ROYAL COBBLERS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5655, 28 August 1896, Page 5 (Supplement)

ROYAL COBBLERS.

Apropos of the attention that is now being attracted by the movements to consolidate the Balkan Principalities, an instructive anecdote is related of how Prince Nicholas, of Montenegro, got his subjects persuaded to follow the industrial arts. The haughty Montenegrins, who look upon war and brigandage as honourable occupations, could neither be argued into working nor beaten with a stick into a due sense of the dignity of labour. So the Prince, as a last resort, took to work himself by way of example. A day's work in a smithy by the Prince had the result of making a number of his subjects eager to ■become blacksmiths. Shoe-making, however, they could not be induced to look upon as other than degrading. Persuasion failing, the monarch turned cobbler. This was too much for the Montenegrins. When they saw him put his hand to the waxed thread and the shoe-leather, his faithful lieges gathered round upon their knees and besought him not to sully his royal fingers by touching the accursed thing. " Beat us all,". they cried, "only do not do yourself such dishonour." The Prince paid no attention, and worked till nightfall. Next day the cobblers' shops were full of Montenegrins eager to enrol themselves as apprentices to the trade which Nicholas had ennobled by his own example. In this connection it is assorted that the Heir Apparent to the throne of England is an expert shoemaker, having learned the trade when young. According to tbe Canadian Shoe and Leather Journal, the Prince of Wales has worn shoes of his own make that were the envy of his set and he was not slow in advertising the maker, either. The journal named goes on to say: — "He tolerates no slipshod work or inferior stock, and is said to be an expert judge of shoes. If when he comes to the throne he exhibits the same traits of thoroughness, the future of England is assured. When the Prince learned his trade, he did so because it was his natural bent, and the fact that he became so expert in it almost makes one wish he could stick to the last. It ib to be hoped he will bo as good a king as he is a shoemaker