The Washington bee., 1894-04-21
CHAPTER In PALMISTRY.
A GRAPHIC DESCRIPTION BY MARK
TWAIN.

xy;Isonn HOW a Master of the Art
Revealed a Murder by the Lines Oh
the Hand.
.sRut look here, Dave" said Tom,
''you used to tell peoples fortunes too'
when you took their nnger hiaihs.
Why, he'll read your wrinkles as easy
as book and not only tell you n1ty of
sixty things that's going TO happen ~
YOU, but fifty or sixty thousand 'nat
amt. Come, Dave, show the genie-
men what an inspired Jack-at-aii,
science we've got in this town, ana
don't know it.
Wilson WINGED under this nagglng
and not very courteous chan, ana the
twins suffered with him and Tor MIN.
They rightly judged, now, mat 1ne
best way to relieve him, would DE 10
take the thing in earnest ana treaI IL
with respect, ignoring Toms rather
oyerdone raillery; so Luigi said
I'VE have seen something OF palm
istry in our wanderings, and know
yery well what astonishing things 1t
can do. If it isn't a science, ana one
of the greatest of them, too L don't
know what its other name ouSht 10
be. In the Orient
Tom looked surprised and lncredul-
GUS. He said:
THAT Juggling science? But real
Iy. YOU amt serious, are you:
Yes entirely so. Four years ago
ye had our hands read out TO US as
If our palms had been covered WIN
print
well, do you mean to say there was
actually anything in it?' asked Tom,
his incredulity beginning to weaken
little.
There was this much in it, said
Angelo: what was told us OF our
character was minutely exact-We
could not have bettered il ourselves.
Next, two or three memorable things
that had happened to us were laid
bare-things which no one present but
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
il, and l 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 Luigis 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 ND the piece of paper, and
handed it to Tom, saying:
I'll tell you when TO look at it, If
ne finds it."
Wilson began to study LuigiS 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 enmeshed them on all sides
he felt of the fieShy cushion at the base
of the thumb, and noted lbs shape: he
felt of the fipShy 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. anu
natural manner of dispoSing them
selves when in repose. All this pro
cess WAS watched by the three spec
tatorS with absorbing interest, theil
heads bent together over LuigiS palm
and nobody disturbing the stiffness
with word. Wilson now entered
upon a close survey of the palm again
and his revelations began.
He mapped out Luigfs character
and disposition, his tastes, averSions
procliyitieS. ambitions. and eccentric
itics in a way which sometimes mad;
Luigi vince and the others laugh, bu
both twins declared that the char
was artistically drawn and was cor
rect.
Next Wilson took up Luigi's history
He proceeded cautiously and witt
hesitation, now, moving his tinge
slowly along the great lines of tn
palm, and now and then halting !
at a star or some such landmark
and examining that neighbOrhoot
infinitely. He proclaimed one or tw
past events, Luigi confirmed his COZ
trectness, and the search went on
Presently Wilson glanced up with
Isurprised expression:
Here is record Of an incident whicl
you would perhaps not wish me to
Bring it OUT said Luigi good-na
5turedly; Il promise you it shan't EN-
fbarrasS me-"
But Wilson still hesitated, and di,
Inot seem quite to know what to dc
tThen he said:
Il think it is too delicate a matte
Ito-to-I believe L would rather writ
Hit or whisper it TO you. and let you dc
eide for yourself whether you want
talked out or not"
That will answer" said Luigi
'write it"
Wilson wrote something on Sli
Of paper and handed it to Luigi, VIII
read it to himself and said to Tom"
Unfold your slip and read it, Nj
tDriscoll."
Tom read:
1T was prophesied that / would XII
a man. 1t came true before the yea
fwas out"
Tom added. Great Scott
Luigi handed Wilson's paper t
Tom, and said:
Now read this.
Tom read:
You have killed some one but VIII,
Fther man, woman or child, l do nC
Emake out"
Caesars ghost,' commented Ton
twith astonishment. 1T beats an!
hing that was ever heard of. VIII,
mans own hand is his deadlies
fenemy! Just think Of that-a man
Town hand keeps record of the deer
lest and fataleSt secrets of his life. an
l.