Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1853-05-13
MISCEIII.AS EOUS.
For The Enquire
THE EVIL. EYE.

THE EVIL Ef
KESSAab.
Perhaps no superstition hus obtained believers from
the earliest ages or has had extended prevalence
than that Of The Evil Eye. From the far East among III,
Turkish faalis,, the Norwegian pcusan, his rock
bound icy coast; from the highlands Of Scotland to '
West Indian Islands, the dread OF the Evil Eye prevails
The Italian peasant will snatch up her child TO withdraw
from the influence oil the naloccho. and the negro slav'
hides herself from the dreaded guncc Of Obeah So widely
extended superstition must have correspondence %
nature; natural instincl must furnish foundation
for an idea general There faces whose expires
sion agrees with our preconccvcd notion OF gifted with
the Evil Eye, dark, Italian gpsy looking counenancer
with long, narrow dccp.se eye CHANGING from under
projecting brows. like the lady's in Chrlsubc
"A snakes small aye binss dull and ry
And the adyu eyer they -tIrunk IN her head;
Each shrunk W H.rlent'A eye,
At Chrsiahrl abe looked askancel'
But the Evil Eye which fcd Heudy look upon
by means in accordance" with my former iHas"-
ings still the effect The ess powerful perhaps
more 80, for the secmins incongruty.
1t beautiful summer afternoon that TOOK pass
age In of the Chesapeake from baltimore to
Norfolk; glorouBy clear and beautiful evening" md The
passengers collected in the OF The boat 10 wat, the
recedng city sitting AT the door Of the saloon, when
fH the steady gaze of eye fixed full upon Oppo-
slte plain, strong minded looking woman Of
tain age with nothing distinguish her from the rnuny
strong mindod women with which country 10 blest the
aquilne nose determined mouth the high cheek bones
the sandy hair, arranged in innuneruhle l. cork screw
curls were all there were her eyes in themselves re-
markable they very large and OF light grayish
blue; OF them very properly employed in taking u
view OF the habo the fort ard the distant city, but The
o,her-that fixed my face vii" u fixed imrnovabIiry
Of gaze, which caused my eyes fall under it, und ye
compelled me, nervousy raise them again The min
ucon TO The fixed I SIN |
for few moments, and then changed my seat II would
do the ego looked GxcdIy full into my fnce
began TO grow more nervous 10th eyes could have stood
and thought that in that could have stared buck
again. but TO have eye useuly employed in studying the
scenery, while the other fixed its pcnacious gazc--iha
much Presently all ln terrible stories had ever
read Of tho Evil Eye began crowd into my mind. The
Italian painter whose evil demon followed pcrpctuaIly
and forced him continually around and glance III
chdren who dropped OF their dead fathers precious
elixir Of life upon his eye which forthwith 10 ile and
looked them implorngy aud reproach"ly that they
crushed out and forever after haunted by the ho
vsonth the old classic talcH OF those WIN met nymph In
the woods and cuzy from the glance OF her evil
all these Stories thousand more presented themselves
Then tried myself against the coming nervous
remembered how when Sir Walter Scott suffered
under optical illusion, he chased il into easy chair
and then sa. down upon und Ha it into nothing; nnd tax
ing courage from his example Immediately turned my
back upon The eye. II would not d, glanced my
shoulder The Italian painter only
steady gaze UNTIL wrought pitch Of fur
beyond my control, lury away int" ,ltles,
ner of the ladies' cabin. There my nerve s'med their
steadiuess and down the supper table laughing
my folly; but alas the company seated than
directly opposite The lady the eye fixed upon me
and s other looking pcrscv,rngy up tho table in search
of cup of tea. 1 pushed back plate and rose
from tho table. TWAS sick 2" did the motion 81
the boat affect me r. "No" said. al was not hun.
Rry;" and | walked up the cabin Supper being over,
! ws,ched her she left the table, and. with sigh oil
relief Jaw her throw herself into berth and draw tho
tain. Directly my spirits rose and they rosr my hunger
returned calling chanbcruaL plate of cakes
&C. grew valiant that determined 10 offer
her one Yes, would be brave enough to pull back the
curtain il was all have been 30 alarmed
rose drew back curtain with hand and held the plate
10 .r other There che ay-thc rest of her
conpo in sleep but the wide open, and fixed steadily
on my face The plate dropped from my hand und sank
bank, halt fainlng in my chair The evening passed ou.-
The boat was crowded III must share my stae-room with
ono" the chambefmaid sad-"wh the lady lying in
the BERTH" There help for it. I felt that was
doomed-und went my with something OF thu.
feelings with which condemned criminal his
cell She followed sat down, trembling, on the
" seat that the afforded and tried with hands that
would not perform their office unfasten my hair Moan
tlme she looked with eye deep into the ecesses OF her
carpet Dag, while The other was fixed upon watched
her. while the widest thoughts through my mind What
abe should choose the BERTH and thar eye should look
the Side down upon all night Meanwhile she pro-
ceeded slowly TO curl up her hair take down and take
of back hair and them raising her hand 10 the dreadful
eye. cooy took from The socko. laid i, ON the table
saying she did and glanced at my Mortified connie
nance "Whnts the with the chdl did Won ver se
giass eye beore?"