The Yellowstone journal. [volume] (Miles City, Mont.) 1893-1901, 1894-02-24
CHARACTER In GAIT.
PERSONALITY OF PEOPLE SHOWS
ITSELF IN THEIR WALK.

Steady Tread and Manly Carriage.
1t is Plutarch who says that "An ac-
ton of small note, a short saying or jest
will distinguish a persons real character
more h the greatest sieges or the
most important battles" and Lavater,
the father of p~hysiognomy, declares that
no man can set a glass upon a table
without betraying to a certain extent
his individuality. True, no doubt, but
one must have the keen vision. the well
trained eye, in order to interpret these
mystic signs. The indications of char
acter as exhibited in the walk of a per-
son, however, are patent to every be-
holder and may be deciphered by the
most untutored. the least astute.
Sit by your window some fine morn
ing and watch the men and women as
they pass To their varied avocations.
Take. for example, the man just APP
preaching. His chin i elevated to an
angle of 20 degrees. q self important
frown c~orruSates his brow, a compliment
smile plays about his mouth, he struts
rather than walks. iced | point him
out as a man OF DO ldless c~Onceit, of
monumental brass, G colossal gall: His
amiabillty is impert 'bable, for n who
is absolutely'sel sa' SIZED Is apt to take
an indulgent view the world at large.
His faith in him If is limitless. No
traitorous feeling of self distrust will
ever cause his fl ure. He will under
take without the slightest misgiving
what a man of ten times his ability would
hesitate to attempt. His success in life
is assured. and yet one I'M help feel
ing that if traced to its roots 1t would be
found to spring from defects rather than
merits.
The dress of the woman coming just
behind him is arranged with mathemat-
ical exactness. The placing of each pin
has been a matter of special care. Her
lips are compressed, her hands clasped
priInly before her, her steps are taken
with painful accuracy; there is not a
h~airbreadth's difference in the length of
them. If YOU follow her to her home.
you will find that the same scrupu!ous-
ness prevails III the disposition of every
thing about her. The furniture is ar
ranged with rectangular exaCtup-,
there is not a pm oUt Of lac" iu .r
bureau drawers. and the - ID -.
pantry shelves are L-." .a.rd ILL.,. >.-
diers on parade. So vii a.cu..r.-
no great work IL 1T however.
precisionist and - uas L,r l--.a 3.a-
ously doing nothing and. also. 2
care Of this woman. She l. auar...-.v
uncomrroA.i,Iug. and al abprt L.r ,4a t
be Topped Ell IT stretch uHt 10 .t Gle"
p~rocrustean idea of order which r.Ia in
her own mind.
Bat don't-you who are IN search Of a
wife-fall into the opposite error Of choos-
ing as a life companion the glrl with the
frouzy head, the skirt Of whose dress
dips in points, whose gait is careless.
who swings her arms as she walks. She
is generous, warm hearted, good natur.
ed, possessed of noble traits. but con
fusion, with all its hideous train of evils.
follows in her wake. One foresees for
her an untidy. chaotic household, irreg.
ular. i'll arranged meals and uncleanly.
badly governed children. Ii her husband
happens TO be a strong, AN exceptionally
stroug man, he will simply be supremely
wretched and uncomfortable. If not.
his ambition will be paralyzed, his dis
position spoiled; ne will escape the phys
ical discomforts of his situation by every
in his power and perhaps drown
the recollection of them in drink.
The man with the shutting, uncertain
gait, whose steps seem to be directed by
no guiding power within, is weakmind- !
ed. There is nothing which more surely
betrays feebleness of intellect than the
walk. And he of the awkward gait, the
re-,. 'ess manner, the furtive glance, is !
the mo. -bidly self conscious man. who
cannot fde a moment divest himself of
the sense Of beng observed; who lives,
so to speak, under a glass case. And he
of the soft, cautious tread. who gives you
the impression Of creeping upon some
as a cat creeps up upon a bird, is
feline in his nature. He is not to be
trusted; he is treacherous; every faculty
of his mind is poised for a spring.
Let me commend to your confidence
the lan just coming into vlew-the man
with the earliest eye. the manly carriage,
the firm tread, who walks with simple,
straightforward d~irectness, as If toward
some given point. He is stable IN ali
his ways" He has a distinctly defined,
well considered purpose in life, toward
the attainment of which he advances
with answering steadfastness,
turning to the right or the left, never
allowing himself to be drawn into by
paths, no matter how alluring. His vic
tory is assured, his success merely a ques-
ton of time.
And 80 might one multiply types ad
inRnitum, for the variety in mankind is
limitless. Nor is it to be wondered at
that the characteristics of men and WON
en- exhibit themselves in the gait, for
the motive power, the propellinS force.
il from within.
In his account of Catalina, Sallust.
the great master of nature, has not for
gotten to remark that his walk was
now quick and again slow, as an lndi-
cation of a mind revolving with violent
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Times.