Thibodaux minerva. [volume] (Thibodaux, La.) 18??-1858, 1854-11-04
Is Friday an Unlucky Day?


been Of yore, when superstition had general
sway, yet there are many even in this matter of
fact age of ours, who would hesitate on a day
so nauspicious, to begin an undertaking of
momentous import. And how many brave
mariners whose hearts unquailing could meet
the widest fury Of their ocean home, would
bleach to even bend their sails. on Friday. But
to show with how much reason this feeling is
INDUCED, let us examine the following important
facts in connection with our new settlement and
greatness as nation, and we will see how little
cause Americans. have to dread that fatal day
On Friday, August 81, 1892, Christopher
Columbus sailed Oh his great voyage of dis
covery.
On Friday, October 18th, 1892, he first dis
covered land.
On Friday, January 4th 1893, he sailed in
his return to Spain, which, if he had not reached
in safety, the happy result wonld never have
been known, which led to the settlement Of this
vast continent.
On Friday, March 10th, 1893, he arrived at
Calais in safety.
On Friday, November Odd, 1903, he arrived
at Hispaniola on his second voyage to America.
On Friday, June 18th, 1894 he though I'M
known to himself, discovered the continent of
America.
On Friday, March 9Th, 1896, Henry VII, of
which led to the discovery Of North America.
This is the first American State paper in
England
On Friday, September 7th, 1865, Melendez
founded ST. Augustine, the oldest settlement in
the United States, by more than forty years.
On Friday, November 10th, 1920, the May
Flower, with the Pilgrims, made the harbor of
Provincetown. And on tn. same day they
signed that august compact, the forerunner Of
our present glorious Constitution
On Friday, February 22d, 1882, George
Washington, the Father Of American Freedom
was born. -.@4 a
On Friday, June 16tb Bunker Hill was seized
and fortified.
On Friday, October It'll 1777, the surrender
of Saratoga was made, which had such power
and influence in inducing France to declare for
our cause.
On Friday, September 22d, 1880, the treason
of Arnold was laid bare which saved us from
destruction.
On Friday, October 10Th, 1881, the surrender
at Yorktown, the GROWING glory of the Ameri
can arms, occurred.
On Friday, July 4th, 1776, the motion in
Congress made by John Adams, seconded
by Richard Henry Lee, that the United Colonies
were, and Of right ought to be, free and in
dependent.
Thus by numerous examples, we see that
however it may be with other nations, Amer
leans need never dread to begin on Friday any
undertaking, however momentous it may be. n
CURIOUS PREDICTION. Swisshelm fur
nishes the following:
Six years ago we heard Rev. Dr. Wilson, then
of Allegheny City, and Professor of Theology in
the Reformed Presbyterian Church, say that in
less than ten years q war would break out in
Europe between Russia and the Western Powers
"a war which would be one of the most terrible
ever recorded in the annals of history, and
which by its wholesale slaughters would carry |
the name of Christendom with thrill of wonder
to the most remote and barbarous nations,
awaken curiosity about civilization that would
prepare the way for the introduction of the |
Bible and Christianity into those benighted lands
whose people would be taught by the rumors of |
this war, to respect and fear the arts of civil
izaton. This declaration was made again and
again in public from the pulpit, and was the re-
suit of a Lifetime study of the prophecies Of
the Bible. The war, then unthought of, is now
begun, and the aged preacher always said the
Western Powers would be victorious; that the
teeth of the great Bear would be for ever broken,
and with them the powers of the Pope. We
heard this same man predict the Mexican war
years before it begun, and tell what its end
would be. He also predicted the great fire of
1845 in Pittsburgh; and we incline to think his
gift Of second sight was more reliable than that
Of the maker of this old statue, and that the
Russians will not be masters of Constantinople
From the first word about proposed hostilities
between Russia and Turkey, We have been in
The habit of telling our friends to buy their -four,
For it would be fifteen or twenty dollars per
barrel before it would be five again, and so we
still think it will be, for we are of opinion our
preacher saw far into the prophecies already
written. He said this war would take place
would be very terrible and general, and that it
was the last war before the universal peace of
The Millennium.
HoRnoRs OF THE PLAGuE.-Boccacio, an Ital-
ian writerson whom dependence can be placed,
says that during the plague at Florence other
animals besides man were capable of being af- |
ected by this disease; q fact of no little inter-
,st in the history Of the plague. He mentions
hat he himself saw two hogs on the rags of
person who had died of the plague, after stag ,
,ering about for a short time, fell down dead,
is if they had taken poison. multitude of
logs, cats, fowls and other domestic animals
we're, he tells us. fellow-sufferers with man. In
Germany the mortality was not SO great as in
tally, but the disease assumed the same charac-
err. In France, it is said, many were struck as
+ by lightning, and died ON the spot; and this
more frequently among the young and strong
han the old.
Throughout England the disease spread with
,reat rapidity, men dying in some cases imme- /
lately in others within twelve hours, or at the
atest in two days. Here, as elsewhere the in |
bois and buboes were recognized at !
nee as prognosticating fatal issue It first
roke out in the county Of Dorset. Few places !
eem to have escaped; and the mortality was
o, great that contemporary annalists have re- ,
orted, with what degree Of accuracy we can !.
lot say, throughout the whole land not more
han q tenth part Of the inhabitants had sur
ived The North Of Europe did not escape,
or did all the SHOWS of Russia protect her from 9
bis invasion. In Norway the disease broke ont 2
q a frightful manner. Nor WINS the sea re- Y
uge. Sailors found no safety in their ships I e
essels were seen driving about on the ocean, Il
nd drifting on the shores, whose crews had Il
erished to the last man.-BlackWood. "a
SUBMERGED PADDLES, Oh New METHOD or d
RopELIING VEssELs.-The following has been y
to the Boston Journal by Polish !
ngineer, who has invented the method in ques- !
on: as ssaA II j
Y There are at present two methods Of pro- a
elinr vessels in water viz. the wheel nadllleS q