San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-08-22
Trusting First
Impressions
By Beatrice Fairfax

walking with last evening on the
boulevard? And VINO was the little
girl trailing along?'
"Oh. you mean Alice-an English
girl I've known long time-doing
war work with our army. The little
girls friend of hers-just met her
can't remember her name"
This fragmentary conversation took
place in Paris, the last year of the
war, between two American buddies.
Jack little dreamed at the time that
seven months later he would be on his
way to America. invalided home, and
that he would be accompanied by his
bride-the little English girl" Janet,
whose name he couldn't remember
when he met her.
What was your first impression
Of Janet?" i asked Jack the other
day. For Jack and his English wife
are friends of mine.
Entirely negative-she didn't make
any impression at ALL" was his reply.
But afterward l often ran across her
in the course of our work in Paris.
Then got to talking with her and
found out the kind of girl she was
entirely innocent with fine sound
views about life and many tastes and
interests similar to my own"
Janet also told me her story.
my first impression of Jack? Sur.
prise. principally. The first night ]
met him he came over with Alice and
me to the canteen where we were on
duty. They danced there that evening.
He asked Alice to dance first.
This surprised me. ! had thought
he would ask me first. Most men did.
In love with him? No. indeed. ]
didn't fall in love for at least ten
days.
"a few months later we became en-
gagged. l gave up my work. crossed to
London and told my father that
wanted to marry an American officer
and go to America. Two days later
Jack arrived and met my parents.
They liked him, but didn't depend
on this first impression. Instead, faith
er wrote Jacks commanding officer
under whom he had served since the
beginning of the war and whom my
father knew as a man Of good char
acter.
This officer wrote back that If he
had daughter OF his own he'd be de-
lighted to have her marry Jack. My
father was satisfied and gave his con-
sent to our marriage"
Jack and Janet have been happily
married for seven years. But had they
trusted their first impressions of each
other they would remain today indif'
ferent acquaintanccs.
Observation and experience would
seem to point out that in the case oil
the average individual first impress
siOns are sometimes accurate, other
times entirely mistaken. This leads
TO the conclusion that we can't safely
trust first impressions.
To be able TO size people up &C.
curately at first meeting would be an
invaluable aid in forming friendships
and also in love am marriage. Such
a gift would be a protection against
SwindlerS, INSCRIPTIONS statesmen,
Sidewalk sheiks" and other types OF
human spider who weave their webs
cunningly to ensnare unwary little
flies in the shape of thoughtless, pleas
ure-loying girls.
But few OF us possess the Sherlock
Holmes faculty of detecting at II
glance a persons character, Occupa'
ton, temperament and intent. So for
the average human being it's common
sense to investigate and verify first
impressions when important decisions
are to be made.
That the faculty of reading char.
acter quickly can be cultivated is
proved by the fact that many large
firms employ character readers. These
experts can interview an applicant for
work and tell with almost unfailing
accuracy whether he is fitted for the
position for which he has applied. If
he is not suited to that particular po-
sition they can point out to what work
he is suited and why.
Ever so many people study to be
charming to us just because they have
IAN axe to grind" as the old saying
goes. A salesman may treat you with
flattering Difference and absorbed in
terest. Does this indicate he is inter
estcd in you as an individual? No,
indeed. He merely hopes he will make
favorable impression so that you
will be more inclined to buy his line
of goods.
The people most worth while as
friends. sweethearts and married part.
ners are too sincere, natural and in.
dependent to struggle to make good
first impression.
Learn to study faces. Eyes may be.
tray much or little. but the lines OF
the mouth and about the mouth will
surely tell their story of kindness or
cruelty. strength or self-indulgent
weakness if you can but read them.
Try to form accurate first impress
sions as self-protection and as n valu'
able aid in love and friendship. But
it's always well to edit and revise these
first impressions on further acquaint'
ance, for. after all. we know that 9
first impression may be utterly mis-
taken.