The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1893-04-29
Handshaking as an Index to Char.
acter.
From me New York TImes.

A-%R'N
served man or woman will infallibly creep
out through the finger ends and proclaim
itself truly to the practiced eye; that the
twist of an ''s'' or the cross of ST. may
indicate the soul of saint or the instincts
of sinner, while in the lilliputian dotlet
Of an az may lurk whole history Of
hypocrisy or honesty, kindliness or cruelty.
1t may be 50. 1t may be that, while
the subject matter is absorbing the mind,
well trained by worldly wisdom TO lie, the
unsophistieated soul slips out in the un-
guarded formation of the infinite variety
of curve and dash which is called hand
writing.
1t seems, then, that, though the eye is
the window Of the soul, the hand is GER
tainly the door from which it issues forth
into the world, for none need to be experts
to recognize at once the character of man
or woman when engaged in the grand old
greeting called handshaking.
Variety in handwriting may be infinite,
but is it not so in handshaking? And, as
a means to unveil hidden thoughts or feel
ings the latter test must surely be the bet
ter, for people write in truth or falsehood
and their writing remains the same, bnt if
people greet hypocritically, though their
words follow their wit, their hands grasp
those they greet as their hearts alone COM
mand
Handshaking, therefore, while in gen
eral style it may serve to indicate the char
acter, may also, by individual application,
mark the true relation in which the factors
stand.
Who has not felt the cold, metallic,
avaricious grasp, devoid of warmth or feel
ing, with which man of business welcomes
you? Does not something creep out of
his finger tips, telling you that while his
voice says, "How do you do ?" his heart
feels, "How much shall make out of you ?"
Have not all experienced the jerk of
the man who Stimulates intense delight in
the meeting, but involuntarily drops your
paw as if he were afraid it would burn
him? He probably owes you money, and
his handshaking tells you that his joy in
the encounter is all sham.
On the other hand, many are aware,
though the experience is more rare, how
the grip of friend whose heart is sincere
sends thrill through their own, and in
that moment they know that he reads them
as clearly and truly as they understand
him. Then it is their turn to drop or re-
tain their warm grasp, as their instincts
dictate. But their instincts alone are their
rulers.
Again every one knows, or will know
sooner or later, that handshaking and love
making are inseparable. When love is in
the soul, does it not creep out at the finger
tips and tell its tale Of gladness or woe
quicker and more surely than by any
other channel? Come, all you noble army
of experts in handwriting, can you tell
"Does my Phyllis love me truly" though
you are shown a gross of her letters
And can you mistake that timid yet trust
full pressure of her dainty digits as they
meet yours and lipger awhile like kiss,
then drop gently away like a tear?
Examples such as these prove that in
the shaking of hands individual relations
are revealed aud thoughts may undoubt-
edly be read. By more general applica-
ton this process may typify character aud
broad outline of soul.
Old wise women say that 'a cold hand
and warm heart" are always associated.
Some venture TO think that experience
proves this to be fallacy, at least as con-
Germs the method of shaking hands. A
warm, steady pressure, which reveals the
pulsation of life, is surely the habit of
those whose hearts overflow with the milk
of human kindness, whereas cold, inani-
mate touch is the natural style of those
Unconditional machines called heartless hu-
manity
This is generally recognized, and as all
virtues are aped and exaggerated so a GER
tain class, in their anxiety to impress their
friendships. torture their victims to the
extent of the thumbscrew. But the
boarding school miss, who will listlessly
lay her hand in yours, must not be too
hastily Judged, for her manner proclaims
that her character as yet is not formed
and matured to the icy cold dame, the
warm, loving woman, or the fast, Tightly
tickle and insincere ape,
The man who shakes your hand vio-
lently up and down, then drops it with an
air Of having done his duty, suggests such
thoughts as nodded into words might say :
.sTherel Don't say didn't shake hands
with you, whatever else you may say,
and thus the fact that he mistrusts you is
implied.
The handshakiug of the man who, by
prolonged pressure, causes uneas;ness
should probably be read an oyerweaning
value Of the favors he confers and anxiety
that you should not underestimate his
friendship. Such a man may be set down
as a victim to conceit, but consciously
lacking the fuel on which to feed his mas
ter.
The hasty snatch, and stili more hasiy
fingaway, is preferable TO either Of these
modes, for it betrays self reliant spirit
and happy indifference TO good or bad