The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1890-01-11
LANGUAGE OF THE EARS.
Tho Appearance of tho Auricular Append
age Indicative Of Character.


age Indicative of Character.
81 used to notice when lad" said
Q successful business man lately to a
reporter, ''that in making the final
awards at country fairs on the quality
of all sorts of blooded stock, the judges
universally examined the ears of the
animals. Whether it were thorough
bred horse, berkshire hog. dog of
any special breed, from toy terrier to
bull or pointer, or whether it were
Cotswold or Southdown sheep, the
ear was always one of the chief points,
and il that were faulty, all the other
good qualities went for naught. This
set me thinking thai, as men represent
every quality known to the brute crea-
tion, the ears of men would be likely to
serve as pretty sure indices of charac-
ter. / then commenced studying.
First of all l procured good specimen
of what we will call the normal human
ear, one taken from the head of q man
of good character and in whom all the
various qualities and propensities had
been about evenly balanced. a level
headed, practical man of the world.
This ear studied until I had thorough.
ly mastered all the convolrtions and
surfaces that it presented. I've bought
hundreds of them and now have
ABOUT 200 TYPICAL EARS
that I'll show you." With this the old
gentleman unlocked his safe and pro-
duced two packages tied up in oiled
silk. soft and flexible as kid. and semi
transparent. Untying ons of these
packages, there fell out on the table a
number of nondescript fragments of
mummified-looking stuff, which, on
examination. proved 10 be dried, or
rather partially tanned, human ears,
all in q perfect state of preservation, SO
far as the retention of shape is concern
ed. "Why, where did you get all
these?'' Bought 'emof course.n '.Of
the hospitals?" mo, of the undertake
ers. The ears of criminals and paupcrs
would be of no use to me. They would
serve no purpose in the way of study;
the character of the criminal is so clear
ly marked that one type is sufficient to
know all by, while paupers have no
character at all. 1t would make some
people stare if they should exhume
their deceased relatives and find that
they are sleeping the last sleep with
only one ear 10 help them listen for the
last trump. The most obstinate fool I
ever had to deal with was half-starv-
ing artist whose ear wanted to get on
account of its remarkable formation.
He was man of extraordinary business
affairs, but genius. Ioffered that
man
$500 FOR ONE OF HIS EARS,
and the stupid fellow refused it. He
was poor, half starved; didn't I be-
lievc. know where to get the next meal
for himself and his wife and children,
and one would have thought that he
would have jumped at the chance to
get $500 for such trifing inconven-
ience. L offered to supply him with a
false ear, SO as to keep up appearances,
but he would not listen to me, and I |
missed one of the finest opportunities
of my life. Iopened this particular
package to show you one very remark
able example. Here are all sorts of
ears; ears of men who are greatly inn
bued with religious feelings there's an
ear, for instance, of o revivalist; ears
of pronounced atheists, ears of honest
men and ears of rogues; ears of cute
lawyers and ears>of dull money-grab-
bers, whose only study in life has been
how to hold on to dollar. Here's the
ear of a somewhat noted newspaper
man. Now, just see how the lobe of
that ear goes down into the cheek; in
front there is no lobe to the ear at all.
don't say, mark you, that every one
who has an ear of that formation is a.
thief, but l do say that he has the pro-
pensities of one, and only needs oppor-
lunity or temptation to develop them.
This ear. in its principal characters
lie, is almost the counterpart Of pair
that are worn by man of former high
in the business world, but
who is now serving term in the peni-
Ientiary. 1t is only a week or two ago
had an occasion to let a contract for
building an extensive wall, and among
he bidders was one who offered to do
he work half a dollar thousand low
r than any one else. But when saw
he man
HIS EARS TOLD ME |;
lot to trust him. / know he would :
ave robbed me in some way had he
.ot the contract. Here's another typi-
al ear. You see this thin cartilage,
nth the roll disappearing in the north
ast corner and the ear itself coming
lmost to point, somewhat like
ox's. That is the ear of q keen, un-
hard-hearted -money-lend-
r; one of those who seem to take
ositive delight in depressing the un- {
,rtunate and in wringiny from them
interest for small accom- :
lodations. Some of these ears set well
ack like fox's when it is snarliug;
ley are the worst cases. In nthars
le upper point stands slightly for
ard; such men are rather shrewd and
inning than cruel, but they are not
Try pleasant folks ut the best. Others
this sort, again, are movable at the
ill of their owners. These chaps add
their other amiable qualities q quar- b
lsome disposition that will make
em snap and snarl at everything and
erybody. The only way is to select
few noteworthy specimens. Study
e ears of some men whose character I
III are well acquainted with, and mark
cir respective peculiarities. Then
mpare those of men of similar char
teristics, and see where their strong
rescmblances are; the first discoV-
Y of principle for yourself is the on
difficulty. II any one is about to get
,rried, could tell him whether the
imam he is about to wed is likely to q,
rec with him or not. Oh, you may 8
it down for fact that the ear is the 8.
le index of character. Tell me be-