The Benton record. [volume] (Benton, M.T. [Mont.]) 1875-1879, 1876-09-08
AN og.

The female hand has been theme for
poets Of every caliber-for romancists oi
every wing, from the dabbling duckling up
to the solar eagle. The subtle Witchery,
the bewildering beauty Of pretty hand
have occasioned no end Of acrobatic soul
aoralizing in the masculine mind from the
earliest dawn Of civilization down to the
present hour. There are manifold and
good reasons for this enthusiasm. The
hand, whether gloved or in its white, sym
metrical undress, is almost constantly Wis
ible. Itplays an important part in social
intercourse and refined conversation it is
called III requisition as the musical instru-
ment-the piano, or, most witching Of all,
the harp; the pulse throbs Immediately in
its neighborhood, the heart is always as
sociated with the hand, and hence the an,
nular tokens Of affection, remembrance
and bethrothal, find place on the fingers,
as well as that complement and coup de
grace Of lovely woman's existence-the
wedding ring
Moreover the hands are an indication OF
health, disposition, mental capacity and
temperament. Unquestionably it is also
type Of birth and gentle blood. Many Of
our fair readers will remember Byron's ar
dent lines:
"On more thoroughbred or fairor fingers
No lips eer left their transitory trace;
On such as these the lip too fondly fingers,
And for one kiss would fafn imparta brace"
And in foot-note to this phrase, 'sthor-
oughbred,' the noble author says "There
IS, perhaps, nothing more distinctive Of
birth than the hand it is almost the only
sign Of blood which aristocracy can gener-
ate." Many small hands are not beauti
ful nor attractive, while some large hands
are very symmetrical and engaging
Even as the.hand is an infallible Indicator
Of age-alas, the fact is indisputable, lad
les $50 also does it indicate the mind Of
the possessor. No sculptor can cut-no
painter ever painted woman's hand. By
a law Of compensation which pervades all
nature, unless the mind is developed the
hand is merely delicate claw-like deform-
itY. No fashionable droop tight fit
ting glove-no diamond bracelet can rem
der beautiful the hand Of an inane doll Of
fashion. Those who have observed the
hands Of the inmates Of asylums will ap-
preciate these remarks.
Ladies usually are inordinately vain Of
their hands, and the vanity Of American
ladies in this respects perhaps well found,
ed. Among the girls who do not aspire
to be fashionable one can constantly see
beautiful, shapely hands. At the same
time you can see more hideous hands in
this country than anywhere eIse-those fat
black, puffy hands that one sees squeezed
into gloves ever 50 many sizes too small
for them. They look like German sausa-
ges, furcated into fingers. It's not the size
Of the glove that makes the hand attrac-
tive it is its shape, its characteristics, its
softness, its delicate blue veins, its thumb
and its fingers.
In what particular consists the peculiar
beauty of an aristocratic hand it is difficult
to say-color, texture, FORM veins, form Of
nails and finger tips, and form Of the hand
generally, outside and inside. The lines
inside may be too many too may, and too
much intersected, and the cup Of Diogenes,
as it is called, may be irregular and IN
shapely in form; in short, it requires an
education to appreciate and understand a
perfect hand, and generally when you find
one you have a perfect woman. Then there
is the weak-minded, delicate handed crea-
ture-usually airt, and naturally deeep-
tive-whose fingers are like chalk crayons
with spatulated ends-a thin, feeble hand
never healthy-looking and seldom useful
but which may also indicate an affectionate
disposition, love Of relatives and Of child
dren The big, masculine hand, with .
substantial thumb, is a common type
among country girls, especially milkmaids.
1t is thoroughly utilltarian and too indus
trious to be generally bad. Long fingers
and prominent knuckles betoken avarice.
1t is not a common American type, but
prevails among Hebrews and Frenehvo-
men. New England women usually have
slender enough hands. One can almost see
through them. In point Of fact, the hands
Of onr American women are generally too
slight and feeble. They are too CHASTITY
white TO be healthy looking. Every one
knows what is meant BY healthy-looking
lrand, yetit IS not easily explained. Our
women should exert their muscles more
and go to bed Extracts from q,
unpublished essay
! Here is a noble example of doing good
work for ones nother-in-law Four burg.
lars stole $1,000 Of an Oakland widow We'd
nesday night, aud her son-in-law shot two
of them, captured a third, and recovered
all the money. Young men will please OBJ
serve this heroic example.
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