The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-03-15
CHARACTER IN GRIPS.
an Interesting Study Of Human
Nature.
You Can Gauge tho Character OF Your
Ncighbor In the Street-Car by tho
~ Way He She Holds on
. 10 to tho Strap.

disposition as clear ana convincing as
that furnished by the expression of the
eye, the set of the mouth, the contour of
the head, or any of the numerous mystic
criterions by which the imaginative man
strivesto judge his chance acquaintance
is furnished by the hand. There is n
good deal more truth than humbug in the
claim. But you don't have to go through
the tomfoolery of studying the lines of
the palm to find the fact out All that
Is necessary, says the San Francisco
Examiner, is to get on strcet-car that
is run by a careless or playful driver
and you'll be able to read character by
watching the hands of your fellow pas
sengcrs
Who, for example, has not seen the
man of aggressive character, who pushes
his way over all obstacles with the ap-
gressive hold of the strap that defies all
the tricks of the driver to upset him?
Next him, perhaps, is tho passive man,
satisfied to move along in the calm
peacefulness of gentle nature. He
Seels half around, treads on the toe of
the choleric man, who imagincs himself
safely slowed away in a corner. and
grabs the strap with n forcfingcr and
thumb, and utters n mild rcbuke ON the
uncomfortable methods of the driver.
Whenever the jolt comes, and
wherever you chance to be, YOU will al
ways notice, with satisfaction, the man
of tirinness, whose grip of the strap has
all the characteristics of his sure-footed
method of going through business and
life. lie is always prepared for cmcrr-
encles, and no ovcr-jubilant driver or
engineer can catch him mapping
The awkward man is cvcrywhcrc.
lie Is the butt of ridicule and the tarret
OF ell maledictions that an outrageous
and disturbed public pours out when it's
comfort is intcrfcred with. Look at
the awkward hand and, in your minds
eye, you can see the helpless struggle
of its owner with fate Great rood
fortune only saved that hand that has
brought up for support suddenly against
the side of the car from going through
the window pane. You can bet tooth
pick to new silk umbrella that the
| passenger has stamped on somebody's
choicest corn with q relentless and in
considerate heel, and you can bet that
the owner of the corn has wished the
awkward one to go to Kamtchatka.
The man who only holds on to strap
anyhow shows by his temporary hold
that he is the sort of fellow who doesn't
do any thing requiring exertion unless
he is compelled to, and is not n pleasant
man to travel with, either.
Everybody who travels has seen the
short man who has been left in the race
for seat. He's self-reliant, generally,
even If he is small in stature, and the
cane handle thrust through the strap,
yielding a less wearying and muscle
tearing support proves how he goes
about, prepared at all times to cuchre
unfriendly fortune when she gets bnd-.
tempered.
The weak, uncertain, pulpy and I'M
profitable type of man can be read in
stantly In the manner in which the
strap lis grasped weakly, just as surely
us the timid and shrinking disposition
reveals itself in q grasp of the leather
that is insecure and easily dislodged by
q jolt.
What the expert at hand-rcnding
would call the conversation grip" is
another interesting and peculiar feat
ure OF the strap-using traveller. Glance
at the grip. 1t is easy to imagine the
owner of that hand STOPPING over and
chatting with some one who has the
61SubSA III OlluC I'll u seal. our con-
versattonal traveller always holds a
strap that way. It is as sure an indica-
ton that the owner is passionately
fond of talking as the confident grip of
his next-door neighbor shows that that
neighbor is man who goes through
life with the conviction that he can
take care of himself, no matter what
happens He Is the happy mean be-
tween the aggressive and the passive
man, and doubtless n very companion
able and decent fellow
who that has travelled much in the
bustling town, especially when the
crush is greatest on cars and train, has
not longed for the avcnging pin to stick
into the wishy-washy, altogether use
less dude or languid man? He is con-
stantly throwing the burden IF himself
upon somebody else, and the extraor-
binary and aggravating manner in
which he holds on to the car-strap is n
proof of insipid and backbonelcss per-
sonality that manly men dctest. The
vil'ile grip of the bony hand of the man
OF plenty of sand is pleasing contrast.
This type of man uses but one finger for
support, as rule, but he holds on lust
the same.
The dainty hold is that of the gloved
hand of young woman who is stand
ing there holding strap because the
men in the seats are apparently too in
tent reading the evening newspaper, or
because their eyes are shut and they
seem to be asleep 1t is an attraction
that always wins, although it may take
some time. Somebody gets interested
in the bracelets Or the eyes of their
owner and gives up n seat to the fair