Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1906-11-07
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 Individual-The
"Thumb Center" In the Brafn-Posi-
tion of the Well Balanced Thumb.
The gypsies have always recognized
that the thumb Is the most important
factor In delineating special tendencies.
These nomadic people are the most In
tuitive on earth, and the fact that In
their fortune telling they often confine
their prognostications to the thumb
alone is worth more than a 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 1t
by medical science. II there is q tend
ency toward paralysis the physician
notes it in the thumbs long before the
malady shows itself in other directions.
An operation to avert the calamity If
possible is frequently performed on the
thumb center of the brain, and the
thumb itself is watched for results ia
yorable or otherwise. 1t Is matter Of
record that the thumbs Of idiots and
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 denotlng 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 hand makes ell
Their for or against favorable tenden-
cies. If 1t Is bound to the first finger at
a close angle, lying nearly parallel, 1t
indicates weak and cowardly 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 vacillating, almost in
visible joints, it indicates mental weak
ness. If, on the contrary, 1t 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-fve degrees from
the first finger. The joints Of the
thumb also tell their story. The Timber
tointed thumb which turns back from
the hand is a misfortune to its owner.
He will never be rich by saving his
earnings, and If fortune should be
left him 1t Is likely to be soon dlssi-
pated. He Is a spendthrlft by nature,
not only in money, but in thought. II
he gets hobby he rides 1t to death,
and his policy in all the affairs of life
will be, IF little Is good, more is bet
ter" And II he does not actually live
out all his impulses he will always
fret In the spirit and grow rebelllous In
resisting his natural tendencies.
The stable jolnted 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-
centratlon and certain amount OF
selfishness. They have the directness
of purpose and the tenacity to carry to
successful issue great enterprises. They
are stubborn, material, stolid. resist
less. The chlmpanzee, which has the
hand most nearly resembling the hui
man. shows the greatest weakness and
want of intelligence In Its understood
short thumb. And In the human race
the long thumb may be taken as indi-
eating the more intellectual nature.
The shorter the thumbs the more bru-
tai and passion governed the nature.
The relative length of the joints also
plays an important part. The first in
dicates the will power the second de-
notes judgment, reason and logic, and
the third, which controls the mount
Of Venus, indicates the affections and
love Of fellow beings. In well bal |
anced nature the first and second
Joints are about Of equal length. This
indicates a wholesome adjustment be-
tween the judgment and the will. If,
however, the first joint Is longer than
the second the will exceeds the judg- |
ment, and the person Is likely to be
stubborn and often acts without rea-
son. When the second joint is the |
longer q person plans better than he |
executes. In this way he often gets
the reputation of being visionary and
is frequently full Of schemes which he
lacks the will to carry out
The third joint, or ham," Of the
hand when too thick indicates ungov-
ernable passions and an inordinate
love of the opposite sex. Such q per-
son will be "hail fellow well met"
boon companion, but is likely to neg
Iect the intellectual demands both of
his home aud his other self.
When the second joint Is thin and
small in circumference as compared
with the first 1t Is said to Indicate
great tact and niceties in judgment,
even to the splitting of hair. Wheh-
err the hand is firm or fiabby 1t has
modifying influence in all cases.
Idle Lives.
No idle life can nrodncp q real man.