The St. Johns herald., 1893-09-28
TOLD BY THE FEET.
Character As Read in the Pedal
 ExtremitieS.
i Mans PecuIiarities May Be Detected by a Careful Study of His Manner Of Ta,king-Some Things
 Worth Knowing.

In the form of the foot the sexes diff fer as much or even more than in that of the hand. 4 woman's foot is usual ly narrower in proportion than that of a man S, while he will be considerably stronger in the ankle and more power ful in the formation of the toes, espe- 1 ciallv of the ball of the great toe. When a woman owns strong, firm, wide foot many of us experience no sensation of surprise at finding her 'strong-minded;" when a man trips along on delicate little foot people instinctively believe him to be lacking in power and often put him down as effeminate. If instead of the cramp- ing imprisonment of boots and shoes the foot from infancy were allowed a free and natural development it is likely that under such conditions it might be rendered capable of perform ing other functions besides those Of locomotion and sustaining the weight of the body. Certainly it is, says the Boston Herald, that some unlucky mortals born without arms have man. aged to use a knife, fork, spoon, pen, paint brush and even a violin bow. That the right foot is, like the right hand, ordinarily more mobile and at the same time stronger than the left might be attributed to the more ire quent exertion on this side were 1t not that the peculiarity is said to extend itself even to the constitution, and the left eXtremities are asserted to be more liable to disease than the right. The most difficult movements in stage dancing are usually executed upon the right foot, and it is generally consid- cred that unless double practice be ac- corded to the left leg an ungraceful preference for the right will be shown by the dancers in their public per formance.
 Many people tread more firmly with the right than with the left foot. There seems to be greater capacity for propelling the body with the right foot. From this the horseman springs with his left foot in the stirrup, and unless left-handed no boy in his play hops naturally on his left foot, To the attentive eye none of the ordinary gestures or movements betray pecul- iarities of individual character more plainly than the gait-the sailors roll ing. the soldiers stiff, the country mans jolting gait are immediately recognized. Slow steps, whether long or short, suggest gentle or reflective sort of mind, as the case may be, while, on the contrary, quick steps seem to speak of agitation and energy. Reflection is revealed in frequent pauses and walking to and fro, back ward and forward; the direction of the steps, wavering and following every changing impulse Of the mind, inevita- bly, betrays uncertainty, hesitation and indecision. The proud step is slow and measured, the toes are conspicu- ously turned out, the leg is straight ened. In vanity the toes are rather more gracefully turned, the stride little shorter and there is often an affecta- tion of modesty. Tiptoe walking sym bolizes surprise, curiosity, discretion or mystery. Obstinate people who, in an argument, rely more on muscularity than on intellectual power, rest their feet flat and firm on the ground and stand with the legs firmly planted and far apart. Turned-in toes are often found with unoccupied, absent-minded persons. The toes pointed and dragged on the ground with slow, meas ured step give pompous appearance. Perplexity occasions irregular steps and abrupt movements. The prudent walk is measured and regular, entirely free from hurry, agitation or precipi- tation. The miser's walk is represent ed as stopping, noiseless, with short, nervous, anxious steps. In joy the walk is lively, for lightness, grace, supple ness characterize a happy mind, al- though the walk here is often modi- fled, in harmony with the cause of the joy; the joy of gratifed ambition, for example, betraying itself by different outward semblance than the joy of a happy love. Disappointment walks heavily with slow and irregular steps.