THE SjoiiY of A wzon.
THE MAKING OF A SHOE.
OUNG Mr. Johnson
bad already several
razors when he
bought a set of seven,
each marked with a
day of the week and
arranged in order in
a ease. His beard
was not heavy in
deed, bis mustache
was pule and wispy
jut he was extremenly neat, and he In
ilsted on shaving himself. He argued
that it was necessary to have many
razors to have one always ready. There
tvere the razors that his father bad
used before him, they were of French
make, a handle with several extreme
ly thin blades; there was a fat razor of
boarding school days that was includ
ed in a swap of a sled for a banjo; there
were razors of English and American
make; but young Mr. Johnson's favor
ite was white-handled, and it was to
him as the apple of his eye.
Mr. Johnson married when he was
about 25 years old a pretty girl of 20.
She, danced, and played waltzes on the
piano, aud she was sweet and amiable.
They were happy, especially Sunday
mornings when Mr. Johnson did not
leave the house. They breakfasted late,
and It was one of the wife's amuse
ments to watch her husband shaving at
his leisure. Those days he chose his
white-handled razor. She would laugh
at him when his face was covered with
lather; she would keep saying, "Don't
cut yourself, dear," and when his chin
and cheeks appeared, smooth and
shining, she would throw her anus
about him, and cuddle against hla
breast, aud say, "I never could love
you If you had a benrd," and then she
would kiss him in the neck. And Mr.
Johnson, holding the razor in the air
above his head, would smile compla
cently. They were happy in this foolish fash
ion for a year or so.
One morning Mr. Johnson did not
leave the house, although the day was
Tuesday, not Sunday. lie did not
Bliave himself; in fact, he bad not
Bhaved himself for two or three days.
The next week a barber came and
brought his favorite razor, and Mr.
Johnson was clean and smooth for his
coflin.
At first Mrs. Johnson Insisted that
her husband's things should remain
Just where he left them. And so in the
bath-room the straps and the hones and
the brushes and the soaps were ready
to be used, and the razors were in
order. The white-handled one was
nearest the glass, and the others ac
knowledged its claim.
Mrs. Johnson would look at these
things, and tears would come to her
eyes. For the llrst month she kissed
the white-handled razor dally. Her
Bister Maria, who had come to live
with her "until I die," said Lucy, "for
I know I shall follow Harry booh" dis
couraged her In "such nonsense." And
gradually Mrs. Johnson began to find
pleasure in life. One night when Mr.
Mortimer called she was persuaded to
play a waltz, and she even sang a pret
ty song, entitled, "Love for Eternity."
Mr. Mortimer's calls were frequent,
lie was a thick-sot fellow, with a bushy
black beard. Ills vitality in a room
stirred the pictures on the wall; chairs
dressed leisurely. After he had had
his bath he strolled about in the bathi
robe. He glanced at the newspaper, h
cleaned a pipe, and then proceeded to
bring out fresh underclothes aud linen.
Lucy in morning gown following him
from room to room. Mr. Mortimer waa
putting ou a boot. "Hullo!" be ex
claimed; "I forgot to trim my corn!"
He went Into the bath-room, took tha
white-handled razor, and, stooping
over, began operations. Lucy laughed
and kept saying, "Look out, dear; don't
cut yourself." And when he had pared
almost to the quick, she said: "If I
were you I'd keep that old razor for
your corn. Perhaps you might sell the
others. You'll never need them. I
don't see how a woman can marry a
COALLNU STATION HK ne i cu aiwcv m me EAST
MiL I
,( ' f ml .
k rfi'A I vS
1 !
YOUXQ iin. JOHN SOX.
'don't cut yourself, dear
man without a beard he isn't a man."
And she cuddled against his breast and
kissed him below the right ear. A dis
creet maid coughed near the door and
said: "Breakfast Is served." Boston
Journal.
On Ilia Native Nerve.
"That was a strange experience," ad
mitted the traveling man when some
one had recalled the incident to him.
"I'll tell you ou the level that It con
verted me to the theory that there is a
destiny that shapes our end and. that
the fellow who Is willing to drift is not
such a chump after all.
"As the boys say, I wa3 on my uppers.-
No one questioned my ability ou
the road. I could sell goods to men
who had no real use for them, and
you'll admit that to be tbt supremo test
of a drummer. If I had one forte
above another, it was that of selling
stoves. I could get rid of a hard-coal
burner lu a soft-coal district, and I
could place a consignment of wood
stoves In the middle of a prairie dis
trict. "One morning I waked up in the mod
ern Troy of New York, without a cent
and without a job. To most men the
situation would have been as cold as a
polar expedition, but, as Intimated, I'm
a fatalist. After jollying the bartender
for a patriotic cocktail and the barber
for a shave, I went to the nearest stove
factory. The clock struck 12 just as I
entered the place. Before the hand
some young man at the desk could say
a word I had told him that I was on
time. I think the remark was the In
spiration pf an extremity.
" 'We'll not stop to discuss terms at
this time,' he said. 'You have an hour
In which to catch a train. Here's your
expense money. It Is a new route, but
it will serve to try you out.' I was
knocked daffy, but I took the money,
caught the train, and sold stipes right
and left. In a week I had a letter from
the house asking who in the world I
was aud where I came from. The oth
er fellow, for whom I was mistaken,
had shown up and claimed the Job. But
they told me to lire away, and they
raised my salary. I'm with 'em yet."
Detroit Free Press.
inventive Genius Has Made Wonderful
Improvements in the Operation.
It Is a far cry from the cobbler of
fifty years ago, sitting on his little
bench pegging away at the pair of shoes
for his neighbor, which must be done
on the morrow, to the modern methods
and machines for shoe manufacture.
Notwithstanding the fact that science
has made tremendous advances and
invention has done mighty things in al
most every branch of Industrial life,
somehow or other, most . people still
keep in their minds the vision of the
shoemaker of old, bending over his
task and patiently boring and stitching,
now and then stopping to wax over
his thread. But far different is it now.
Machines, with the most astonishing ac
complishments, pound and hammer and
stitch in place of the human hands
which lent themselves to this work In
the former time. And yet It seems to
one watching the processes, as if hu
man hands were somewhere concealed
In these cases of Iron, so deft and won
derful are the parts. Fancy a machine
which can cut and sew 3,500 button
holes a day and then revolve In your
mind the long and weary toiling of the
tired fingers which might have the
same amount of work to do. In some
cases a pair of shoes goes through 139
distinct processes In the course of its
manufacture. A pair of shoes has
been turned out lu twenty-eight min
utes, but that Is exceptional, and the
manufacturers like better to take time
for the goods to rest a bit after some
of the processes. A trip by a Free
Press was made through one of De
troit's big factories the other day, and
some interesting things were noted.
The factory has a capacity of 4,000
pairs a day, although this limit has
never been reached, and 3,000 a day,
or six pairs a minute, Is keeping the
hands pretty busy.
The hides and skins come in with
ragged edges, some with holes here and
there, others with unbroken surfaces.
It is necessary in some way to get at
the quantity of leather In these pieces,
a puzzling job. But brains have solved
the problem, and there stands a ma
chine for doing the entire work. The
skin Is put Into the machine as Into a
planer and the number of square feet
and Inches In Us surface is indicated
on a djal. The amount of labor saved
on account of the Irregular edges of the
leather can be imagined.
Making the Patterns,
It seems as If the theoretical side of
the manufacture of a pair of shoes
should begin with the making of the
patterns, at which one to five men are
kept constantly working. These are
cut out of stiff pasteboard, and are
smoothly edged with tin. Each part
.of the s-hoe must have Its pattern.
Some of these seem to have very little
resemblance to anything an ordinary
observer might see in a pair of shoes.
For Instance, the pattern for the upper
looks like a large horse-shoe magnet in
shape. With these patterns In hand,
rAGO-PAGO
HARBOR, SAMOA, WHERE THE GOVERNMENT
BUILD A COALING STATION. A
WILL
through with. The heels and soles are
cut by hand with dies. Before each
worker Is an Immense section of a tree
trunk, on the top of which the hide is
laid. The sharp edged die is placed ou
the hide aud the worker with a fell
swoop of his hammer throws out what
Is to be ere long the sole or the heel of
a shoe. The process is exactly like that
which mother used in making cookies,
with the addition of the extra strength
necessary. la an ordinary heel there
are six pieces Instead of the one which
Is apparent to the person who examines
a finished pair of shoes. These pieces
are put together in a machine, nail,
holes are bored and enough nails are
put In to hold the hH tnptlier, nil with
a single motion of the machine. An
other machines cut the rough piece
which has been hewn out of the sole
into the exact shape and size needed
for the shoe desired. This Is done by
a pattern of the sole lu question gov
erning the cutter of the machine. An
other machine cuts what is known as
a "channel" in the top of the ln-sole
and around the edge and It is this chan
nel to which the upper Is to be sewed.
Other machines cut out the pieces of
the sole between the heel and the ball
of the foot.
Wonderful Machines.
In the next department moat of the
lighter sewing Is done, as well as the
pasting together of the linings and the
uppers. Scores of girls are busy at the
sewing machines, fastening the differ
ent parts of the upper together. Here,
too, are the button-hole machines
which do their work with lightning
rapidity. Another sort of machine,
with a din and hubbub, cuts the holes
for the eyelets and the hooks of laced
shoes, and stamps them In securely
with marvelous quickness, nnd the
sound of a Gatllng gun. Still another
sort sews on the buttons, fastening the
buttons on as many as 1,000 pairs a
day. Beside these Is the newest in
ventlon, a machine for riveting the
buttons on. Seventy-five pairs an hour
can be finished on this machine.
Thus, far, the uppers and the heels
and soles have been making their way
separately through the processes, but
nnd sofas were uneasy until he had
made a wise choice. He was prosper
ous lu business and fond of farce-comedy.
When he was dressed for a call
or n dinner he smelled of musk. Mrs.
Johnson became accustomed to him,
and at the end of a year and a half she
was Mrs. Mortimer.
The wedding was quiet, and even the
bridegroom was comparatively quiet
There was a Journey; New York nnd
Washington hotels entertained "Mr.
Mortimer and lady," nnd the routine of
daily ufo bopnu In the fiat In which
young Mr. Johnson had relgued.
Sunday came, nud Mr. Mortimer
Slightly Inconsistent.
Some of the cheap novel writers are
In a hurry to get their pay, otherwise
they would revise their work, and not
allow such startling statements as the
following to appear lu type:
"I grew up to manhood without ever
knowing what the love of a parent
really was, rs my mother died when
my eldest brother was boru.' '
Hard Luck: Story from Kanaas.
When the Kirby bank failed In Abi
leno a Santa Fe conductor had In it
$2,000, which represented the saving!
of many years. In the course of time
he received $1,000 in dividends from
the bank receiver, and this sum he de
posited In the Cross bank at Emporia,
which In turn failed.
Tne woman wno always wears a
smile Is faultlessly dressed.
the thread inserted with the next Thi
ueei is sTui to do rastened to the sole
and this Is done, by a ponderous Wi-
u.nviimu iijuu unves an the m
In at one time.
Other Processes.
There are still dozeus of mno .
be gone through the trimming downJ
me net-is, wuicn is clone by a rnachlm
driving a curved cutter, trimming tt,
edges of the sole, snnd-pnnerlne
heels and soles, burnishing and colorln.
me cui.-o, uuu u ou. .o aetallea de
scrlptlon of the processes could be at
tempted. Suffice It to say that thi
workings of iron and steel In a sho
factory would astonish the wisest mai
wbrvhnq not ?n them every JUy. im
provements are constantly being mad(
and machines which last week wen
considered marvels are next weel
thrown out for old Iron, as useless li
comparison with the new invention. J
Detroit man has Just invented a Joint
ed last which is said to excel anything
else for the ease with which It can b
Inserted and taken out of a shoe. Whei
once Inside the shoe, it can be straight
ened out and thus made much large
man oerore. Tnrouguout the mam
processes, men's and women's shoe'
are kept separate and different wori
ers make their, so that In one respec
shoemakers are not unlike the Quakers
Of course there Is an Inspector wh
looks over the finished product thor
oughly and throws out any that ma;
be imperfect Then there is a complet
box factory where paste-board shoe
boxes are turned out In large quantl
ties.
BUSY SCENES IN A MODERN SHOE MANUFACTORY.
the real manufacturer of the Bhoe Is
nbout to begin. From skins of the
proper kind and patterns of the proper
shape the cutters start the work. Lay
ing the patterns down on the skins they
quickly cut the skins the shape of the
outlines of the patterns, their knives
being razor-edged. The cutters, aa well
as all the other workers throughout the
factory, are guided in their labors by a
system of cards Issued from the office.
When an order comes into the house
one of these cards Is made out for each
kind of shoe wanted, showing the num
ber, kind, the size, the last, the finish,
and so ou, giving every detail about the
shoe which Is to be turned out. This
card follows that lot of shoes wherever
It goes lu Its wanderings through the
factory. So that the cutter knows Just
what patterns they are to use. When
all the necessary parts of the upper
portion of the shoe have been cut, In
cluding the linings aud the fancy tips
and tidbits, the lot Is sent on to the bot
toming department. Here nre cut the
heels, lu-soles nnd out-soles and various
other strange operation are gone
they are soon to come together. And
now the "last" is to come into play.
This Is put Inside the upper, with the
in-sole; the edges of the upper are turn
ed over the edges and tacked down on
the sole. Then the out-sole Is tacked
on by machinery with a few nails, the
noise resembling the report of mus
ketry In the distance. Each of the nails
in this machine as well as in all the
others Is made from wire as It Is need
ed, the nails being made and driven at
the same Instant. But there are still
more wonderful machines to be seen
Here, for Instance, is one which sews
the ln-sole onto the upper. This Is the
welt machine nnd does 400 pairs a day
whereas a man's work was formerly
twelve pairs. Not less wonderful Is the
stitching machine which punctures the
heavy out-soles and sews them at the
same time to the upper and in-sole
tying a knot In the most human fash
Ion nt every stitch. The awl which
makes the punctures, aud thn no,viia
which does the sewing nre curved, nnd
together form almost a seml-clrcle, the
hole being made with one stroke aud
A soft answer turnoth away dlvorc
A woman's logic is far above a man
morals.
With most women belief is betti
than proof.
The longest way home is the shortft
way to trouble.
A husband doesn't know a good thin
when he hasn't got it.
Husbands nre necessary only once
month when the bills come in.
It innkes a woman shudder to tllal
how happy she could have made yon.
The devil shows you the worst iM
first. The rest makes it seem better.
If women's good Intentions werejeii
els they wouldn't wear anything else.
Love Is divided into qunrtersHM
quarter vanity, three-quarters Jealous:
Eve wanted to put on clothes mere!
to be able to have a hat to go rt
them.
When a woman Is convicted she
quits herself by saying she has be
misjudged.
Goodness wouldn't seem half MB
Interesting to women if it didn't w
such plain clothes.
When a woman likes n man herU
of having him happy Is not having M
belong to some other woman.
Every married woman would like 1
see you happy with some other worn)
and they'd scratch out her eyes If f
were.
Any woman who thinks about ltd
admit that Adam deserved to fall
cause he did not Increase Eve's a
anee for pin money.
Aptly Criticised.
One of tbe best criticisms of Sw
novels wns given by an Irish coW
ns related In the biography of "'lia
Stokes." t
Doctor Stokes had often loaned'
cobbler odd volumes of Scott to r
Walking beside him one day on t
road, the doctor said:
"Well, Denny, what did you thim
the last book I lent you?"
"It's a great book, intlrely, dodJ
an' Sir Walter Scott's a thrue
torlan."
"I'm Inclined to agree with yon.
piled Doctor Stokes. "But whatd
mean exactly by calling him a tme
torlan?" v
"I mane, your honor, he's a three
torlan because he makes you wJ
kind."
It would be easier to forgive a
he were original; but nil are w
the same old ways.