Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1886-03-17
A LOOK AT YOUR BACK.
A SIGHT OF PEOPLES CHARACTER
WHEN TAKEN BY SURPRISE.
The Impressions Of Noticing Ey~The
Thoughtful, the Purse-Proud. the Be
nevolent Msn and the Rogue The
Book-worm. the Child.

the habits of his life, the carriage Of the head
the wearing Of the clothing Face to face
we see the man as he desires to be seen by US
but behind his back we take him by surprise
and catch sight Of his character
Follow the thoughtful man as be wander.
through the streets, seeing nothing. He ha.
polished his hat and frightened his umbrella
to the last .'egree, not because he cared 70,
the polish and the tightness, but because hi.
mind was elsewhere when he risked brushing
the nap of his hat and splitting the umbrella.
While he walks his head and shoulders bend
one knows that his eyes seek the ground, just
as one sees his feet linger upon it.
Very different from what we may call ths
refined and intellectual back is the back o.
the broad and vulgar figure who struts pas'
US as if he owned the street, or, at least, the
footwalk, where he takes up half the spac,
between his striding feet and self-assertiv,
umbrella His glory is not in his mind Oh
heart, but in his pocket He would be al
ways conscious of his purse, even if he haG
not his hand bullying out of the pocket wher,
il lives-of course, one knows by his back
that the pocket is bullying with the proud pos
session Of the fat purse, and the knowledge o.
the banking account, and of all he might
could, would and should do in the world He
holds the irapecunious crowd in contempt
like the dust that he kicks before him h,
has a habit of sticking up for his rights; ever
his collar sticks up, and his hair to correspond
with his inner self, is bristling up, but thai
does not matter, for he can afford to wear 6
crooked hat.
THE BENEVOLENT NAN AND THE ROGUE
L.
money out of that pocket for charity, unless
he is pretty sure that there shall be printed
list Of subscribers Not so the wealthy man
who has heart above gold. Look at him
a back view-as he stands at a public meet
ing, called together at some time of calamity
or need He is sure to be there. II the hal,
IS overcrowded you can see him standing,
never complaining of the lack Of seats; he i.
there for the comfort Of others; he forgets hi
own He is large-hearted man; and every
thing about him is large. The big hands ar,
only waiting behind him to give freely. Tn
broad back can bear goodly share of Others
burdens. The coat sits loosely, but not more
loosely than fortune sits upon him-he woule.
slip it off for another's need. His gray lock
are unshorn: closeness Of any kind is not il
lis nature: and his head bends to give plenty
IF time and plenty of thought to all whom he
could benefit.
As for the back Of the rogue himself, it is o
infinite variety. II there were only one sort
We might all make what soldiers call a recon.
Nuisance to the rear, and detect and outwi
him; but his name is legion There is tn
sharp dealer of the business world, who is re
spruce at the back; and the al
venturer of society, who can bow like the firsi
Gentleman in Europe; and 10000 more va
rieties, from the welsher on the turf up to tn,
Gentleman who ought to be a baronet. an6
and who has lived for the last thirty years
upon that statement, and upon charitably col
letting for the savages of Borrioboola. H
could straighten his body if he liked. but hi.
mind is fixed on curves of cunning. He arc
MS principles are as crooked as wriygling eels.
BooKwoRM-
The back Of bookworm is another kind OF
bend-a curve to be respected. Nor is il tn,
,toop of old age. And this reminds rs that
the back is an index of old age as well as o.
character. The small child stands n souare
,pripht. sturdy atom of humanity. Tn,
man grows straight To his full height: then
ais shadow broadeus. then his shoulders com,
Onward and his head goes down He il the
dried and shriveled leaf that bends toward il
elf. and curls to diminish size. before i,
-ninyles with the dust of vanished summer.
Who is the individual that comes shuffiin~
oy. knocking his knees and dragging his shoe
and losing his property from sheer INABILITY
70 remember that he has got it. There is an
old saving. n significant one To describe 4,
nan of weak character-tbat he has mo hack
l.ona in him, Wa.na .fr,;d th,ra 10 NO
much backbone in the man who walks rs
not quite sure where he is going to. who drops
ais letters. and never cares TO straighten hi
shoulders.
Still, he is good-natured fellow, and b,
some instinct we read on his hack that he ha
an ambition to be amusing. One is perfectb
certain that the man with such back sing
comic songs; equally certain that he never
knows when people cease to laugh at the song