The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1885-03-11
CHARACTER WRITING
A Connecticut Philosophers Observations
of Pen and Ink Strokes.
Hartford Post.l

Connecticut Philosophers Observations
of Pen and Ink Strokes.
Hartford Post.I
q have made life study of chirog-
raphy, was the comment Of a philoso-
pher AN honest mans hand carries
conviction with it; my intuition Is the
bridge to which I trust 1t is difficult
for me to analyze the why of every &C
ton, but / know, and that is enough. It
is the fact, and not the multitddinous
reasons for the fact, with which I am
concerned.
II think the signatures that demand the
most attention are those of a theatrical
company. They are made usually in one
hand-and that very bold one-and they
cover generally whole page, unless the
clerk is less pleasant than usual They
are b1acketed and labeled with the name
of the aggregation. Some of these col
lections are written in a uniformly big,
round hand; that means that the agent
has been educated TO believe in the eff
ficacy of plenty of sea-room in the chiro
graphical ocean. He has also probably
served his apprenticeship at making bales
and boxes. Perhaps he has accomplished
wonders in writing flaming advertise
ments
"Other of the collections are scrawled-
scratched across the page in hurry, as If
the writer were afraid that if they were
too easily read it would injure his reputa-
ton for intellectual ability. Such man,
I think. has had-and / mean no disre-
speet to your profession, sir-a leaning
toward journalism. Writers who make
poor copy possess that attribute as a de
feet, and, were they wise, would not boast
of it. Likewise I must say just here that
one who makes exquisitely clear copy
ought to glorify the act; neither faculty is
of itself evidence of transcendent ability.
By the same token person who registers
in a scrawling manner is not to be sup
posed brilliant fellow. He may be, but
has not been SUCH l think, in major
ity of the instances that have come under
my observation.
"The average travelling salesman has
pronounced hand He generally writes
as if he were in hurry, but it is sort OF
Intelligent hurry The one who handles
perfumery has perfumed signature, ap-
preaching in delicacy the wares he sells.
The one of hardware seems less 1dealistlc;
strong and majestic as, his ironware. The
drug and the hat drummer are of the
light, airy variety, and disclose their
special occupation by a light and airy
way Of signing After all specialties are
discounted there remains the effect OF the
individual, and this is not always oblit-
Grated by the occupation. SomeI John
Hancocks will remain so through all met
amorphoses of business, and there will be
third penman into whose hand no addi-
tional virility can be infused, no matter
how varied the pursuit
II have been much impressed with the
rapid, struggling hand of the man of
means who travels Whoever in the
party signs the register it is signed with
prominence There is no hesitation, no
timidity, no undue assertion. Ministers
of the gospel usually sign with scholarly
hand stenographers usually finish with
a cross, the dot of their system. Many
people come here race week. They are
all sorts. The signatures of this crowd
give me more trouble than all the others
They. are written very carelessly and in Il
very horsey manner. Many of them have
a Maud S. gait, others are down among
the fast. PAGERS, while some look as if they
could Barely reach the distance-pole."