The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-03-08
II Is Considered Better as an Index
to Character Than Hand
writing.
The Metallic Grasp Of Avarice and
Jerk Of Simulated De-
light.
And Then There Is the Firm Grin of the
True Friend Whom Ono
Meets.

Inc STUDY OF character, rs indicated BY
handwriting. is largely pursued. both 70
pleasure and for profit, experts claiming
that the hidden nature of the most reserve,
man or woman will infallibly creep on
through the finger ends and proclaim itsel
truly to the practised eye; that the twist o
an "a" or the cross Of . ~ may indicat
the soul Of o saint or the instincts of
sinner; while in The %lilliputian dotlet Of al
"T' may Turk a whole history of hypocris
or honesty, kindliness or cruelty, says th
New York Times.
1t may be so. 1t may be shat. while tn
subject matter Ia absorbing the mind. vel
trained by worldly wisdom to lie, the un
sophisticated soul slips out in. the un
guarded formation of the infinite variet,
Of curve md dash which is called baud.
writing.
1t seems. then, that, though the eye is The
window Of the soul, the land 10 certainly
the door from which it issues forth into she
world; for none need to be experts to rec
ognize at once the character Of man Of
woman when engaged in the grand ole
greeting called handshaking.
Variety in handwriting may be infinite,
but is it not 80 In handwriting? And. as a
means to unveil hidden thoughts or feel
inRs. the latter test must surely be the bet
te-, for people write in truth or falsshood
and their writing remains the same; but II
people greet hypooritically. though theil
words follow their wit. their hands Rrasr
thoss they greet as their hearts alone COM
Mand. ...
Handshaling. therefore. while in genera
style it may serve to indicate the character.
may also, by individual applicant on. mark
the true relation in which the factors
stand.
Who has not felt the cold, metallic, avari.
cious grasp, devoid of warmth or feeling.
with which a man of business Welcome q
You? Does not something creep out OF his
finger tips, telling you that. while his voice
SAYS. How do you doT' his heart feels,
"How much shall I make out of your"
Have not all experienced the jerk of the
man who Stimulates intense delight in the
meeting. but i%nvoluntarily drops% youIpaw
as If he were afraid it would burn him? He
probably owes you money. and his hand
shaking tells you that his JOY in the en-
counter 10 oil a7sham. u
On the other hand, many are aware.
though the experience ia more rare, how
the grin of q friend whose heart Ia sincere
sends a thrill through their own. and in
that moment they know that he reads them
ms clearly and truly as they understand
him. Then it is their turn to drop or re-
tain his warm grasp. as their instincts die.
tate. But their instincts alone are their
rulers.
Again, every one knows, or will know
sooner or later, that handwriting md love
making are insepsrable. When love is in
the soul, does it not creep out at the finger
tips and tell its tale Of Rladness or woe
quicker and more surely than by any other
channel? Come. all you noble army of eX-
perts in handwriting, can you tell Does
INV Phv11ip l0va ma frulv ~ thnnnh Won n "a
shown a gross of her letters? And can you
mistake that timid yet ttustiul pressure of
her dainty digits as they meet yours and
linger awhile. like a kiss; then drop gently
away, like q tear?
Examples such as these prove that in the
revealed and thoughts may undoubtedly be
read. BY a more general application this
process may typify character and broad
outline of soul.
Old wise women say that "a cold hand
and q warm heart" are always associated.
Some venture to think that experience
proves this to be a fallacy, at least as con-
cerns 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 a cold. mani.
mate touch is the natural style of those IN
emotional machines called heartless hu-
mnnity.
This is generally recognized, and. as all
virtues are aped and exaggerated, 30 a Ger
tain claas, in their anxiety to impress their
friendships. torture their victims to the ex-
tent of the thumbserew. But the boarding
chool miss. who will iistlessly lay her han
in yours. must not be too hastily judged.
for her manner proclaims that her charac-
ter az yet 10 not formed and matured to the
icy-cold dame, the warm. loving woman. or
the fast, fighty, tickle. and insincere ape.
The man who shakes your hand violently
mp and down. then drops it with an air Of
having done his duty, suggests such
thoughts as nodded into words might say:
''Ihere! Don't say I didn't shake hands
with you. whatever else you may say;' and
thus the fact that he mistrusts you is i'm
piled.
The Handwriting of the man who, by
should probably be read an overweaning
value of the favor 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 OF which to feed his
master.
The hasty snatch and still more hasty
fling away. IL preferable to either Of these
modes; for it betrays a self-reliant spirit
md a happy indifference to good or bad
repute. The man with this method Of
Handwriting is at least no hypocrite. aud
suut ID 40 uehE ao ulOSt men come TO nom
esty.
The absurd practice of giving one or two
fingers only always seems a deliberate in
suit. aud it ia doubtless 80 translated BY all
students Of Handwriting. 1t ia n glaring
proof of littleness. The heart and mind
may be judged to be proportionate witt
the part proffsred,
The method Of shaking hands adopted by
great men has often been described; al
though modern interviewers systematically
ignore this. and give preferences to minute
details of dress and immediate surround-
jnGs.
1t is not proposed to quote examples In
support of the theory of character reading
by means of Handwriting, butthe following
of the manner adopted by the
most popular American man of tho day NAV
Just now be found of interest:
Grover Cleveland performs the operation
in three stages. First he takes your out
member softly in his grasp 80
that the fork of your stump and the fork Of
his are In the closest possible contact and
Then you learn that the great
mans hand is cool. soft. elastic, full of tiny
muscles. and all alive as it we're. There is
invitation and interrogation,
zest and confidence.
Now comes the grip. which Ia the second
BtaRe of the process. II 10 Arm and decis-
i've and lists AZ long as il takes 10 inquire
after your health and bid you Welcome.
you are released with a sorrowful
which delays the departure of your
finger tips to the last fraction of a second.
Who shall shy that there 10 not rare Dip
lomaey exhibited throughout the hand
shaking of the president?
HT ma. s-- 4 - A