"I have always thought that shoes should have broad soles, and I have tried for years to induce my shoemaker to give me broad soles. He always says he will, but he never does. How can a young lady get broad soles if the shoemaker won't make them? I am sure I should be glad to have mine as broad as the widest spread of my foot, but I cannot get them."
SURE WAY TO GET BROAD SOLES.
"Miss S., if I will tell you how to induce your shoemaker to make the soles of your shoes as broad as your feet, will you try it?"
"I will, and should be very thankful for the suggestion."
"Go to him and say, 'Mr. Smith, please let me put my foot on a sheet of paper, resting my whole weight upon one foot, and then, if you please, mark around it with your pencil.'
"Of course he will do it very cheerfully. Indeed, for some purpose, which I am sure no man can explain, shoemakers are quite in the habit of taking the size and shape of the foot. I am sure I never saw any evidence that they paid the slightest attention to it in making the shoes.
"Then say to Mr. Smith, 'Please measure that and tell me just how wide it is.'
"Mr. Smith measures. You look on. He finds that the width is exactly three inches and seven-eighths.
"'But,' he will say, 'Miss S., what is all this for?'
"'No matter. Now, Mr. Smith, will you please to make the soles of this pair as broad as my feet?'