The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-12-22
HOW THEY GREET YOU.
The Manner In which Nunerous Celebri-
ties Shake Hands.
fsrcIal Correspondence. ]

NEW YORK, Dec. 19.-Lavater has
told us. how to re;rs character in the
features and Spurzheim has given us the
language Of our bumps, but If there ia
not as much character in the way peo-
pie shake hands, then both OF these PHI
losophers are dead failures.
a close Observer and one who writea
whereof he knows, has taken the pains
to record the characteristics of some OF
the best known people in this respect, and
thus presents his experience:
President Harrison gives one an inter
rogatory sort Of grip that seems to imply
the idea "Can / trust your
When James G.. Blaine takes your
hand. it always impresses you with the
notion that he glad to see you, whether
he is or not.
William l.. Evarts gives you only his
fingers, and seems to begrudge the time
spent in the operation. automatically.
lac will sometimes spare his whole hand.
Ex-Prcsident Cleveland has chubby
hand which he puts into yours IN a hur-
ried manner that secms 10 say, I'm a
busy man-pass on.
Rev. T. lie Witt Talmage has a hand
broad and hearty. and when the Brook
Ism dominic wishes to emphasize a point
it comes down like spIe driver.
Cyrus W. Field has a long. why hand.
bctokcning caution and asluteness, and
he seems almost unwilling to give you
even part OF its palm.
Edwin Booth has hand which a
woman might envy. Its grasp is gentle.
and the essence Of polItcncss itself.
Henry Irving siycsonca Mr.. Merdle'
shake" and then his hand seems to re-
treat up lis coat sleeve rs If 1t was
ashamed Of itself.
Oscar Wilde has a ghostly. clammy
hand. such rs might have belonged 10
Uriah lIccp. The touch makes one feel
like rubbing his own hand afterwards 10
restore lost warmth.
Billy Florcnces digits twincd within
those Of a friend plainly say: "Now.
none OF that Come. I've got you, you
know, and you 20 quietly along with me
to the HOLMAN house,
Abram Hewitt now and then shakes
hands as If he were delivering an opinion
that grated on his own hinges.
When Inspector Byrnes joins palms
with some strangers he looks and acts as
if they were catalogucd in a collection OF
raritics if not the rogue's gallery. IL
his friends his clasp is cordial and en-
phatic.
The late Thurlow Weed had sinewy
hand though soft, and when you took
it yOu felt what a good and trusty com
panion it was to his honest brow aud
gray hair.
Horace Greeley was not a great hand
shaker but when he did indulge in the
salulation, his hand could tic either a
slcdgc hammer or a scalpcl.
Sunset Cox! What should he have
bat a genial shake that carried m il the
smile of las nature:
Poor Maurice Strakosch used to play
sort Of rock-a-by-baby motion with the
hand given him to shake. lie would
first press it to his heart, kiss it and then
return it with thanks.
L. :. Gilmore. the famous maestro.
also has a foreign way Of fondlug tho
fingers lad in his. serming loath to re-.
turn them to their rlghliul owner, bat
no one Objects to this in tho GENIAL
Pat
Thomas 4, Edison, the wizard inventor,
has q ieriy style which says as plainly
as words, Just so much of my time
wasted
If Capt. Bunsby were in the flesh,
Uncle" Rufus Hatch, OF Wall street,
could give him points in hearlincs5 OF
grip and Ego HIM one better"
Chief Justice Fuller is known to be
large hearted. poelical gentleman, but
ne oscilatcs his disilid extrcmities with
as much gravity, when "bcfore folks,
as il he were delivering judicial opin-
ion. Socially, there IS no discount on
their warmth.
When Chauncey Depew takes vigorous |
hold Of an old friend, which he is apt to
10, the friend aforesaid usually feels like
putting his hand in hospital.
Vice President Morlon's hands are like
velvet. When he and Chauncey indulge
in a palmar embrace there is a Damon
and Pythias style about the operation /
that is touching TO the bystanders.
The Characteristic Of Jay Gould's
grasp is that lac wants to "cut it short.
That's in the Western Union building.
At lrvington-on-the-lndson it means
"Ah, there. Stay there
Equally Indicative OF the financial
and social conditions Of the atmosphere |
is the shake Of john Jacob Aston. 1t
NAV he mere touch Of the fingers or
The loyal embrace Of whole hand, but
there's millions in it.
\ pump handle would emphasize ones
feelings quite as eloquently as Senator
Edmunds when he tries to be hail fell /
low we'll met"
Bob Ingcrsoll-well, his is a model
shake, natural, magnetic and captivat-
ing. It's like an overture by a full band,
which You expect will be followed by
softer melodies on the stringed instru-
mcnts.
Mrs. President Harrison does not put
much empressemcnt in her public greet
ing, her manner being reserved; but in
private the pressure Of her shapely hand
shows that she offers a wealth OF wei
come.
Mrs. Grover Cleveland gives one the
fantest sembIance of squeeze, which
every person individually appropriates,
and is consequently made happy.
Ella Wheeler Wilcox puts rs much
passion in her hand shaking as she does
IN her poetry.
Mrs. Barney Williams takes your hand
in both Of hers with a cordiality that
says ''You are welcome; what is mine is
yours"
Mrs. John \. Logan. in shaking hands,
gives You the impression that you are
''aIl in all" TO her. 1t is n splendid cam
all el. l.. ol.-ar "A.