MRS. GRUNDY AND THE
BAREFOOT
CHILDREN
Zoe G. Williams
' £ -• \u25a0 \u25a0 x \u2666HERE'S nothing ' % worse .than !
• I a -stricture around ' the, ah-..
r 'Iv- kles," I; once heard; a; physi-v
elan remark, as he. glanced v
critically"; over-, his -eon and.- drew th«
child ,to.hinu - 'lie unfastened Tthei little".
fellow's ; shoes and ' relaced them *. so -
loosely -that each; leg V rose '\u25a0•as* freely^
from its ,- leatbe ry perianth as the *
Ep&dlx of a .call& . -*^,
**Blnd the limb, of "a tree," '\u25a0 he. wentV
on. "and : it '; soon withers. /, 1 1;- is ;;]the>
same with theihumanlimbs-i-theclrcu^-i
latlon- is checked, the muscles; atrophy :
and'the resulfls spindle legs and weak?"
ankles. , Tet most people overtighteny
their shoes, and, what .is -. worse, 'their*'
children's. ' -. -. .;
"In that case the barefooted boy is
to be envied,"- 1 encouraged.^suspecting
that the doctor had mounted a . hobby, -
and wisklng to see himfrlde.
"Decidedly," he answered* -"Some of"
America's . greatest men could ; recall a ;
barefooted past, 5 perhaps\tb blush, 'not'
knowing that the natural and : harden- ';.
ing. surroundings of; their, youth . had
given them; \u25a0 the- strength - of- body 'as -,
wrfll as of character, to cope 'with' difll- i
culties that would , swamp v the" softly '
nurtured, Mrs. VGrundy' ridden,; iridl-^
vifiual. Even the street* urchin now,
wears a good pair, of shoes, > and I am
confident' that the world suffers for.lt.";
; These; words often .^recurred- to-; me* 1 :
this summer* while visiting a- 1 friend
whose children belonged to the small,"
unshod minority- ..* For some^, years' my i
friend had lived on a. ranch in. the
Sierras, far from . the : dictates rof \u25a0 Mrs.^-
Gmndy. ; It mattered little what : hen
children wore or, omitted,' and'* they,
chose to dispense with *hoes. % - \
During the summer^lt* wan", cooler, to :
go \u25a0without them, and,. ; for. the ! short",
time that snow'lay on: the. ground, .bare
feet -were endurable, '• although/ , they '
often chapped In ; ; the = -coldest;
breather. . But"- a chapped - \ akin * was \u25a0 \u25a0
preferable to : a cons tan L stxa^gia -witii
\u25a0 v -,-- \u25a0v-:. : --:;.H--r^- r / v \u25a0•^\u25a0;:-^
cr.oes and^ruDbercitheiChildren'argued. •
arid /the"^ parents, *.;.knowing . •/\u25a0'tliat^iti
' would -be,-, as r"easj*>to v kee"p/shoesf on^aj;
-lot : of squirrels «as on . these > lively-!
.^youngsters, 'and,, seeing^ no' bad; effects f.
* from . theK.exposurer allowed* them vto ?
have their 'way;": ' :' - •:."\u25a0-; ;V . ',';.'\u25a0->
; In a tmore northern climate ? tliis»pbi-v
;lcy.» ? might 4 ,not- have' survived -the";: first ;
winter, .but ; in ; the, mountains of ; south- j
-. crn 'California it. had admirably^
-"""for.lll,, years;' the chilviren i never^tookj
i coia^ahd *.the% few -children's diseases >'
.t. t thoy;caughtwore:6f a 'light; forrni ' ; _
•fV'.Whethcr . the ..disease resisting « cbh- :
rstitutions'jbf Cth'sse-,- llttlfr"- plrie knots*
f was attributable. entirely to, an, ogeh'air,
•', Hfe;ori to" : the /absence i .of shoes^l- can
', iiot' t say,.-but their" father,' afterVmuch
careful "obsjervation. -propounded^ the :
. theory,: that'. most. of. the Ills thc^flcsh{is *
, heir U to ' come or tindirectly/-.
from th*>. ,weafincr;Of wet shoes. "-'»'. =•'-',*
"If j you v; don't ~ wear T wet shoes.y; he ; :
- would'say, ;"you>. won't catch cold; and*"
if yourdon't wear any shoes, they ..oaii't'
Vget \u25a0•> weti -and-; the result is "obvious?^
'.Rheumatism,' . ooasumptioni\ . appendi^
-cltls,' : and icountless "bthpr.JnJieriled; yr.
\u25a0contracted Jills - arc ,: : waiting)' rrady toY
~ r pounce bb the . wet. footed ' as the « devil. j.
is supposed to : wait for thopezwiib.^fbrj-**
>get "to say .their, prayers;-, anj.rsafety.^
'lies only Inibarc-fcet." • ;
."This man's/children Iwcro' five *Vootl,f
proofsbf the correctness ot >hls»thcoryf-i
r hardy -as ducks. -they 5 were; but 'in! all
."weather. ' , Injsummcr -they; seemed al-;
most amphibious; / disobeyed^' counties***,
\u25a0hygienic laws * and - came - off :~scbt^"f f ee.
were = graceful,. . wiry,^ "straight;
-I limbed,; muscular,' and " : : physicallj*/
r tough- skinned. ' As • lightly as 1 wild ' an- V
: irnals,* they \ scampered ; over"-.. the^. rocky «•
creek r bed, y rarely, stubbing;, ; the >toei
; which -• had • ever* retained theVgrasplhsj-t
power by^* .which ,*the . : infant* ackriowl 'i'\
' edges "Its arboreal ; ancestors. : , '*^*,:/.
A'^Few ] Simian; Advantages ;; " S
';' Thejeldestjbby.' enjoyed; to ; theVf ullestV
\u25a0 extent -the' advantages' of .haying well ?;
••developed >*feet.'; They) insured jnot'oniy;
a ; .- jure looteqness l un . steep ,'. trans . stud
othefl; neck' frisking : places, but also' -.fa
certa!n-prestigejamong]hls*coinpanlons
-,-^-;- ,*.":;*- v"--'^»-.- ',-'\u25a0\u25a0'\u25a0-\u25a0 r fcJ *'- -\u25a0''"»--\u25a0" r '* " h '^' *-m--\j.' '- --.
as soon^ as rthey. ; 'discovered>thaOhe
could "climb; the swing rope, using
fingers^ and^toes?as?ai monkey, or sav
age might; also, ,;that , he; could* seize
•- -\u25a0\u25a0;\u25a0 \u25a0\u25a0\u25a0\u25a0 --«\u25a0* "-w \u25a0" \u25a0." "-\u25a0" --;\u25a0\u25a0'\u25a0- '-\u25a0 ;*• ' \u25a0\u25a0'"- "«"' ; '.* -•" ir*>\u0094 "~- ' --'-'•
the-cafs^tail-and^treat^her-.toiaTsvdden
f oot ascension ; almost* as , unconsciously
as a horse; picksjuptaTstone.'* He jiwas
constantly onvthe -alert -for I some s new
or -useful office -tnaUi these
[Ju«smbert7 H inight..perforni,, bnl-w, J^nenJ
-iHefandfllwere f riding v the '* same * horse l
v a 'scratchjv? brushy r stretch* oti
!3country,-ilife2tia-tus.at:thesideaiof|myi
ripdividediskirt, and;?lookingibehind,>saTVi
\u25a0Sthatfheihad^drawnlpart^of^it.overihis;
i ? *^ithShlisJtoes.%|TS.a.t ? mysTeyesi
'atoialnewjpower/fandjllwonderedsifithe'
1 fconjmand^of* so many members > of *the]
'^TfyTliadtno^^
I : dency -' that > was beings overloofcediby]
'"mo* [irfsettt..; ycnemtion r of educators..;-.*
' Judging -troni the ,prec6Uty bf,\the
y ear /old? baby/ sistef ,'stjch? appearedito.*
iJbejthe case. There may; bej^therjbabie3
|w^b*s*ervant^ißeiiloui,fsclf^contllnedf,
fp^red"asfslie,;:but.iljhave^never. ! .seen
lthem.*v When ?carried,^she Vvvas 1 neither.
'; a? dead weight? ner'*anv:uninanageablG
squirm that se*med bent on self de- :
|Sr^tofi»^but^'wE^ln^iSto^tKe^Bpiwt
loltftiie^Ui'lng^'Bbe^cl-ns with-* fingers 1
fetodf toes.sand|'R'as|a!S.-;flrms aa-ra. *IJmp«tis
t^rotOlmfgliti'.runf^jumpjist'.-urt \u25a0\u25a0perhaps—':
*-c never;>ifietl;t:that-~but -he h?ld <?n ;
a slioweds that lshejhad^had' enough. •>\u25a0• .-\u25a0>. \u25a0\u25a0-'.'\u25a0:
'' - r 2>lTEbe 'lea-^2
'-;: sons- thatjCsH'eV studied \u25a0over.* i durlnafihe*3
Spells soff introspect ion and, ?Reculatioa,*f
y scru t able ; as* Na poteon .*; She never:" trtedi
•r, a"" second* timje|'tjftj descend -the precip**
,;^j^pus^side" % 'Of,*the'lS loyf- \u25a0*.' porch,":." even .
V 'warned^ others' • Against" it, ,but the* porch'4
;f sta!rs^slfe^perceivedr";wcr«va-;dlfferent|
\u25a0\u25a0'-. \u25a0 Both .-.the \u25a0 cJ>Hdren*.''and**
over, the: staf rsij and 'she.
,^Une^ ;^iiat^ w "'t6' 1-the^riKhtf;*narlneelflßg'.V1 -the^riKhtf;*narlneelflßg'.V
~< 'shejcould.^;Soon^tj^
"' ?.•' questioiii ori !\u25a0>',• of* watching; her 'chance,^
.riand^J^ncrrdfiiy.^sh'ei, managed .*.; it.*-,?After
"f place|to <find * her.* was fip \ the; yard • wi th .
o slioiild": the < gate«f have ,';been £leftf t J "o*pen.li
\u25a0j^iiijithe) irrigation isitch: •. A". bVott faarolv'
i6aby : would bisoon i'bave ned |"
%riaving "10 Uhinss]
jjbld 'on by, , she 'counted a^cat's num- >
Clives.'-'ohly : i happier; ones.': V. v - 1
STottgh'andsUsef ul; Feet . " j
•¥'^§he ?. accomplished her ends ; swiftly, .
l^n^B^e^y^^iiak'ily'Vcree^ingV^an^'Cwe:?
;jiWQadexedT if «• tbe isextT:f6r"mXo*£ flocbmo--*
i^tiontmi^tTn'6t*be : haMsfor^b«;at .- firsts t
t.? ; cars?-,for ; *'.:f.. :f .» w
:*:«eS*.|tii^.th« \u0084Trj»*r« ih% iflere*
«tt^m*r^b9»t o ; !.» ' alcletrackeJ •• oa* ,tii» i .
Ji^^ftops -ant? :-rtbs \u25a0 sir'la * »we«t'- with
. <^^S»wtscr.^plS^:aad -nr."' But th« .
«ota<ll at f that ;p«»cs iras trying, even
;to^tli«^stout«»t-;.fiioe. . We t hoped lthat
bTby^ould*^SQ>otJe her. wal"k!nsr ; untiJ
,and*not: test. those
J|«adef| lobklnirTf eet yonv on a * carpet of
jl^ittiaStwiss^and the^j sharp, dry cones
?o{€Ci^i*iXtop*glaa' spruce; but" sb.« '"^fs
»clieckedv- Before .the end oi
J^i&fltest^ w'eek.'sha 'discovered ' that sha
"an:alone3r" s and .tvlthisoma
alce^i balaacins" '.-'"com* a-walkias to
motber."! *. . , • \u25a0:• . y..i ..->.";;.' :
', That fended the' creeping. -JTo-tnor*
being 'picketed : out on* -"a" X*va jo : bian
ket?forVber;':,Tralking like otnsr: folks
\u25a0was .too jn.nch .fun.. -But,'- curiously. sh»
seemed to 'f esl the ~~ roughness *of ;\ th«
ffrou nd *as "little "" as'tne". Sanioan r feels
the .; sharpness *.of shoe destroying
K strand. ' The old Spanish* prcrorb.
ifits £ the f : back •. to < the burdoa."
' thYf eet 'to ta»
,;• the t feet, ina-»inir'
a^^na"rdeit«iS2aaft«r*tti« discards
ijsSri«f ;\u25a0 lone clotae^s^rs * now,* ready/
r^ftlks ijth*y wers ;ooa«to««Q«o<nn£av« 4
gtei*ttown»£ so r. that Jth« ' children * oaold
• schooL^^lt \yr*» l^* 9 *"* ."UMkUwWor
ar«*l"|trottWe ; 's"fbe'satt,"-'' > '\u0084.:^--: l - *:;\u25a0•-:• " ;..'.\u25a0
gSMntj^CSjrandy/; waa^a^po-w«r V la t2»t
&Srst \u25a0 XtlmW SaS^l»*g*fl»cit»d '.'
jand^l I went -.out *It iw&tTobwtods '
rtha^iiie^as'ioffende^V.rTnW^ftMMMß .
?^«||^ppil^|^nconscloß« 50/ ? It, 'lS3t I
cbcld ; read ;i In > pass Ins S faoea > «29r«*
»lon»)illli9f!thls:; -.rThelr "father 1* aot
rich?^out/lje < fcertalnly i could ' buy abo««
f or ;t thpss |yQurigsters..*'ln^ this • asr* ot ,
cheap shoetfand'sbargain days^any on* \u25a0
shoes and 1 t'lobki unctvniaed
• to^gb "wltnotit ,thera."'. *, 1 v
the>Brst- school v day^ the children
ith'emselyes ; realized .' the ".gravity : of th«
::It *Mfs. .;Gruhdy ) rules - any
>where* IV' is in -• the . schbblhouse— tbim
isfievt: '.< disapproval' of^. grownups*,. may
Pp&ss."vbut ;tne:" expressed i/ contempt; of
;gce^s?'e<iuals hoibes4-and«taer»
broken* hearts • a£*tb.*rend of ,
jtnat^dSy;. and ~ fourj demands < foxy shbas
.'like^Hhc fellows iwore.* v*£y '
> 'that^during tho restraining
;sfihbitihjcwafji.sth.e]>istatueso.ue» Aveather.
ltißsisi*l«g9 Jand *f eet -were . covered, and ,
to the
<f overshoes. '""'. The
ifath^r^of^to^farriily-v! bought quinine
\u25a0^ftrid .: cough V »yrup'. aad^tlie ; mother, kept '
f ttit-iey-ss soa ? the alert .for*- bargains . in
bandHexchiefs^V But ' Mrs .; Grundy was
;rsatlsfled^,\l^coißjd^ ; see" her "sxnile^as sne !
ijdoniiedSherl^lieewst^lace!: inlaid .waist, /
tand."gijitttJng^b^f pire A - h*r " desk, turned L
f6yefsM^P^f^ of ?her diary. : She re- !
[vje^«'d|her|rt[testse<nct. v touching, the \
ided^Ultft^go^nfr.gopgnwprk stockings 1
y»n^^fai'l^-"cost < umes r *«Sh>*. frowned a »
fsnejrladihert f.€iuc.taat^r«ic6gnjtion * tAt
; : and Jthe "establ l3 Jimen t of " th 4 1*
*ctff IdeiSilskirt -^ttn«lvth«: ; iaasculliH» " sad- 1
;dl¥?<andTth7en.^turhing to *a~ blank "page,
!she>iWT^te",*t 1 *I 1 !"dr»w/^the;r line.at bare \u25a0
feet.* \u25a0N4^pbysicaPadlvan ;^agffi*cajT''atone
for S the- ugliness '.*' of »J»9cn'tiX fashion.
Tmaslne -the 'inbarmony^of j-bar«-Xfeet
arid silky .and j_la«jesT.3^». r afebiTdren'3
party |o'r \u25a0* a t r dancing^schobO^Hdprfblo! *
No. ; n«t even , for the flrst 10 • years; ma y
;ltijbe*permittrd. •/. \ '- ' , "' \u25a0; . "\u25a0 "S^Ciy < '
fM'This t la :' the lan;. Until ; six ; moftt&s
of 'age* the intitnt "must-wear ;pink.*"Vruo J
"ori white , worsted shoes.V^.Theyjxnay not.:*!
\u25a0bejptfcessaryj 4but v comfortabie '^or ; uih' '
eoihfortable.'tbey furnish- nice pick up"*
work, for "the \u2666anti-clubwuman. "a class f
[thati enjoys 'knittlngtand :wiH' not bo ;
'ighoreil.: Until; six years^of age short
socks-and shoes or slippers, and after
that," |slippers, shoes— shoes— slippers
forever." ' ~^BHWBHWHM
. She hurrie'djy, roafe and : nervously
gazed;.- in tol her L * Louis ;Xry*, J mirror. Ani
ugly iwrlnkle ; was \ try his to ? establish. -J
It3eff* between ; ; her/ ; >: arching " brows. :
Moistening! her J finger J; in I a* s jar fof i the :;
I latest^ skin \ f ood,v she; vigorously ; mas- ;
saged. the; spot. ™"No.**^ she : declared,": as
she, rubbed, '"l" am ; not ; going to " Chans » lS
,oy mind 'this- time,"