The Washington bee., 1893-04-08
SHAKING OF HANDS.
IN THIS ACT INDIVIDUAL RELATIONS
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 unyeil 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 you
that, while his voice says, How do you
do?" his heart feels, How much shall
I 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 a
sham.
On the other hand, many are aware,
though the experience is more rare, how
the grip of friend whose heart is sim
cere sends thrill through their own, and
in that moment they know that he reads
them as clearly and truly as they un-
derstand him. Then it is their turn to
drop or retain his 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
lovemaking 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 gross Of her letters !? And can
you mistake that tihaid yet trustful
pressure of her dainty digits as they
meet yours and linger awhile, like a
kiss, then drop gently away, like tear
Examples such as these prove that in
the shaking of hands individual rela-
tions are revealed, and thoughts may
undoubtedly be read. By more gen
eral application this process may typify
character and 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 concerns the method of
hands. A warm, steady pres
sure. which reveals the pulsation of
life. is surely the habit of those whose
hearts overflow with the milk of hu-
man kindness; whereas a cold, mani
mate touch is the natural style of those
machines called heartless
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,
aighty, 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, There! Don't say I
didn't shake hands with you, whatever
else you may say, and thus the fact
hat he mistrusts you is implied.
The handshaking of the man who, by
prolonged pressure, causes uneasiness
should probably be read as an over
weaning value of the favors he confers,
Ind anxiety that you do not underesti-
nate his friendship. Such man may
De set down as victim to conceit, but
consciously lacking the fuel on which
10 feed his master.
The hasty snatch, and still more
lasty fling away. is preferable to either
If these modes; for it betrays self
eliant spirit and happy indifference
% good or bad repute. The man with |
his method of handshaking is at least
10 hypocrite, and this is as near as
most men come to honesty.
The absurd practice of giving one or |
wo fingers only always seems delib-
rate insult, and is doubtless so trans.
ated by all students of handshaking. |
is glaring proof of littleness. The
leart and mind may be judged to be
'roportionate with the part profered.
uynrr %