Jasper County Democrat, Volume 2, Number 41, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 January 1900 — IT'S ALL IN THE EYELID. [ARTICLE]

IT'S ALL IN THE EYELID.

The Optic Itself Has No More Expression Than Marble. There are no expressive eyes. The expression of the eye is really in the lid. The eye itself, independent of its suroundings, has no more expression than has a glass marble. A prominent English oculist makes this daring statement, and he defends his position with emphasis. “The eyes have no expression whatever.” be says. “How do you explain, the fiact that the eyes of one person are more expressive than those of another?' I am asked. They are not. The difference consists in certain nervous contractions of the lids peculiar to the individual. “Observe for yourself, and you will see that I am right. We will say that I am greatly interested in something, and my attention is suddenly called from it by an unexpected interruption. My upper eyelid raises itself just a little, but the eye proper does not change an iota in appearance. If the interruption is but momentary the elevation of the lid may be but momentary. If the surprise caused by an interruption is continued the lid may be raised even a little more, and. iu fact, the whole of the forehead, Including the eyebrows, is raised and wrinkled. But the eye remains the same.

“When a person is excited much the same emotions are gone through,” continued the doctor. “His eyes are open wide, in cases of intense excitement to their greatest extent, but the forehead is not wrinkled and the ball of the eye is as expressive as a bit of glass. No more. “Observe the face of one who laughs. You will see that the lower eyelid has no muscle of its own, and it is onlj’ by the contraction of the adjacent muscles in smiling or laughing that it is made to move. That is why there are many wrinkles about the eyes of merry persons. “The expression of deep thoughtfulness is produced by the drooping of the upper lid; the lids of some persons fall so low that the pupil of the eye itself is the same. If the meditation is over a subject that worries the thinker the expression is again quite different; the eyelids contract and the eyebrows are lowered and drawn together. This is true of a reflective mood. “As to emotional moods, there is the expression of anger, for instance. The eyes, instead of closing, are open wider than they are normally, but the brows are closely knit. "In expressing sadness the entire upper eyelid comes half way down, and the folds of the skin collect there, giving the lid a thick, heavy appearance.”