The Winslow mail., 1898-12-03
ON HANDSHAKING.
1t Is Not the Proper Thing to Inyari-
ably Grasp Persons
Hand.

ably Grasp Persons
Hand.
When to shake hands and when not
TO shake hands are questions frequent
~ asked. The subject is a many-sided
one, and cannot be disposed of by a yea
or nay, or by hard and fast rule. 1t
is trite saying that circumstances al
ter cases. and yet this adage exactly APP
plies to the matter in hand, as it entire
ly depends upon the circumstances of
the moment whether hand is extended
or bow given.
Thedifiiculty of not knowing whether
TO shake hands or not arises when first
introductions are made, and again at
subsequent meetings between women
but recently introduced to each other
and on many like occasions, such as
when strangers are brought in contact
with each other when staying in a coun-
try house together, or at afternoon par
ties, dinner parties, and so on.
This question of when to shake hands
wholly relates to the foregoing situa-
tions, and is outside of the handshak-
ing customary between friends. 10
which no reference need be made. Us
they shake hand with each other On
meeting as a matter of course. ard
again on parting, with this reservation.
that at a second meeting on the same
day the act of shaking hands is not re-
peated.
The term shaking hands is still in
use for want of a better one, but as far
as the word shaking" is concerned it
is almost misnOmer, and taking the
hand would be more explicit express
sion to apply to the fashion of the pres
ent day. When an introduction is made
between two women. whether they
side issues Generally speaking. the re
OOlLO1 III 10 % DOl 10 DO 20 PIT ODlL 10
bo.v. but then follow all the various ex-
ceptions that induce women introduced
to do otherwise-that is to say, to shake
hands at once
When q girl is introduced to mar
ried woman, for instance, by mutual
friend, the married woman may or may
not shake hands with the girl; she prob
ably will do SO if she is goodnatured,
but she is not certain to evince this
amount of cordiality. But if the intro
duction is made by relative of the girl
the married woman does not hesitate
to shake hands, but in neither case
would the girl take the initiative of
shaking hands.
When d man is introduced to wom-
an, again the exceptions in favor of
shaking hands come in as against not
IL, in,
troduced is the husband or brother of
the woman making the introduction it
would be natural to shake hands with
him, almost imperatively so; but were
he a. mere acquaintance it would be
most unusual to shake hands with him
on first introduction. After a little
short and desultory conversation has
taken place between two women or be-
tween a woman and a man just intro
duced to each other, the doubt arises
whether they are expected to shake
hands on taking their departure; neith-
erdo they shake hands at future chance
meetings, should they occur, unless
meetings under exceptionally favGra-
BILE circumstances for promoting ac-
quaintance at the houses of mutual
friends and at social functions. etc. On
the other hand. the hostess shakes
hands with any and every guest
brought to her house by her friends.
She does so on their arrival and on their
departure. and again al any subsequent
meeting if she happens to recollect
them. which is not always certain to be
the case.
As regards dinner guests, when
man is introduced TO q woman for the
purpose OF taking her in to dinner she
does not shake hands with him, but
merely bows, and. however well they
NAV have got on together during din
ner. she does not shake hands with him
later on in the evening, when taking
her departure. Indeed, the opportunity
seldom occurs for even bowling to him.
At a second meeting bows only are in
terchanged, and it much depends upon
circumstances whether the acquain-
fance ripens into shaking hands one or
ceases altogether.
Little handshailing occurs between
guests staying at country house, they
do not do so on first introduction by
their hostess, neither when separating
DH tHc hlSt C'Ch'llS "i.fH WV" II =
is said. nor on coming down to break
fast They shake hands with their
hostess each morning and evening, oc-
casionally with their host in the morn
ing. and generally so in the evening,
and if they become interested in each
other and are inclined to be friendly
they shake hands when before men
toned Good nights" are said.-Chi-
eago Tribune. .----->--..
TuTMECH CYynn-ax,