The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-08-11
TALES OF CLOAK-ROOM
 TOLD BY CHAMP CLARK
Qualities of People are More or Less Estimated by Their Physical FeatureS--TalleSt
 the Greatest Rulers.

light or harass mankind, as the case may be, 1t is not strange that it is commonly accepted that only women plume themselves upon their beauty and that men don't care continental whether they are themselves handsome or to steal a word from Nat Dfydens mint unpretty.
 If this be true. then the genius who first conceived the idea of putting a looking glass in the tops of mems hats to sell his wares was. to say the least of it. no blood relation to King Solo, mon.
 It may be true as a general thing men do not care for themselves, though I don't believe one word of IL but if so there are exceptions Wnich prove the rule.
 It is a, historical fact that when Mrs Gen. William Henry Harrison took possession of the White House and viewed the landscape OCT" with an idea of renovating it she observed, with amusement. that the only portion of the velvet carpets worn threadbare and trodden into tatters was the part immediately in front of the mirrors in the rooms used by President Van Bur en as his private apartments. 6ut. then, "Old Van" was not only "a used up man." as the hard cider. coonskin literature hath it. but was g gay ana festive widower which Is an explana tion that explains. Although he lacked as much of being an Apollo Belvedere es any of the occupants of that greatly coveted mansion, he was under the do- minion of Cupid, the most inexorable tyrant of all the gods of mythology, and whatever time he could snatch from the serious business of his presi- dential life-i. C.. the setting up of pins and the pulling of wires and the lay ing of pipes for re-election-he spent III admiring his own foxy face and pudgy figure In a looking lsass. "allee samee as Melican gallee." How the hard heart of this tough old politician grew tender at such moments under that all conouering flame which has melted us all, first or last would form an instruc- tive chapter in American politics if we only mad it and would perhaps make the world feel kindlier toward the willy Sage of Kinderhook."
 It cannot be disputed that a woman's personal appearance had mucn 10 do with her success in life in the good old days when catching husband was one of her chief occupations and has something to do with her career now, in the day of the new woman" and her hideous bloomers. 'l'- :'-,---ss z
 Whether or not a mans looks, phys lcal strength and size in any way innu- ence his politic2i career is question which every boy aspiring to public sta- tion should study praYerfully and care fully, for if he intends entering upon that perilous life he cannot afford to despise any aids which he can legiti- mately invoke. If he decides that these things count, he can by proper trains ing increase his size, augment ms strength and improve his looks. though he cannot add cubit to his stature.
 am not expressing any opinion on this subject. but from time immemorial the qualities of people have been more or less estimated by their physical features.
 In antiquity rulers were chosen more Tor their physical than their intellectu- al prowess.
 The idea still survives in our vo- cabulary if not in our practice for the word king" when traced back to its Teutonic origin means "one who can" It is the same as the German koenig.
 Shakespeare puts these words into the mouth of Julius Caesar: Let me have men about me that are fat sleek headed men and such as sleep O nights. Yon Cassius hath a lean and hungry look He thinks too much. Such men are dangerous. Would he were fatter."
 It is thumped into the heads of our schoolboys constantly - to their detrt- ment. as I think - that every boy is a possible President.
 It would be infinitely better to im- press upon them that they should do their duty honestly. intelligently and coura geously in whatever station God may place them and that the chief end of an American. if not of man, is to be good law-abiding, patriotic citizen. a true neighbor, a faithful friend, a kind husband and a tender father.
 Every boy can be all these. but only tion can be president. +..s-
 Nevertheless the Presidncy is the measure of human greatness in this country. There have been 24 Presi- dents What manner of men were they physically? Of the 23 only four Washington, Jefferson. Jackson and Lincoln-were over six feet; Washing ton and Jefferson being feet 1-2 inches. Jackson feet 1 inch. and Lin coin overtopped them all with 6 feet inches.
 Washington. Jefferson and Lincoln were not only very tall, but famous for their strength. Every boy remem- bers the stories of how Washington pulled new horseshoe in two With his hands and how he threw stone acress the Rappahannock at Fredericksburg. a performance never duplicated by any other man, while Lincoln could out wrestle any other soldier in the Black Hawk war.
 Hundreds of stories have been told of Jefferson's strength and grace.
 These four men outrank all other American Presidents. To say that they were great because of their unusual stature would be arguing on the cum hoo ergo propter hoo principle. which never do.
 James Madison was the smallest of the Presidents physically. but he comes near crowding into the first class men, tally. He was about feet and weigh ed little above 100. He enjoys the dis tinguished honor in history of being known as ''the Father of the Consti- tuition"
 In fact. he and Alexander Hamilton. another little man physically. are enti- tied to the lions share of the praise for the adoption of that great charter of our liberties. By this one performance and it was their chef doeuvre. these two small men did more to influence the destiny of the human race than all the giants who have lived from the days of Og to the present hour.
 And Hamilton met his death at the hands of Aaron Burr. tlle smallest man -ha u,aS aUar Vice-Presldent