The Evening Times

The Affliction of Fat.

(From the Chicago Chronicle.)

"Am I to blame because God made me fat?" demanded Mr. Fahnestock of the police justice who was examining into the matter of Mr. Fahnestock's alleged misconduct on a trolley car-said alleged misconduct having arisen from Mr. Fahnestock's attempt to squeeze into a seat beside a gentleman of impulsive disposition. The police justice, unskilled in casuistry, declined the argument, contenting himself with fining Mr. Fahnestock for smiting the impulsive gentleman on the nose. Yet there is meat for reflection in Mr. Fahnestock's wail. The fat man is expected by his leaner fellows to be always good-natured. Fat and amiability are conventionally classed together. Is it not too much to expect? The fat man is handicapped. He is persona non grata at theatres, in crowds, in public conveyances-as we have seen in the case of Mr. Fahnestock. He sweats his collars out and assumes a moist and unpleasant appearance, whereupon people laugh at him. Yet he is expected to be good-natured. It is not in human nature that he should be. It is a tribute to his character that he is usually of a cheerful disposition. It is not to his discredit that occasionally-as in the case of Mr. Fahnestock--he rises up and resents the aspersions that are cast upon him -because of his adipose tissue, for which, as Mr. Fahnestock justly says, not he but Providence is responsible.