Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1893-05-27
SHAKING OF HANDS.

ARE REVEALED.
Better as an Index to Character Than Hand
Writing Different Styles of Greeting
Mechanical Grasp of the Business Man
The Clasp of True Friendship.
Variety in handwriting may be in.
finite, but is it not SO in handshaking ?
And, as means to unveil hidden
thoughts or feelings, the latter test
must surely be the better, for people
write in truth or falsehood, and their
writing remains the same but if peo-
pie greet hypocritically, though their
words follow their wit, their hands
grasp those they greet as their hearts
alone command.
Handshaking, therefore, while in gen.
eral style it may serve to indicate the
character, may also, by individual ap-
plication, mark the true relation in
which the factors stand.
Who has not felt the cold, metallic,
avaricious grasp, devoid of warmth OF
feeling, with which man of business
welcomes you? Does not something
creep out of his finger tips, telling yoY
that, while his voice says, How do you
do?' his heart feels, How much sha /
l make out of you?"
Have not all experienced the Jerk ,f
the man who Stimulates intanse delight
in the meeting, but involuntarily drops
your paw as if he were afraid ii would
burn him ? He probably owes you
money, and his handshaking tells YOU
that his Joy in the encounter is al q
sham.
On the other hand, many are aware,
though the experience is moe rare, how
the grip of a friend whose heat j. sim
cere sends a thrill through their own. and
in that moment they know that he reads
them as clearly and truly as they I'M.
derstand him. Then it is their turn tn
drop or retain his warm grasp, as theil
instincts dictate. But their instincts
alone are their rulers.
Again, every one knows, or will know
sooner or later, that handshaking and
loyemaking are inseparablc. Whom
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 ohapnel2
Come, all you noble army of experts in
handwriting, can you tell DOES ny,
Phyllis love me truly" though you are
shown gross of her letters And ca1
you mistake that timid yet trustful
pressure of her dainty digits as they
meet yours and linger awhile, Ike Il
kiss, then drop gently away, like .ear.
Examples such as these prove thet in
the shaking of hands individual rela.
tons are revealed, and thoughts may
undoubtedly be read. By more gen.
eral application this process may tyrify
character and broad outline of soul.
Old wise women say that "a cold
hand and a warm heart" are always
associated. Some venture to think that
experience proves this to be fallacy,
at least as concerns the method OF
shaking hands. A warm, steady pres.
sure, which reveals the pulsation O.
life, is surely the habit of those whose
hearts overflow with the milk of hu.
man kindness; whereas cold, mani.
mate touch is the natural style of those
Unconditional machines called heartless
humanity.
This is generally recognized, and, as
all virtues are aped and exaggerated, SO
certain class, in their anxiety to i'm
press their friendships, torture their
victims to the extent of the thumb
screw. 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 VIC.
lently up and down, then drops it
with an air of having done his duty,
suggests such thoughts as nodded into
words might say, "There Don't say
didn't shake hands with you, whatever
else you may say" and thus the fac
that he mistrusts you is implied.
The handshaking of the man who, by
prolonged pressure, causes uneasiness
should probably be read as an over.
weaving value of the favors he confels,
and anxiety that you do not unde, esti.
mate his friendship. Such man may
Dc SET down as victim to conceit, but
consciously lacking the fuel on which
to feed his master.
The hasty snatch, and still more
hasty ng-away. is preferable to either
of these modes; for it betrays a self.
reliant spirit and happy indifference
to good or bad repute. The man with
this method of handshaking is at leas.
no hypocrite, and this is as near as
most men come to honesty.
The absurd practice of giving one or
two fingers only always seems DELHI.
crate insult, and is doubtless so trans.
lated by all students Of handshaking.
1t is glaring proof of littleness. The
heart and mind may be judged to be
proportionate with the part proffereG.
An English Version of Columbus.