell me something about babies’ shoes. How are they numbered?” “No. 4 is the first shoe out of babyhood. No. 0 has a soft sole of white kid and pasteboard, and is the successor of the knit wool boots that are sold for babies in long dresses. Nos. 1,2, and 3 have what is called the turn sole, sewed together on the wrong side and turned out. There are from four to five buttons on the side and a black tassel is now fastened at the top in front The latest is to have a bamp of French kid with calf uppers, or what is fetill better, a half-boxed round toe. tipped with patent leather.”— New York Mail.