"HANDS" AND OTHER MATTERS 



*' Hands " 



This is a very interesting subject, and one upon 

 which there may be many diverse opinions. I hope, 

 however, that the following ideas may bring the 

 matter into clearer focus, even though my readers 

 may not entirely agree with me. 



We are always told that hands are born, not 

 made, and the dictum is accepted, as axiomatic. 

 But an axiom, according to Euclid, is a statement 

 the truth of which is so obvious that no proof is 

 possible. 



This is certainly not the case with " hands." 

 If it were true it could be shown that no one could 

 possess " hands " unless they had the gift in- 

 tuitively. In which case they would be equally 

 good at the first effort in the saddle as at the last. 

 If a recruit, after his first ride, were to ask the 

 rough rider, "Have I got good hands?" I can 

 leave it to my readers to imagine what his reply 

 would be. Whatever it might be, I think it w^ould 

 be safe to assume that it would be unprintable. 

 It requires but little reflection to disclose the 

 fallacy of such a statement. And yet it is widely 

 believed. An imtruth often is masked under the 



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