The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-04-19
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS.
The Folly of Judging Men by Outward APP.
pearances.

The Folly of Judging Men by Outward APP
pearances.
Joe Howard, in Philadelphia Press.
Time and time again have seen people &C.
celerate their speed so to pass ahead of Grant
they having recognized him by his back, and
desiring to get a further acquaintance with his
face. Cleveand's back is very peculiar No one
having seen him once could fail to tell him by
it. Horace Greedy had very pronounced rear
view. l think you will find you can determine
the identity of nearly every friend you haye, as
we'll as that of your butcher, your baker, your
candlestick maker, by the popularity of his
back, and, that being so, think you will agree
with me that the divine hand, which created
man in the image of the universal Maker, must
be furnished with bump of humor as colossal
as omnipotence ITSELF 1t strikes me that this
most enjoyable feature Of the divine intellect
often seeks enjoyment in grotesque human
developments. Who, for instance, to look at
the broad, puddingy face of William H. Wander
bilt, would credit its owner with the financial
grasp which financiers concede he hast No one
pretends that the present Vanderbilt could ever
have amassed the fortune he owns, but you
know the old proverb which says anybody can
make money, it is the smart fellow who keeps
it." and Vanderbilt hasn't only kept all his father
left him, but has added to it, Would you Judge
that by his appearancel / wouldn't. Look at
Jay Gould, with little bit of head, an unim-
pressive face, physique so fragile that he has
to be continually caring for it. tucking it away
in the blanket of caution every night by 10
o'clock starting in life with so cents, and stand
ing, at the age of forty-fve or fifty, with a for
tune variously estimated at from $50, 600, 900 to
$50, 600, 000 Does he look i'll Lincoln looked
all he ever did, So did Webster, grand and mas
sive. So did Clay. horneiy but magnetic. So does
Beecher with his leonine face, and his magnifi-
cent eye. So did the elder Booth in spite of
his broken nose. But these other men of whom
l spoke controlling the destinies of ten thous-
ands of men, and holding in the hollow of their
hands money sufficient TO run the wheels of the
metropolis of the country for years and years,
would no more indicate by their faces or their
physiques the peculiar potencies contained with
in their brains than the spark Of electricity would
suggest its regnant forces, its potential posi-
bilities, when properly or improperly directed.
On the other hane take Edwin Booth, gifted by
nature with handsome face. a thoughtful ex
preston, superb eye, a graceful physique. You
would think, to look at him, there is a man of
mind; good, steady, fond of thinking, scholarly
in his tastes, sef-controlledr He is
none of these l never shall forget a
lesson l learned when / lived in Brooklyn.
Almost every morning, when came to
the city, fellow passenger the boat attracted
my attention. TALL splendidly formed. with a
weather beaten face, an eagle eye, firm-shut
mouth, a clean cut aquiline nose, he stood al
ways at the bow of the boat, and was among the
first to leave, with firm step and an erect car
riage, as though he meant business. The ro-
mances l weaved about that mani He was
my beau ideal of daring, daShing, successful
sea captain. / pictured him upon the bridge
when his vessel was tossed with storm l saw
him fighting with winds and waves. / drew him
in every line of seafaring life, successful, i'm
perious. fortunate commander. One day found
out what he was You will never guess He
was the steward of big boarding house in
Brooklyn, and was on his way TO Fulton market
to buy butter and eggs. and fish and chops. Do
you mean to tell me that the Lords bump of
humor wasn't tickled when he thought out that
man and decided to put his funny inside into his
solemn outsidel Go to. Go to!