The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1900-01-16
Character Read By the Way You Wear
Your Hat.
On. Y. Journal
On. Y. Journal


Show me how a man wears his hat
and will tell you what manner Of
man he s. Notice yourself how he
wears his headgear, and you can
make fair estimate Of his character.
In choosing companion for life" j"
for business, for an afternoons jauut
among the hills or few lazy hours
on the beach, select the man whose
hat seems to have been made for him
and which he has set squarely upon
his head as il was Designed to do,
with never n tilt to the right or left
nor fore or aft.
He is a methodlcal man and com
Portable man, with q rare endow-
ment of common sense. He is not
given to iscrisn flights of fancy. He
obeys the Injunction of the homely
philosopher who advised all mankind
to keep its feet upon the ground.
His enemies never dreamed of call
ing him a visionary, although they
might be heard whispering behind
their hands "prosaic." The man
whose hat habituslly fits him is a man
of accuracy aud logic.
Men whose hats are always too
large for them are Of reflective habits.
They are careless of externals and
given to introspection. They are
philosophical and likely to fall into
fits of preoccupation. They are men
Of large ideas and broad views.
They are apt to ignore mere
details. Conapicuously Of this class
was the late Premier, Mr.. Gladstone,
whose hat brms always showed a
disposition to reach his ears.
Men whose hats are always too
small for them are vain and fnicsl.
OF this type are the pretty boys who
promenade on Broadway and admire
themselves, Narcissus like, in shop
windows.
The man who wears his hat drawn
over his eyes may not be Crook"
but he is undoubtedly "schemer."
he excels in strategy, whether he
uses his gifts in au army campaign or
in coup on Wall street. He is of
secretive nature. He is self-relisnt
and self-centered, which is only an
other phrase for "selfsh." He is
not cheerful. He is, in fact, given
to gloomy meditations. He may be
Mtchiavelli or he mLy be only a
business promoter, but he is always,
first and foremost, schemer.
Much more does the man who hs.
bituslly wears his hat pushed off his
forehead enjoy the confidence Of his
fellow men. The man who wears his
hat, as women are wearing their
newest bonnets, off the forehead, is
essentially frank. He is admired by
those who do not agree with any OF
his views, for his straightforwardness.
He has a joyous nature. If Nature
has not gifted him with singing
voice he whistles.
The msn who wears his hat tilted
over his eyes is invariably a pessi-
mist.
The man who pushes his hat back
from his forehead is always an opti-
mist. The man whose hat slopes at
the back has unus ualbrsin power.
The intellectual predominates his
make up.
The man whose hat slips low over
his forehead is of strong Materials
tic tendencies. The man who wears
his hat at an acute angle on the back
Of his head cares little for conven'
tionalitles. He is more than likely
to ignore them.
The man who wears his had drawn
forward may despise them, but he
pays outward observance to them.
The man who places his hat on one
side is independent. He is self'as'
sertiye. He is a "sport;' by nature
if not by practice. Heis handy with
bis fist, and in the course of his life
he is apt to make some lasting i'm
pressions with his knuckles.
The man whose hat is perfectly
straight and nicely adjusted is man
OF mathematical exsctness OF purpose
and practice.