Analyzing Character Part 24

"My life is a failure. I have never had a chance. My father was poor and couldn't give me the advantages that other young men had. So I've had my nose on the grindstone all my life long.

"See what I am to-day. While other men have made money and, at my age, are well fixed, I am dependent on my little old Sat.u.r.day night envelope to keep me from starving. That wouldn't be so bad, but my employers are beginning to hint that I'm not so lively as I was once and that a younger man would fill the job better. It's only a question of time when I'll be a leading member of the Down and Out Club. Then it'll be the Bay for mine."

Our friend, whom we call Mr. Socratic, b.u.t.ted into the conversation right here.

"Pretty tough luck!" he said. "Know any men of your age that are doing better?"

"Sure, lots of 'em."

"What's the reason?"

"Well, they have had better luck."

"How do you mean? Investments turned out better?"

"No; I never had anything to invest."

"How, then?"

"Well, they had advantages."

"What, for instance?"

"Education."

"Why didn't you get an education?"

"Couldn't afford it."

"Had some income, didn't you?"

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 49. Hon. Joseph Walker, of Ma.s.sachusetts. Has good degree of balance between practical and ideal tendencies. Is shrewd, ambitious, determined, persistent, courageous, intellectual, oratorical, dramatic, forceful, social, and optimistic. Excellent planner and schemer.

Note high, wide forehead, prominent at brows; keen, shrewd and determined expression; high, wide head; height of head just above temples; square jaw and chin; firm mouth; short upper lip, and well-built, prominent nose.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 50. Hon. Lon V. Stephens, former Governor of Missouri, keenly observant, intensely practical, rather serious, ambitious energetic, courageous, friendly, far-sighted. A public speaker of some dramatic ability. Note great prominence of forehead at brows, depressed corners of eyes and mouth and tip of nose, high, long head, medium-short upper lip, and prominent chin.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: _Photo by Paul Thompson_.

FIG. 51. Hon Oscar Underwood, United States Senator from Alabama.

Practical, energetic, ambitious, courageous, determined, enduring. Note resemblance in profile and head shape to Figs. 48, 50, and 52, also politicians. A public speaker with considerable dramatic talent.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: _Copyright by Harris & Ewing, Washington, D.C._.

FIG. 52. Hon. Victor Murdock, Ex-Congressman, of Kansas. Practical, alert, keen, ambitious, combative, courageous. Has considerable dramatic talent, as shown by large nose, short upper lip and long, prominent chin. Compare with Figs. 48, 50, and 51.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 53. The late Robert C. Ogden, Merchant and Philanthropist. A man of keen, practical, commercial judgment, high ambition, great energy, strong determination, and strong sense of justice, together with idealism, benevolence, optimism, and kindliness. Note large development of brows; width of forehead across center; high head, domed above temples; large, well-formed nose; long, straight upper lip; straight, firm mouth, and poised, calm, kindly expression.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 54. Prof. P.G. Holden, Agricultural Expert and Teacher. A fine admixture of the physically frail and bony and muscular type, hence his intellectual interest and ability in agriculture. Has ambition, energy, and great social and friendly qualities. Note height and length of head, development of brows, and size and contour of nose.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 55. W. Nelson Edelsten, Insurance Special Agent.

Keen, observant, alert, ambitious, energetic, courageous, refined, sensitive, emotional, enthusiastic, appreciative of approval, friendly.

Note prominence of brows, high head, large, well-formed nose, chin, and ears, fine texture, high dome over temples, short upper lip, and alert, high-strung, friendly expression.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: _Copyright by Harris & Ewing._ FIG. 56. Dr. Beverly T. Galloway, a.s.sistant Secretary of Agriculture of the United States. Same as FIG. 8. Note high crown large prominent nose; very full backhead.]

"Yes, but only enough to live on."

"Had time to study, didn't you?"

"No--always had to work."

"What about your evenings? Have to work nights?"

"No."

"Had a pretty good time, didn't you?"

"Oh, yes."

"Out with the fellows and the girls about every night?"

"Yes."

"Wore good clothes, smoked good cigars, hired livery rigs, took in good shows, lived pretty well, shook dice a little, risked a few dollars on the ponies now and then?"

"Oh, yes; I was no tight-wad."

"You had to be a good fellow, eh?"

"Sure, I am only going through this world once, so I have had a good time as I've gone along."

"You couldn't have put in two or three nights a week studying and still have had a good time?"

"Oh, I might have, I s'pose, but I didn't have the money to buy books."

"How much do you figure you spent, on an average, on those nights you were out with the boys?"

"Oh, I don't know; sometimes a dime for a cigar, sometimes three or four dollars for theater tickets, supper, and the tr.i.m.m.i.n.gs."

"Well, would it average two bits?"

"Yes, I guess so; all of that. Maybe more."

"If you had saved that for two nights a week, it would have counted up about two and a quarter a month. Buy a pretty good book for that, couldn't you?"

"S'pose so."

"And if you had been buying books and studying them, going to night-school, or taking a correspondence course all these years, you would have had an education by now, wouldn't you?"

"Well, I don't know. Some men are born to succeed. They have more brains than others."