The Portland daily press., 1881-10-04
Shaking H ands.
Right and Wrong Ways OF Performing
an Important Social Function.
TGlass of Fashion !

lGlaSs OF tasniOn.
Let the reader remember that there Is sa
right and wrong way of shaking hands. II
is horrible when your unofending digits are
seized in the sharp compress OF kind OF wise
and wrung and squeezed until you feel as II
you were reduced to jelly. 1t is not less hor
rible when you find them lying in a limp,
nerveless clasp, which makes no response to
your hearty greeting, but chills you like
lump of ice. Shake hands as il you meant it.
swiftly, strenuously and oourteously, neither
using an undue pressure nor falling wholly su-
pine. You may judge Of the character OF q
man from the way in which he shakes hands,
there is the shake lymphatic, the shake aggres-
sive. the shake supercilious, the shake impera-
tive, the shake emotional Cherries Lamb de-
scribes also the pump-handle shake, which Is
executed by taking friends hand and work.
ing it up and down through an arc OF fifty de-
grees, for about minute and a half ITO
ST ow its nature, force and character, this
shake should be performed with a firm and
steady motion. No attempt should be made to
give it grace, and still less, variety, as the lew
Instances in which the latter has been tried
have uniformly resulted in dislocating the
shoulder OF the person on whom II mas Deen
attempted. On the contrary, persons who are
partial to the pump handle shake should be al
some pains to give an agreeable, tranquil
movement to the operation, which should on
no account be continued after perspiration on
the part of your friend has commenced" Then
there is the pendulum shake, which somewhat
resembles the former; but, as its name implies,
the movement is on horizontal instead o.
perpendicular direction. "lt Is executed oy
sweeping your hand horizontally toward your
friends, and after the junction is effected,
moving with it from one side to another ac-
cording to the pleasure of the parties" Nor
must the tourniquet shake be forgotten, wnicn
derives its name from an instrument used oy
surgeons to stop the circulation OF the blood
in a limb about to be amputatso.
You grasp the hand OF your friend
contract the muscles of your thumb, fingers
and palm till you have induced any degree OF
compression you may propose in the hand OF
your friend. Particular care should be taken
If your hand be hard aud big and that OF your
friend as small and soft as maidens, not 70
make the tourinquet shake to such adegree
that it will crush the small bones OF the wrist
out of their places. 1t is seldom safe TO apply
it to gouty or hot-tempered people.
You will see some persons thrust forth their
hand with q sudden jerk. like that OF steam
engine suddenly set in motion; and 10, they
have taken possession Of your own and are do
ing with it as they will, before you have recov-
cred breath. Others put forward their fingers
with an apparent timidity of reluctance, and
compel you to pounce upon them and draw
them toward you, in order to perform al
effective shake. Others again, extend their
hand timidly, partly withdraw it aud again ex-
tend it, until you are uncertain whether or no
the act of hand-shaking will be performed after
all. As for the cold-blooded creatures who
Austerely offer one or two fingers, recommend
you to ignore them; look loftily over ttem As II
unconscious of their existence and-tneir mn
gers. But when lady (and more particularly
a fair one) does you the honor TO offer her
hand, take it with an air of grateful deferencs
which will show how you appreciate the honor;
do not drop it instantly as il the touch scared
you, nor hold it so long as TO cause her feel
ing Of uneasiness.