Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1893-02-25
THEORIES. ABOUT FEET.
THE FORM OF THE FOOT DIFFER.
IN MAN AND WOMAN.

1t is Also indicative of individuality r".
sIbiiities of the Feet If Left to Thcit
Natural and Unrestricted Growth How
Various Gaits Reveal Personal Charct";.
In the form of the foot the sexes dii.
fer aS much or even more than in hat
of the hand A womans foot is usu-
ally narrower in proportion than It
mans, while his will be considerably
stronger in the ankle, and more
powerful in the formation of the toes,
especially of the ball of the great toe
When q woman owns strong, firm,
wide foot many of us experience per.
haps no sensation of surprise at finding
her strong Minded" When man
trips along on delicate little foot peo.
pie instincively believe him to be lack.
ing in power, and often put him down
rs eileminate.
If, instead of the cramping impriSon-
ment of boots and shoes, the foot from
infancy were allowed free and natural
Development it may be questioned
whether, under such conditions, It
might not be rendered capable of per,
forming other functions besides those
OF locomotion and sustaining the
weight of the body.
Certain, at least, it is that some un-
lucky mortals born without arms have
managed to use knife, fork, spoon,
pen, amt brush, and even violin
bow. 1 hat the rIght foot is, like the
right hand. ordinarily more mobile and
Lao, lass
might be attributed to the more FIRE.
quent exertion of This side, were it not
that The peculiIrity is said to extend it
self even to the constitution, and the
left eXtremities are asserted to he more
liable to di ease than the right.
The more difficult movements in
stage dancing are usually executed upon
the right foot, and it is generally con.
silerel hat unless double practice he
accorded to the left leg an ungraceiu!
preference for the right will be shown
by the dancers in their public perfor,
mauces.
Most people tread more firmly with
the right than the left foot There
seems to he Il grea' or capacity for pro
pelling the body with the right foot
from this the horseman springs with
his lett in the stirrup, and, unless left
handed, no boy in his play hops natur-
ally upon the left foot.
10 the attentive eye none of the ordi-
nary gestures or movements betraY
prcuiiarities of individual character
moro plainly than the gait-the sailors
rolling. tine soldiers stiff the country
mau's ioltiug gait are Immediately rec
ogniZed.
Slow steps, whethor long Or short,
suggest gentle or reflective state 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, wuvering and following every
changing impulse of the mind, newt
ably betrays uncertainty, hesitation and
in,leciSion.
The proud steps slow and measured,
the toes are CON picuously turned out,
the leg is Strengthened. In vanity the
toes are little more gracefully turned,
the st ides little shorter, and there is
very often an aflectation of modesty.
Tiptoe walking symbolizes surprise,
curio,ity, discretion or mystery. OBJ
stinate people who in an Argument rely
more on muscularity than on iutellcc-
tual p 'wer rest the feet fiat and firm ON
the ground, walk heavily and slowly,
and stand with the legs firmly planted
and far apart. Turned-in toes nro
often found with preoccupied, absent
minde persons.
The toes pointed and dragged on the
ground with slow measured stop give IL
pompous appearance. Perp!exity oc,
casions irregular steps and abrupt
movements. The prudent walk is
mea-ured and regular, entirely fret
from Jury, agitation, or precipita.
tion.
The miser's walk is represented as
STOPPING, noiseIess, with short, nerv-
ous, anxious steps. In JOY tho walk
is liNe'y, for lightness, grace supple
ncsN characterize happy mind,
although the walk here is modified in
harmony with the cause of the JOY ; the
JOY of gratitied ambition, for example
betraying itsolf by different outward
Semblance from the JOY of happy love-
Disappointment walks heavily and
with irregular step. Where revenge.
ful purpose he hidden under feignod
smile the step will be sinking and
nois.leys