Weekly Trinity journal., 1869-07-31
Significance of Shaking Hands.

of shaking hands which indicates, SO far as
a single act can do, the character of the person.
| The reader who has observed may recall the pc
culiarites of different persons with whom he
has shaken hands, and thus note how character
istic was this simple act.
| How much do we learn Of a man or woman
| by the shake of the hand? Who would expect
to get a handsome donation-or donation at
all-from one who puts out two fingers to be
shaken, and keeps the others bent, as npon an
q itching palm ?' The hand coldly held out to
be shaken, and drawn away again as soon as it
decently may be, indicates cold if not selfish
and heartless character; while the hand which
seeks yours and unwllingly relinquishes its
warm, hearty clasp, belongs to person with
genial disposition and ready sympathy with
| his fellow-men.
In momentary squeeze of the hand how
much of the heart often oozes through the ling
ers. Who, that ever experienced it, has ever
forgotten the feeling conveyed by the eloquent
pressure of the hand o. dying friend, when
the tongue has ceased to speak.
right hearty grasp OF the hand indicates
warmth ardor, executveness, and strength of
character while a soft, lax touch, without the
grasp, indicates the oppositce characteristics
In the grasp of persons with large-hearted, gen.
erous minds, there is kind of " whole-soul'
preston, most refreshing and acceptable to
kindred spirits
But when Miss Weakness presents you with
few cold, clammy lifeless fingers for you to shake,
you will naturally think of hospital, an in
frmary, or the tomb. There are foolish per-
sons who think it pretty to have soft, wet, cold
hands when the fact is, it is only an evidence
that they are sick or that, inasmuch as the
circulation of the blood is partial and feeble,
they are not we'll and unless they bring about
a change, and induce warm hands and warm
feet by the necessary bodily exercises, they are
on the road to the grave; cold hands, cold feet
and hot head are indications of anything but
health.
Action is life; inaction is DEATH Life in the
human body is warm. Death is cold. Vigor-
Gus bodily action causes the blood to circulate
throughout every part of the body. The want
of action causes it, so to speak, to stand still.
The blood goes most freely to those parts of the
body or brain most exercised. If we sling the
sledge-hammer like tie blacksmith, or climb the
ropes, like the sailor, we get large and strong
arms and hands. If we row boat or swing a
scythe it is the same. But if we use the brain
chiefly to the exclusion of the muscles, we may
have more active minds but weaker bodies.
The better condition in which the entire being
body and brain-is symmetrically developed,
requires the harmonious exercise of all the parts,
in which case there will be happy equilibrium,
with no excess, no deficency-no hot headache,
no cold feet Headache is usually caused by a
foul stomach, or pressure of blood on the
brain cold feet by limited circulation of
blood in those extremites.
There is old adage which says: "Keep
the feet warm and the head cool, )" which was
no doubt, intended to counteract tendency the
other way. Certain it is that those who suffer
with hot heads usually have cold feet and hands.
Time was in the old country, when aristoc-
racy deigned to extend n single finger, or at
most two, to be shaken by humble democracy.
Even hear of instances in which my
"noble lady" repeats the offense when saluted
by a more humble individual. This is an indig
nifty which no true man or woman will either Of
fer or receive. Refinement and true gentility
give the whole hand and respond cordially if at
all. This is equivalent to saying, &C You
welcome - or, when parting, '' Adieu God be
with you"
There is habit among rude class, growing
out of over-ardent temperament on the part
of those who are more strong and vigorous than
delicate or refined, who give your hand crush
ing grasp, which is often most painful. In these
cases there may be a great kindness and strong
affection but it is as crude as it is hearty.
Another gives you cold, habby hand, with
no energy or warmth in il, and you feel chilled
or repelled by the negative influence impaired,
and you are expected to shake the inanmate ap-
pendage of spiritess body.
Is the grasp warm. ardent, and vigorous? so
is the disposition. Is it cool formal, and with
out emotion? so is the character. Is it mag
netic, electrical, and animating the disposition
is the same. As we shake hands, so we feel,
and so we are. Much of our true character is
revealed in shaking hands.
But why do we shake hands at all . 1t is a
very old-fashoned way of indicating friendship.
We read in the book of books that Jehu said to
Jehonadab SIS thine heart right as my heart
is with thy heart? If it be, give me thine
hand" And it is not merely an old fashioned
custom 1t is natural one as well. 1t is the
contract of sensitive and magnetic surfaces
through which there is, in some thing more than
merely figurative sense, interchange of feel
ing. The same principal is illustrated in an
other of our modes of greeting. When wish
to reciprocate the warmer feelings, not
content with the contact of the hands-we bring
the lips into service. A shake of the hand suf-
fees for friendship, among undemonstrative An
glo-Saxons at least, but kiss is a token of a
more tender affection.-Physiognomy
ARTIFICIAL WANTs.-Bulwer says that poverty
is only an idea, in nine cases ont of ten. Some
for want of means than others with three hun
dred. The reason is, the richer man has arti-
icial wants. His income is ten thousand, and
be suffers enough from being dunned for unpaid
debts to kill sensitive man. A man who earns
a dollar day, and does not run in debt, is the
happier of the two. Very few people, who have
never been rich, will believe this, but it is true
There are thousands and thousands with princely
incomes who never know a moments peace be-
cause they live above their means. There is
really more happiness in the world among work
ing people than among those who are called
rich.
, HULL-ED RIcE.-P. D. Hull, of the Democratic
Ners, of Jacksonville, Oregon, was recently
consolidated with Miss Rice. Hull gets on
the following squib on the happy event.
This paper, since its commencement bas ;,h D.tn
anything but friendly to the Chinese noa~ has
standing this fact however, the prop,le,'off go,
: been wholly unable to conceal decided ionn, no,
ness and nartialitY for Rice. FoHoWips -