The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1906-10-25

pose Of studying my fellow-creatures.
| don't find a face that puzzles mo
once in a blue o And really, It's
one of the most diverting things In
life. The foolish, the bovine, and all
the varieties Of each-the cruel foolish
and the kindly foolish, the angry DO
vine and the placid bovine; the alert
person whom you'd have neither for q
friend nor an enemy II you could help
1t; the kindly chap who Is as certain
to go to ruin as he is to 60, sooner or
later, to his grave; the other sort OF
kindly chap who g well to him.
self and to everybody else. Women
whose faces are an index of meanness,
weakness, vanity, spite; women
whose faces tell you at a glance that
they have spent their lives in the love
Of home and children. There's no
studio like the omnibus"
But you wouldn't pass a real tudg-
ment in that random way, said Trus-
colt, rather seriously. 1T might be .
dangerous thing to live by first i'm
pressions."
Dangerous or not" Alexis answer
ed, I'VE all do It. And hone of us can
help It. You may check yourself il
you like, and argue that it's unfair to
be ~prejudiced by a look or a manner,
but the prejudice Is there, for sood or
evil. And the striking thing about 1t
Is that in nine cases out of ten the
natural instructive Judgment is justi-
fed by a more familiar knowledge"
81 like to hold my judgment in re-
serve" said Truscott. One has to re-
member that one is oneself a bundle OF
preconceptions. Why on earth 1t
should be so I can't even guess, but
have a natural antiPathy to red-haired
people. Now to give that antipathy q
loose rein would be manifestly unjust
and ridiculous, and, as a matter or
fact, some one or two very fine fellows
of my acquaintance are as rudy as a
fox"
We'll, you see," Alexis answered,
Complexion has a lot to do with tenn
permanent, but temperament has very
little to do with character. But to go
back to what l was saying, that in
stinctive knowledge Of character
which the first careful gaze at a new
face conveys to you is mutual. You
not only know the man you will like
and trust, but you know the man who
will like and trust you"
Are you sure Of that" asked Trus-
colt.
"As sure as | am OF anything In the
world" said Alexis.
1t was very unlike Truscott to do so,
but he spoke on impulse.
Take a case as a test. What about
myself and you. Do you read trust and
liking into my mental attitude toward
yourself or mistrust and misliking?"
Alexis accepted the inquiry without
embarrassment.
oh" he answered, "tAat's clear
enough. Your natural impulse is to
like me. But it isn't your natural i'm
pulse to trust me. You see," he went
on. with a laugh, II do some credit to
your discernment. I'm a likaRe SOM
of fellow, but I'm a weathercock. I
don't know that It's in me to hold long
to a purpose or an attachment. In the
bottom of your mind, now, don't you
feel that I'm rather an agreeable sort
Of fellow as an acquaintance. but not
quite the kind OF man to go ent with
to shoot tigers? The tigers are meta
phorical. | shouldn't leave a pal to
face a tiger by himself, but should
drop him like a hot potato IL l ceased
to want him. Come! Be candid.
Wasn't that your judgment? You can't
offend me-"
We'll, you see," said Truscott,
~guardedly, 81 don't share your opinion
as to the solidity Of these impress
sions.
Ito Be Continued.)