Hand Shaking

IIow did peoplo first get oto the habit of shakiug hands ? The snawer ia not far to seek. In early and barbarous times, whcn every savage or semi-savJP was. hl3 own law-giver, judgo, boIdier, and policcman, and bad to watch over hia own eufety in default of all otner protection, two frionds or acquaintaaces whon they cbanoed to meet, ofiered eaeh to tbe other the rigbt hand -the hand aliko of ofionse and defenBe the hand thut wields tbe sword, the dd ger, the club, tho tomahawk or other weopoi of war. Eaoh did this to show thai tue hand was tmpty, and tbat neittior war nor treachery wa8 intended. A man caunot well tab anothor while he ih engagcd iü the act of sbaking Hands vmh bim, uolesa ho be a doublé o.yed iraicr and a villain, and striveg to aim a cowardly blow witb the left, while givn.g the right, a.,d pretendió to be o" good ternis w th his vietim The custom Uf l,.Dl.8hking prev.ils, m„re or Ie, amoug all civilizó nationp, and is the ittt-it avowal of lriendhip and gond will, just as the niss is of a warmer mes ou. Ladie?, as every one mut have reniarked, seldom or uever shake hand wnh the oordiality "f gentlemen ; unleas u bc wuh eacb other. The reaoon is obviuus. It i for them to receivo homage, not to give it. 'JVy caunot be exp.ctfcd loaliow to persoi.sot the other sex a wuroith of greaiug, vvbich mieht b mi-i. terpreted ; unless sucl. persons aro closelv rulated to (hem iy fauiily or affection ; ia wliicli cases hand shakiusr s not needed, and tho lïpa do mor agreeable duty. Lvtry mau shakes bands accordinr to his nature, whrtbrr it be timid or agressrve, proud or humble, courieous or churlisb, vulgar or icfiued, sincere or hypocritmyl, entbusiastic or indifferent The meest refinenients and idiosynerasies of oharacter muy not perhaps bo diacoverablo lu thia fasliiou. but tho moro salïentpumt of temperament aod individulity may doubtlcss be mude cluar t n underatanding of most púoiilo y a belter study of wl.at 1 hal! aay about the phyiiulogy or tho phiiosophy of Ijaud aakii'g. Tu p.c-eat the left band for tho purpose of a fricndly greetiug is a picce ff iseourtesy- sonjeti.ncs iutootional on the part of superiors n rauk lo their indriors, Bed an act tbat no true srentle.nun will commir. There is no rea8-.n wl.y it should be considered moru disuourteouH titan it wouldbe to ki.-s tbo left ebeek mstead of the riaht: but düubticss, tho custom ttiat raakes the rigbt hand ïmjieraiivo in all sinctre salutation dates f'rom thoso carly timea vvhen hand -shiiking firat b.gan ; and the hand tbat shook or was shaken in frieodsLip was of neccsíity weapouíess. The poor lffï hand that ODe wouhi think ought to be of such value and atreugth as tho right, just as the left foot or leg is as strunor as the right foot or le, because they are both used equally, has fallen uto dispule, as wcll tus comparatively uno clisuss, ontij it has become aa acoepted pbrasö to say of any pr.ceedmg tbat is naiiBpioioui, artfal, 8ly or secrelly njaliuiüu-, that it is " siuistor " - that is, left hai,ded. To sliaka hands wittout removiuc the gi"vo ia an act of discowifl, wbich f uointeutional and ihoughtlew, re.mirea au apoloy for tbe liuriy or nadvcrtejice wbich led to it. This idea would aleo suoii) to be üd occult retnnaot of the uld rot ou tbat tlie glovea migbt couooal a weapon. Heneo true courlesy and fnei,d-liip reqüircd tbat the liaud should be naked, hs proof of good faith. To refu-e p..intedl to cbako Latda with one wlio ofiers you the opportuuity in a friendly luanuer auiouuts to a declaration of bnstility. And áfier aquar. rel- or act of op-n hostility-tba ac0 ptuuco f the hand offert-d is alike the sigii and the ra'itiualiou of peaca - All the Yaar Round.