Hand County press. (Miller, Dakota [S.D.]) 1882-1893, 1884-01-23
CHARACTER STUDY.
Judging Mans Temperament and
Traits by the Way He Smokes
Cigar.
New York Journal |

A@o'bFr oc ffV IuStfSd - tONit toNh SiSut
store and flung down a nickel Crashing a
weed without waiting 10 examine il, he lii Il
and left the store like a hurricane.
g That man Is thorough business man.
Never Is beaten in a trade, either, you can
bet said the clerk he is always ON ths
lookout for skins and can read man liks
book
How do you knowF" asked the reporter
Are you acquainted with him"
" Not at ALL" laughingly replied the cleri,
do not believe ever met him in my lie
before
/" Then how do you know so much about
shimp'
"By making a note OF each mans probable
characteristics rs they come in here and by
long experience among smoSers," was the
answer. "Wby, almost any clerk in cigar
store II mean one who has ANY number of
years experience eau tell y0l mans
temperament as soon as he sees bin. Smoke
cigar
Then this art, as it might he called" re-
markell the scribe, sis only acquired through
long years Of experience. Is that it''
"Now you've got il TO t. was the reply.
"Why, strange rs it may seem TO you, my
fellcw-cleFk can tell Just the style Of hand
writing person uses by the manner in which
be haudles his cigar Hey, Jim!'
"Well, pretty nearly" answered Jim"
modestly.
"Come over here" said the first speaker,
''and show him"
Jim, who had been fixing up the window,
came over TO where the reporter and clerk
stood.
''Wellr' he said
''Tell this gentleman what his style Of
writing is"
! After regarding the reporter, who was
| putting a cigar, Jim said: "Well, l guess
! you do good deal of writing. Your letters
are plain and round and if you tried you
/ could be better penman. How is it, am /
( rightf,
/ ''Show him." remarked the clerk to the re-
/ porter land I'll bet you cigar he came near
/ it,"
There, l told you So" he cried exultantly,
when the reporter had written his name.
Tell me how you do it'll" asked the reporter
I Of Jim
"WeIl that will be pretty hard to do, for
hardly know myself, he replied, 'but as near
~ can, will. In the first place ! I'M
imagined you did a great deal of writing from
the fact that you nearly always keep your
cigar in your mouth, and, as your left hand
Is the one you raise most when you handle
the weed. concluded you did considerable
I writing"
$50 far so good. But how did you know
made plain. round lettersP
Because you hold the cigar gracefully in
your mouth. If you held it clumsily would
I know you were natu. ally clumsy, and o1
I course wrote poor, crampsi hand"
~ don't understand it," said the reporter.
'Neither do great many said the clerk
"yet suppose any one could do it, for all that
Is needed is constant attention aud close OBJ
I servation. Wait here n few moments and
try your hand on the next man that comes
! in" 4
I A tall, portly gentleman made his appear
ance. In an "rm-looking -out-for- No Il" tone
he exclaimed loftily: II want a l0-cent
cigar, very strong. | want q good one,
! now
! He carefully selected cigar from several
extended toward him, and slowly eating of
small piece, lighted the weed When he
put the cigar in his mouth he chewed it Wig
orously, and as he left the store, left thick
! clouds of smoke behind him
What's his naturef gueried the clerk,
smiling.
"Pleasantr ventured the serbia
"Not quite" was the answer.
! "Jollyf'
| "Nixey," was the laughing response.
! "Nervousf'
That's nearer
! "Gouty, nervous, and ill.tempered," whis-
! pered the reporter.
"Now yonve got it exactly broke in Jim,
"It wouldn't be long before you could read
'em at the first crack
'1iive me your opinion of him'"
/ 'In suls snce il is the same as yours. That
man isterribly nervous; he squick-temperei.
and very strict In business he is successful
because of his strictness.'
please explain"
''He is qIick-tempered because-did you
notice the manner in which he bit the end off
The way he closei his teeth over that cigar
tells me that he is strict. It's very easy when
YOU know how
At this point small man with a jolly ex-
I preston on his face entered the store.
"Mild l0-center, small" p" be said, at the
same time casting an easy glance around the
! room.
Taking the first weed that he touched, he
caIelesiy, yet gracefully, put it in the corner
} Of his mouth, and nI ii with devil-may-care
air. When ne departed, his character was
summed up by Jim as follows: mild disposi-
ton, easy going habits, and jolly and good
naturcd Because he handles his weed with
an air Of one that doesn't care whether il goes
out or stays lighted"