Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1893-07-26
A FALSE NOTION.
Does Looking One Squarely In the Fac
Indicate Anything.


Does Looking One Squarely In the Face
Indicate Anything.
There are few subjects which a
greater amount of nonsensical rubbish
has been written than upon the idea
squarely in the face. and the dropping
of the eyes or the shifting of the glance
indicates sentiments quite the reverse
of these.
AS a matter of fact, brazen impu-
dence or the lack of common sense and
delicacy is quite as likely to meet ones
gaze squarely as honest sincerity. The
careful observer of the peculiarities of
mankind can but admit that such a
test is by no means satisfactory one.
The perfectly honorable, frank, ingen-
uous person, one with only credita BILE
sentiments in his soul, is much more
likely to be little timid and shy and
to feel slightly abashed in the presence
of strangers or those he may fancy to be
his superiors Under these circum-
stances there is natural tendency to
modest demeanor and that respectful
attention that real merit almost always
EXPERIENCES when conversation of any
Importance is in progress
So much has been said of this
straightforward looking in the face
business that the assured and steady
stare has become one of the &C.
quired accomplishments of large
class of persons, and this, too, class
that has neither stability nor other
good qualities to recommend it. The
practice stands, in their minds, for con-
fidence and easy assurance, and is an
excellent means, in their opinion, of
inspiring respect for their straightfor-
wardness and honesty. The value of
such tests rests solely upon the natural
ness of the individual to whom they
are applied.
Another within that has been exploit
ed not little is the so-called test of
persons guilty of crimes and INSIDE
meanors of various sorts. Some pre-
ternaturally wise individual once made
the assertion that when suspected
person was cross-questioned too sharp
ly and desired to appear extremely in
different, he cultivated a habit of
yawning; and that, as natural conse-
quence, yawning under cross-exam-
ination was an indication of en-
barrassment and guilt AS a
matter of fact, there are many
temperaments so susceptible that no
tests of this sort are of any value what
ever. Indeed, the timid and innocent
are the ones to be entirely upset by any
unusual circumstance, while the clear
headed criminal will stand almost all
ordeals without the fiutter of nerve
1t is one of the remarkable facts of
legal history, and one that seems to
have attracted no special attention,
that tricks and traps set to catch the
unsuspecting have resulted in securing
certain amount of evidence, but by
no means in fixing the guilt where it
belonged. Because man looks one
squarely in the face; because he bears
the most critical and scathing cross
examining without flinching; because
the medical expert can detect no I'M
due beating of the heart under
excitement; because he has the nerve
to walk steadily into the death cham
Der and put his hands on the face of
the dead and can turn away without
apparent agitation; because he can face
all manner of tests and walk over all
sorts of traps without falling into them,
is not the slightest sign that he is inno-
cent. Indeed, if it proves anything at
all it proves him to be an adept in con-
cealment and a criminal of the worst
class at heart, if not in fact.
The innocent man might quail before
any of these situations and take on all
of the symptoms of guilt while the
adroit villain could stand smiling and
calm, congratulating himself the while
on his superior nerve, and getting
points for future emergencies of the
same sort.
There have been many foolish things
in the history of this world, but moth
ing more silly, unjust and cruel than
| the idea that because man cannot
stare one almost out of countenance
there must of necessity be something
| wrong in his moral nature.-N. Y.
! Ledger.