The Washington bee., 1894-05-04
CHAPTER IN PALMISTRY.
a GRAPHIC DESCRIPTION BY MARK
TWAIN.

Tails ,n His New Novel, "Pudd'nhead
wilson" How a Master of the Art
Revealed Murder by the Lines u
:he Hand.
"Rut look here. Dave" said Tom,
won used to tell peoples fortunes, TOO
when YOU took their finger marks
WHY. he'll read your wrinkles as easy
rs a hook, and not only tell you fifty or
sixty things that's going to happen 10
you. but fifty or sixty thousand 'hat
amt Come, Dave, show the gentle
men what an inspired Jack-at-ail-
science we've got in this town, ana
don't know ii.
Wilson WINGED under this nagglns
and not very courteous chaf, ana the
twins suffered with him and for MN.
They rightly judged, now, that the
best way to relieve him, would be TO
take the thing in earnest and treat II
with respect, ignoring Toms ralher
oyerdone raillery; so Luigi said
I'VE have seen something OF palm
istry in our wanderings, and know
very well what astonishing things 1t
can do If it isn't a science, and one
of the greatest Of them, too don
know what its other name ought to
be. In the Orient
Tom looked surprised and incredul-
ous He said:
THAT Juggling a science? But real
Iv Won amt serious, are you:'
eyes. entirely so. -Four years ago
we had our hands read out to us as
If our palms had been covered with
print
well. do you mean to say there was
actually ANYTHING in it?' asked Tom,
his incredulity beginning to weaken a
little.
There was this much in it, said
Angelo; what was told us OF our
character was minutely eNact-we
could not have bettered It ourselves
Next. two or three memorable things
that had happened to US were lala
bare-things which no one present put
ourselves could have known about
II haven't examined half a dozen
hands in the last half dozen years
you see, the people got to joking about
it, and / stopped to let the talk die
down. I'll tell you what We'll do'
Count Luigi: I'll make a try at your
past, and if have any success there
no. on the whole, I'll let the future
alone; that's really the affair OF an
expert"
He took Luigi's hand. Tom said:
"Wait-don't look yet, Dave! Count
Luigi, here's paper and pencil. Set
down that thing that you said was
the most striking one that was fore
told to you and happened less than a
year afterward. and give it to me SO |
can see if Dave finds it in your hand. .
Luigi wrote a line privately, and
folded up the piece of paper, and
handed it to Tom, saying:
III tell you when to look at 1t, IL
he finds il"
Wilson began to study I.uigi'S palm.
tracing life lines, heart lines, head
lines, and so on, and noting carefully
their relations with the cobweb OF
finer and more delicate marks and
lines that enmeShPd them on all sides;
he felt of the fieShy cushion at the base
of the thumb and noted its shape: he
felt of the fieShy side of the hand be-
tween the wrist and the base of the
little finger and noted its shape also;
he painStakingly examined the fingers
observing their form proportions. and
natural manner of diSpoSing them
selves when in repose. All this pro
cess was watched by the three spec
tators with absorbing interest, their
heads bent together over Luigi'S palm
and nobody disturbing the stiffness
with a word. Wilson now entered
upon a close survey of the palm again
and his revelations began.
He mapped out Luigi's character
and disposition, his tastes. aversionS
aj,.;,a
tiles i'm WAY which sometimes made
Luigi vince and the others laugh. hu
both twins declared that the char
was artistically drawn and WAS cor
rect.
Next, Wilson took up LuigiS history
He proceeded cautiously and will
hesitation, now, moving his tingel
slowly along the great lines of tn
palm. and. now and then halting i
at a "star" or some such landmark
and examining that neghborhoof
minutely. He proclaimed one or TIVE
past events, Luigi confirmed his cor
rectneSs, and the search went on
Presently Wilson glanced up with :
surprised expression:
Here is record Of an incident whicl
you would perhaps not wish me to
'turedly; Il promise you it shan't EN-
.barrass me-"
But Wilson still heSitated. and diC
mot seem quite to know what to do
HIhen he said:
Il think it is too delicate matte
tto-to--I believe / would rather writ
Dit or whisper it to you. and let you de
tcide for yourself whether you want
AtallAed out or not"
THAT will answer" said Luigi
E"write it,
Wilson wrote something on sill
of paper and handed it to Luigi. VIII
read it to himself and said to Tom
] Unfold your slip and read it. Nj
Driscoll"
Tom read:
1T was prophesied that would XII
man. 1t came true before the yea
was out"
/ Tom added, Great Scott
Luigi handed Wilson'S paper {
Tom, and said:
\ ~Now read this.
Tom read:
You have killed some one, but wht
ther man, woman or child. | do nc
make out"
Caesars ghost!' commented Ton
with astoniShment. 1T beats am
hing that was ever heard Of VIII!
mans own hand is his deadlies
enemy! Just think of that-a man
own hand keeps Il record of the deer