The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1894-02-07
Character in Gait.

Will distinguish person real Character
more than the greatest sieges or the
most important battles" and Lavater,
the father Of physiognomy, 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 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 is elevated to an
angle of 20 degrees. self important
frown corrugates his brow, a complacent
smile plays about his mouth. he struts
rather than walks. Need | point him
out as a man of boundless concoit, of
monumental brass, of colossal gall' dis
amiability is imperturbable, for one who
! is absolutely self satisfied is apt to take
an indulgent view of the world at large.
His faith in himself is limitless. No
traitorous feeling of self distrust will
ever cause his failure He will under
take without the slightest misgiving
what man of ten times his ability would
hesitate to attempt. His success in life
is assured, and yet one cannot 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
primly before her, her steps are taken
with painful accuracy; there is not
hairbreadth's difference in the length of
them. If YOU follow her to her home,
you will find that the same scrupulous-
ness prevails in the disposition of every
thing about her The furniture is ar
ranged with rectangular exactness,
there is not a pin out of place i'll her
bureau drawers, and the jars upon her
pantry shelves are marshaled like sol
diers on parade. She will accomplish
no great work in life, however She is a
precisionist and spends her time labori-
ously doing nothing. And. also, take
care of this woman. She is absolutely
uncompromsng. and all about her must
be Topped off or stretched out to fit the
procrustean idea of order which exists III
her own mind.
But don't-you who are in search OF a
wife-fall into the opposite error of choos
ing as life companion the girl with the
frouzy head, the skirt of whose dress
dips in points, whose gait is careless
who swings her arms as she walks. ShC
is generous, warm hearted, good natur
ed, possessed of noble traits, but con
fusion, with all it's hideous train of evils
follows in her wake. One foresees fo
her an untidy, chaotic household, irreg
ular, i'll arranged meals and uncleanly
badly governed children. If her husban,
happens to be strong, an EXCEPTIONAL,
strong man, he will simply be supremel.
wretched and uncomfortable. If not
his ambition will be paralyzed, his dis
position spoiled; he will escape the phys
ical discomforts of his situation by ever,
: means in his power and perhaps drown
the recollection of them in drink.
. The man with the shuffiing, uncertain
gait, whose steps seem to be directed b.
no guiding power within, is weakmind
. ed. There is nothing which more surel
betrays feebleness of intellect than tn
= walk. And he of the awkward gait, tn
- restless manner, the furtive glance,
!, the morbidly self conscious man, VIII
. cannot for moment divest himself c
. the sense of being observed; who lives
so to speak, under glass case. And h
;, of the soft, cautious tread, who givesyo
= the impression of creeping upon som
:. object as cat creeps up upon bird,
!, feline in his nature. He is not to /
- trusted; he is treacherous; every facult
), of his mind is poised for spring.
80 Let me commend to your confdenC
the man just coming into vlew-the ma
b with the earnest eye, the manly carriag
= the firm tread, who walks with simpl
', straightforward directness, as if towar
3 some given point. He is "stable in a
70 his ways" He has distinctly defined
a. well considered purpose in life, towar
. the attainment of which he advance
=, with answering steadfastness, nev'
u turning to the right or the left, nevt
= allowing himself to be drawn into b,
- paths, no matter how alluring. His vi
g tory is assured, his success merely que
g ton of time
- - And SO might one multiply types g
~ fnfinitum, for the variety in mankind
limitless. Nor is it to be wondered
~ that the characteristics of men and Won
y en- exhibit themselves in the gait, f,
.,II the motive power, the propelling fore
-, q, is from within.
va ~ In his account of Cataline, Sallus
Nv the great master of nature, has not fo
gotten to remark that "his walk w
now quick and again slow, as an inc
cation of mind revolving with viole
emotions. Philadelphia Times.