The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1906-02-17

YOUR PENCIL BETRAYs XOU.
"The way in which a pencil is
sharpened is an unfailing index of
character said woman who speaks
of "living in beautiful silent world, !"
when she refers to the fact that she
is deaf.
1t was after she lost her hearing
that she began to study the relation
between people and the pencils they
sharpen. Having a fancy that the
use of either the sign language or lip
reading would separate her from COM
mon humanity by relegating her to
class, she declines to use either, and
depends on written answers to her
questions
This makes pencil constant me-
cessity, and she has observed pencils
with unusual attention and results.
When understood" she contin-
ued, "a sharpened pencil is an outline
sketch brief statement of what the
person who has done the cutting can
do, and also what he thinks he can
do, which is quite as essential in reach
ing conclusion in regard to him.
lust ask a person to point pen
Gil for you, or better, to lend you one
he has himself selected and sharpened,
as the kind used signifies much, and
you have before you dependable de-
lineation of his leading qualities" /"
To prove that she can in this way
decipher character, and also to demon
strate how she does it, she asked that
a number of pencils be collected and
submitted to her, stipulating only that
the more pronounced characteristics
of the owners should be known to the
one presenting them.
The first pencil examined was one
of the cheaper kind. On one side the
cutting was done with many short,
careful strokes on the other there
was deep, hasty slash and several
others irregularly and carelessly made.
None of these touched the lead, which
was left large and blunt.
"This," said the reader of pencil
points, belongs to person of con-
Trajectory character. Careful as to
minute details, and also parsimonious
in business matters, he or she, though
l think it is woman, will, on an i'm
pulse, spend lavishly.
"Not artistic, though she would be
greatly surprised to be told sol as
sumo the pencil belongs to a woman
she likes fine furnishings, fine gems,
handsome materials, rich combina-
tions, and because of this she fancies
herself person of taste, but she does
not know how to combine and sepa-
rate in a way to make these things
she loves attractive accessories.
"How do reach this conclusion ?
To begin with, this pencil is of the
cheap, harsh sort, which no highly
organized person would care to use.
1.-THE careful way in which it is
cut on one side indicates the extreme
characteristics, as to business matters,
I have pointed out; the long, care
less cut, tendency to spend at times
in an unthinking, unreasoning way.
The irregular cuts which follow this
show of love of excellence, but no
sense of proportion, of that fine fitness
which constitutes beauty. Is this
correct ?"
The person who had secured the
pencil answered that it belonged to
widow who successfully conducts the
business pertaining to fleet of sail
ing vessels left to her by her husband
and that the delineation was quite
correct.
The next pencil examined was dark
brown, of a standard make and evenly
cut with long, strong point, but
little sharpened.
"This," said the woman, as she
rolled the point between her thumb
and finger, belongs to a painstaking,
exact person. Every cent, nay, every
mill, must be where it belongs, not so
much as matter of economy as of
business.
Everything with him is accom-
plished according to we'll established
processes. As to imagination, he
hears about it, and sometimes vaguely
wonders what it is"
The pencil belonged to bank teller
who has grown old in the service of
the institution with which he is con-
nected.
The next one considered was a
bright yellow pencil that had been
cut with deep strokes starting from
each of its six sides. These cuts
were not even, and left the lead for
an unusual distance straight and bare.
AS the woman held the pencil be-
fore her and turned it slowly she ex-
claimed:
"Here we have imagination that
counts This person rides no useless
Pegasus. He does not catch at straws,
but they show him which way the
wind blows, and be sets his sails ac-
cordingly.
"See the strong, swift way in which
he must have made these cuts. They
are not regular, but were effectively
and quickly done.
He is frank, rapid, sure. A little
erratic, just enough to give him indi-
viduality and zest. This last is indi-
Gated by the way the wood is left tc
run down on to the lead at one point,
and the slight irregularity." ;"
The pencil was the property OF 9
writer whose work is well known.
"Ah, what have we here? Thi:
is very nice"
The pencil that brought forth thi:
assertion was neatly cut, both as tc
the wood and the lead, with here ant