Miscellany.

Dunstan Times, Issue 989, 1 April 1881, Page 3

Miscellany.

A BALLET GIRL’S SHOE,

A short time ago Dr Hyrtl, the eminent Austrian anatomist, celebrated the seventieth anniversary of his birth surrounded by some of the best known gentlemen of the medical profession in Vienna. During the banquet given in honor of the occasion, the savant spoke of the experiences and souvenirs of his long life, and amongst other interesting anecditos related one incident which, though it occurred 30 years ago, had left a deep impression upon his mind. The story is a simple but touching one. It turns upon a ballet dancer’s shoe. In 1850, when Dr Hyrtl was Professor of Anatomy to the Vienna School of Medicine, he was lecturing one day on the formation oi the foot, and the injury done this member by ballot dancing and pirouetting on the tips of the toes. To bring his remarks home to his hearers by practical demonstration, he exhibited a ballerine’s shoe, and was expatiating on its prejudical effects for the wearer, when a little rose-colored billet dropped from it. The professor, surprised, picked it up and read it with deep emotion depicted on his countenance, and the shoe with its billet became a mystery much talked of in Vienna for a time, Dr Hyrtl being credited with having received a love-letter from some operatic danscuse who had maliciously concealed it in the article in question The billet, however, conveyed no tender love-message, but was traced bv the hand of a dying girl named Wanda, with whom the doctor had become acquainted some months previous'y under painful circumstances. Wanda was one of the best pupils of the Imperial Dancing Academy, and was intended for the stage The contortions to which she had to twist her feet brought on a malady in the right one, and inflammation supervening a consultation was held to decide whether the foot should be amputated Dr Hyrtl took part in the consultation ; his two colleagues were of opposite opinions, and he had the casting vote. Before pronouncing his verdict, ho repaired to ihe sick girl’s room to examine the diseased member once more, and the inspection satisfied him the foot must be cutoff. But just as he was leaving the room his eyes met those of the patient, and the mute terror and entreacy ho read in them unmanned him. He pro. posed that a delay of 24 horns should bo allowed ; this was cone ded, but when it bad expired mortification had set iu, and the poor child was given over. Some days a ter the doctor rcclived a small parcel. It contained the dead girl’s shoe, and it was the same shoe ho had used in the course of his lecture. The rose-colored billet in it which had escaped his notice was written on her death-bed. It expressed her gratitude to the man who had wished to spare her humiliation, and bogged him to keep the little shoo in remembrance of Wnuda.