The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1906-11-29
SIGNS IN THE THUMB
WHAT THEY MEAN AND HOW you
MAY LEARN TO READ THEM

They Serve ms an Index to the
Character of the Individuas--Ths
"rhumb Center" In the Braip--Posi-
tien Of the Well Balanced Thumb.
The gypsles have always recognized
that the thumb Is the most important
factor In dclineating special tendencies.
These nomadic people are the most in
tuitive on earth, and the fact that in
their fortune telling they often confine
their prognosticatons TO the thumb
alone Is worth more than passing no
tice.
The fact that there is what Is known
as the thumb center" In the brain, rec.
ognized by all surgeons. demonstrates
the immense Importance attached to Il
by medical science. If there Is a tend
ency toward paralysis the physician
notes 1t In the thumbs long before the
malady shows itself In other directions.
An operation to avert the calamity II
possible Is frequently performed on the
thumb center of the brain. and the
thumb itself IN watched for results fa-
vorable or otherwise. 1t Is q matter Of
record that the thumbs of idiots aud
those mentally weak are understood,
characterless and usually cling closely
to the side of the hand. There have
been books written ON signs In the
thumbs as denoting criminal instincts,
and detectives have been often moved
to consider seriously this phase of the
hand In making their deductions In
puzzling cases.
The position of the thumb with refer
ence to the rest of the band makes Ell
ther for or against favorable tenden-
cies. IL II Is bound to the first finger at
a close angle, lying nearly parallel, 1t
indicates weak and cownrdly nature.
People with such thumbs are not open
and frank In character, preferring to
creep along In the shadow and profit
by another's enterprise. If in connec-
ton with this position 1t should be
very small. with vaciilating, almost in
visible joints, ii indicates mental weak
ness. If. on the contrary, Ii flies out at
right angles or even farther 1t shows
want of balance In another direction.
The person will rush TO extremes and
Is independent and aggressive almost
to foolhardiness. Such people are dis.
agreeable to associate with In any en-
terprise, as they always want their
own way and are not subservient to
authority.
The well balanced thumb lies at an
angle Of about forty-five degrees from
the first finger. The joints Of the
thumb also tell their story. The Timber
Jointed thumb which turns back from
the hand Is n misfortune to its owner.
He will never be rich by saving his
earnings, and II fortune should be
left him 1t Is likely to be soon dissl-
pated. He Is a spendthrift by nature,
not only in money, but in thought. II
he gets a hobby he rides 1t to death,
and his policy in all the affairs of life
will be, IF little Is good, more IL bet
ter" And II he does not actually live
out all his Impulses he will always
fret In the spirit and grow rebellious In
resisting his natural tendencies.
The stable jointed thumb Is every
thing that Is the opposite to the first
type. And while the people with these
thumbs are not so companionable or so
helpful to others they succeed by con-
centration and certain amount OF
selfshness. They have the directness
of purpose and the tenacity to carry to
successful issue great enterprises. They