Litchfield enquirer., 1855-04-05
grrAKTNG HANDS.

Shaking hands is the accepted manner of performing show-de-do,n ss glad to sec you - but tho manner of doing this varies so much that with some people we have j" great shakes," and with others 'sio shake at all." Politicians, if they are running for office, have the art of hand-shaking to per- lection. Editois have very impressive shake for subscriber paying in advance. In shaling hands. ladies are generally pass i've, for the least pressure from their little fingers means vollines, including in it the formal and familiar ceremony. We have been told. by those ss posted up' in such matters, that the telling and eloquent shake of the hand, that eclipses all others, comes from d principal in duel when his second announces 10 him . that the affair was anli- cahIy arrangui." It would be impossible to give all the varied expression that char acierizes the act of shaking hands but there are a few that can be dcsignnted, which, like primitive colors, form the ground work of every varying shade.
 The pump handle shake first deserves no- sice. It is performed in q solemn, mechan- .i ical manner No attempt has ever been successful to give 1t grace or vivacity. As a general rule, it should not be continued after ynys friend is in a profuse precipitation from the unwonted exercise. Tho peadulnn, shake is of similar character, but il has a horizontal instead of perpendicular motion. Itis executed by boldly sweeping your hand horizontally toward your acquaintance, and after tho junction is effected, rowing with i, from one side to the other as long as human nature will bear it. The fourniguet shake is next in importancs. It derives it's name from the instrument of torture by which sur. geops stop the circulation of the blood. The person using this style, if he has a large, powerful hand, can throw his victims into intense agony and produce dislocation of the small bones Of fingers, and in delicate per. sons easily sprain the wrist.
 The cordial shake is performed with . hearty, hoisterous agitation of your friends hand, accompanied by moderate degree ol pressure, and cheerful exclamation Of wei. come. This style is indiscriminaie and ve. Y popular. Tie grierous touch is the op. posite of the cordial grarple. It Is princi pally used by hypochonariacs and sentimen ial young c!ergymen, and is alwas accom- panied by nervous inquiry about somebo dy's health. The rrude Majer and tine prsd,
 minor are entirely monopolized by the ladies ! ihs first allows the gentlemen to touch ths
 fingers down to the second joint; the sec ond gives you the fcrefnger. The very la dies, however. who use these styles mos e1ecsnally, will, in moment atserward
 permit the fpurHiguei squeeze provided 1t i: done in Inc waltz or other equally familia dance. We might extend our list with de
 scripsions of the gripc royal and the saw mill shakes. and sl.e shake with malice pre- pcnse, which srs after all, hut exaggerated ! fonns of the pump handle, pendulum, ans
 iourni1uet va-iesies, and therefore can b, conceived more easily than described.
 X DAcHEloR's WARu FRiEsD. 2 hay, hcen a ofirn and unpro6tably in lcve,' b !. frankly remarks, ' hasc serious thought of paying my addresses to my Iea-ket
 ife have found her very warm friend She sings. too. And you know how fond nm of music. have heaFd thousand time
 moro unplcasant singing than hers. On wintsr's eve, after well spnnt day with
 volume of old poetry Shakespeare. Milton l Spenrer-a volume of pr. It|1Rson, or neu Scotch novel; when tho wind is blow l ing md passering the rain against one's win 4 dow then sweet n the song of tle Kettle yea, sweetcr to otndious man shan | cry
 inn child IT sooldine wife. Howerer.
 mus1 consideF seIionsly before ! offer he I my hand lesl oho ehoaid burn H. ~