Delaware State journal and statesman., 1862-03-11
Popular superstitions.

Through the good Offices of aame Find friends,
lind before me a large hatch Of GnrOus and
popular customs. Some of these seem emnently
absurd and inapplicAble hut | have been very
much s'ruc m ldoki. nt,,s OFT ris u iind many
OF those sayings, which are considered nnmeAn
Ing supeFstiti0na, particularly as 10 goud or ill
luck admit of u rational explanation, and are
frequently the means Of their own fnlhment.--
The observation Of mankind has shown certain
events 10 have followed certain other events he
tween which there is no obvious analogy The
old man told the commissioner that Tenterden
steeple was the cause of Goodwin Sands, because
the irruption Of the sea took place Immediately
after the building the tower there. Everybody
laughed; but the commission on inquiry found
that the monks Of Tenterden were bound to keep
up certain portion of the sea-wall that they
had impoverished themselves by building, and
had neglected to maintain this barrier against
the waves, and thus indirectly the building the
steeple 9CdS the cause of the Goodwin Sands.
will endeavor to elucidate few of these customs
and sayings. Some are known though perhaps
not in their present form; others are quite new
to me. To begin then with what is called luck
which depends much more on personal self-pos-
session and conduct than many think The want
of nerve, or of temper, (which is often more i'm
portant) is frequently betrayed by some little
incident rather than by some important and de-
oiuSu uON Muilt lHG BOuu TtnultS WHICH lOlIOW
genial or social bearing are seldom immediate,
but bear their fruits frequently at future time.
Thus the old story OF
SpHiing the Sdlt.-This is the act Of either q
nervous, hasty or careless person, one not likely
TO prosper in his affairs that day at least. 1t
is curious that in Italy, where they do not use
salt spoons, and consequently the salt is often
dropped, they think nothing of it; while to spill
q drop of oil is considered an omen of the worst
INN IN 14ts4,s 20 tharn ~
of merriment. This is ineligible, but the ORR
gin Of the oil superstition l cannot understand
Breaking a looking glass is not only the loss of
valuable piece Of furniture, but must be the
act of a very careless or clumsy person. 1t is
easy to understand why this is considered bad
omen.
IL is aAlucky for a funeral 10 cross yoar paM.-
Considering the pace at which these professions
proceed, man must be very lazy indeed to let
them get before him.
IL is anlucky for a bride about to 90 10 The church
to look in the glass after Gle is completely dressed
In the south of England the greatest care is taken
to put on glove or some other article after the
last look has been taken in the mirror. The
probability s that any young lady who is too
fond Of the looking glass will not be particularly
"lucky" when married.
PafcAror6 qaa-If lady completes one of
these without assistance, she will never be mar
ried. Patchwork is generally made social occu-
patton, and person must move very little in
society, or be of unsOciai temper, to do such u
thing alone.
The lady who reads The marriage service entirely
through will never he married. Those who are
to anxious too wed. frequently die old maids.
While on this subject, let me record these
customs
T1roWng Tie old shor-This is a wellknown
custolh, but in Kee it is done thus One of the
bridesmen thows the shoe the bridesmaid runs
after il, believing TINT the one who gets il will
be married first. She then throws il among the
men, aud il is supposed the one who ia hit will
also he married before the others. The lady
probably aims at him she likes best, which is one
step toward the fIlhmont Of the omen at least.
Keeping the doorsteps mdrm FIR another brids.--
friend has ust returned from n wedding in
Yorkshire, and sends me the following note -
After the happy couple had driven away, and
the old shoe was thrown, the cook came out
with kettle Of hot water, which she poured on
the stone in front of the house door, as an aus
piee that there would soon be another wedding
from the same home. II is called keeping the
threshold warm for another bride,
SirriRg The Christmas pHddRg. Every one ia
the house should do this "for luck" This, also,
| suppose, causes merriment, and consequently
kindlier thoughts.
Eating milce pies in di0erent houses. This say
ing is so well known that need not relate it at
length but 1t appears also based on the univer.
sal idea that "luck" generally follows social and
genial feelings.
n is lucky to be followed By strange dog when
going coartiag. Dogs have extraordinary quick
ness in understanding character. They instinc-
lively avoid persons Of i'll temper or surly ap-
pearance, and if they follow any stranger, it is a
person of kind and cheerful disposition. Need
| say more as to the chances of such persons in
courtng?
1opHt any gaTmleHt on irr0HgSide ORtCdrd iucky.
This would rather augur oarelessness. 1t is,
however, more likely to be done by an early riseI
one who gets up before it is quite light. These
active people generally attain success which is
after oil the true word for luck.
Last chapter Of the look Of PfoUerbS.-This
consists of thirty-one verses, each of which is
supposed to have mystical reference to each oil
the corresponding days of the month. Thus, {
person born on the l4th will be prOgnosticated
''to get their food from far" My correspondent
says this is 50 fully believed in by some, that q
boy has actually been apprenticed to liner
draper for no other reason than because he wa:
born on the 24th Of the month while those borI
on the 18th would be sent to lgOoLen-draper.-
The 24th verse speaks Of "ine linen" and tn
18th of "wool." While on the subject Of fore
5odiRg, the strOngest sent to me is
The widoV's Peak.-If when lady parts he
hair n very small lock remains at the extremity
forming a sort of peak on her forehead, ii is
sign she will outlive her husband and lie
widow.
IL is iacky for criekets 10 come into a house.
They will not go anywhere unless there is plent
of warmth, and cheerful fires. This again is al
instance Of the general feeling that there is ai
affinity between cheerfulness and success.
Pigeons coming into house URlHcky.-lf the
settle on a table, n sign of sickness if on a bed
of death.
Leaping Ms door ajdr M Me funeral proesssio
returns, is also well known; but different rea
son is given by correspondent, namely, Their
will be another from the same house withil
twelve months it this be not done.
Dead peoples clothes allpays redr out Very soon
of course, il is ten to one that they do not Il
we'll. Clothes that too large, or too email
always wear out quicky
Ifthe parlor bell rings lehle Me clock is strikin
ais a sign of scolding.-I is rather the sign of
hasty and forgetful temper The stroke Of th
clock reminds the master or mistress somethin
has been forgotten, and they snatch at the be
in great pet. What Is likely to follow may h