The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1886-12-30
CHARACTER IN FEET.
A Persons Walk Sure Indication OF
Temperament and business Cap
acity.

"Palmistry is the new art, | under
stand, for delineating character" re-
marked a smart young detective, yester-
day, ''or, rather, it is a very old one re-
vived, but for our business the hands
don't show half so much character as
the feet. In foot-gear, If the subject be
properly studied, there will be found
more to indicate the character of the
wearer than most people have any idea
OF. It's quite an easy matter for q man
to disguise his facial appearances; it may
be done by dyeing the hair or beard, or
by wearing it in different style; but
man old enough to wear a beard can
never disguise his walk, he can't destroy
the conformation of his feet, and if he
have tendency to run his shoe down
in the heel it's an invaluable piece OF
information to the detective who wants
him. Just to illustrate how this works
I'll tell you Il story.
Not Il great while ago l received a
tin-type picture of n Young man who
was wanted in the east. 1t was q very
bad picture; part OF the face was blurr-
ed. and only the eyes and nose were Wis
lble with diSiinctneSS and character
enough TO make it comparatively easy
matter to pick out our man should we
ever meet him. His clothing was well
pictured, and its style, cut and finish
gave us an idea as to where we might
expect TO run across such a fellow. The
clothing was nothing if not fiashy, and
we concluded it would be the style of
dress small-fry gambler would banker
after. We went 10 a gamb-I forgot
there are no gambling houses open in
Chicago, but we went to place, and
pretty soon we met Il young man who
looked exactly like the party we wanted.
We were Just about To take hold of him.
when his double. II man having his fea-
lures, the color of his hair and ewes,
turned up. and for an instant we didn't
know what TO do.
Either one of those two men might
have been taken for the original of the
tintype, and we didn't know which was
which. From the shoulders up the re-
semblance was astonishing, but it ended
there. The utmost difference in their
appearance was noted when the men
commenced 10 stir about. Our man was
waiter by occupation, and we observ-
ed that one of the men while walking
strobe on boldly, putting out one foot
in front OF the other in almost two
straight lines, while the other fellow
toed out. and when he walked it was.
apparently, - much as he could do to
keep his heels from knocking together.
My partner looked at him moment
and sad: That Is the waiter
- How 90 YOU know? 1 asked
'' See how nc walks. was the reply.
He pu;s out each foot sideways as if he
feared he was going TO get tripped up
Oh account of his long apron. Nearly
all walters toe out because of their long
aprons. He's got the walk, and that's
our man
well it turned out 70 be true He
was our man, and it was the simple
matter of his style of work, due to the
conformation of his feet that led to his
arrest We got him just in time, as he
had made big winni-I mean he
had considerable money with him, and
he had decided to leave town at once.
Now, that was Il clear case in proof of
the character that is manifested in feet
and in foot-gear, both shoes and boots.
He walked with his toes turned out
far out-and we knew that a man with
an apron in front of him, reaching to
the bottom of his trousers naturally
walks so that he strikes each foot against
the farthest side of the apron, thus to
prevent its tripping him up. Team
sters, or those of them who wear long
rukber coats, do the same thing. Some
times mans character can be pretty
nearly determined 10y the way he walks
when his mind is busy. Thieves and
foxy people in general walk very much
like eat. | know Il weli-known chat
tel-mortGa9e tend downtown. The
fellow is regular shark. He is abso-
lutely mercilcss III his dealings with un-
fortunate people, but he is one of the
most suave rogues that ever escaped the
penitentiary.
''But there is Just rs much character
in boots and shoes rs there is in the
feet that wear them. It's Il common be-
lief that a big foot Is n sure sign of good
nature. My observation goes to show
it's Il sure sign OF Il very coarse nature.
Then there is the long. slender shoe of
the nervous crank and the short, wide
boot of the pig-hcaded individual who
is just as much crank. Look ut the
sandal worn by the Chinese; don't they
suggest feeble intellect? Then think of
the old wooden shoes worn by the old
country peasants; amt they perfectly
well adapted for the rough work of out
| of-doorsp And see, too, the moccaSin
of the Indian; what better would suit
his peculiar needs?
"Oh, yes, there is good deal of char
acter in boots and shoes, especially, il
they are old ones. - Chicago NeIOS.
The deafness of the late Lord Allies