Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-09-08
OPENING THE DOOR
THE WAY 1T Is DOME IS AN IN
DEx TO CHARACTER.
The Method of e4osing the Door is Also
Good Line ON Ones
Personality.

From the Chicago Tribune.
A persons character is inseparabie from
him. Never can Hesextricate himself from
its dominion. rsshi1 partner for life
Every word he utters.s each step he takes.
his very laugh. cough. sneeze. or the way in
which he eats his lunch, gives him away.
Nothing that we do but serves to make US
known to those whose perception is keen
enough to decipher its meaning.
But although; itais an undeniable fac.
that character" can be read from a per-
sons exterior, is it, after all, so farfetched
a theory to hold that the manner in which
such comparatively simple feat as opening
a door happens to be should be entirely
without significance?
Six Different Ways.
You admit that the mode of writing-or
recorded pen gesture-of speaking and of
salutation, perhaps, carries meaning
along with it; yet do you deny any mean
ing to an act, at>once so spontaneous and
so individual as that of opening a door?
Well, let us see how many ways there are
of opening a door. There are at least six
of them. The door may be opened abrupt
1y, or 1t may be opened slowly: it may be
opened gently or promptly; and it may be
knocked at''-for one of two reasons:
First. because the person about to enter
the room may be doubtful as to the de-
STABILITY Of doing>s2 without tapping first
OF all; or, secondly because the door won
open unless he nearly smashes it Off it's
hinges.
For instance, consider the case Of the man
%, yes! it may be Woman. for that mat
ter-who comes in without any ceremony
whatever. The handle turns quickly, and
he stands before you almost before you
have time to look up from what you are
about. Is it altogether Illogical or absurd
to believe that such an individual $50 quick
and determined in doing small thing like
opening door, should be energetic,
brusque, bluff, perhaps tactless. but never
theless hearty" and able to go about
everything he does with will, in right
good earnest? The door opening achieve
ment was, after all. only one among his
many voluntary efforts, and as such. since
1t was an unstudied act should not De
altogether without the trademark of his
personality.
Or take the opposite way of door open
ing-the cautious slow manner of enter
ing a room. 1t takes the person some time
to turn the handle, and he seems to pc
quite long time before he appears to
view What will such person be like?
Well, a person who takes upward Of half
an hour to open a door will take, in all
proba bility, a solid year and half to do
anything else. In other words, he will be
slow. tardy, anxious and much inclined to
put off doing what he should do today I'M
til tomorrow-or, at least, until as late to-
day as he possibly can. Such a person
generally needs his battles fought for him
by a forcibIe, spirited individual.
Opens the Door Noiselessly.
The gentle, timid. quiet soul opens the
door noiselessly. You don't even know
that he or she has. come into the room at
ALL Their football is almost inaudible. and
save for the testimony of your. sense of
sight you would say that nobody else was
present. This person is wanting in strength
of character. lacking in decision, SO do not
put your faith in him too much He will
back out of difficulties and should not be
relied upon in any great degree.
On the other hand, the brisk, prompt
turn of the door handle, followed almost
Immediately by the opening and closing of
the door, suggests ANNA ton, resolution
alertnesss } and dependaatbiiffitty in an erner-
Those people who bang at the door are
uncouth, unrefined and more vigorous and
we'll intentioned chan subtle or discerning.
Those. however, who tap gently possess
feeling and are sensitive and tenderheart-
ed. Mirthfuf people perform a regular tat
too on the door: while sober minded indi-
viduals rap seriously and deliberately.
Closing the Door.
Some people regularly burst the door
open. If it does not yield to gentle pres
sure at once they throw the weight of their
whole person against it and literally force
it open. These are the self-willed folk.
the people who have hot tempers, who are
terrible when reused, and who, when STIR
red into action. are thorough and never
half hearted about anything.
Now and then we find people who have
contracted habit of actually shutting the
door carefully behind them. They belong
to the careful attentive, Commemorative, re-
served class. Other persons bang the door
to; they will disclose. on closer investiga-
ton. an absolute Indifference for the feel
ings OF others-will be self-centered and
egotistic
People who only half shut the door never
carry anything to a finality. They lack
completeness, and will not take the trouble
and pains to make their efforts successful
or productive. They are the people who
abhor detail and dislike close observation,
and WILL therefore, never make successful
students or character from noting the way
In which other people open the door.
Inc foregoing hints while not by any
means exhaustive. will, it is believed, serve
to put the curious upon the right track;
and those who are sufficiently interested
may derive pleasure and no little profit
from the warnings which the manner in
which their friends enter the room may in
this way afford them.