Smyrna times., 1871-11-29
ms G cI/un e OmS
Olden Superstitions.

- SuperstltlonS love darkness, and, like the
trolls CT the old NOrseman, if light fall upou
them they die Instantly They used 70 he v.rv
numerous and powerful, but many of them lie
III undlstlnguished graves others exist only in
memory; others are objects of mirth and finn
whlle some lew retain their power to make
people afraid. The last mentioned are more
potent than we are willing to admit. They
exert tnelr secret influence over the very per.
sons who ridicue them. They have tatnn
refuge IN some lnnermost chamber of the sonl
which the light cannot penetrate, and thew will
not oe dlslodged; their victims cry "Avauntl"
put they cannot be made to hear As the sun
IS SHINING, we may safely take look at some
OF these children of ignorance. Some of the
chronlclers OF curious things shall tell us about
them.
HOwLING OF DOGS.
The bowling of dogs is hdeous sound. and
we cannot wonder it was suggestive of great
grets. 1t is only less disagreeable than a
woman'S scream 1t is placed by Shakspere
among the portents, and has always been re-
garded as the presage of death and dire evils.
Ihe dogs OF Rome, by this melapcholv CRY
predicted the sedition about the dictatorship of
Fompey and before the massacre of the Mis-.
seunlans the dogs hOwled as they had never
been heard to do before and before the battle
OF Hastings the dogs ran about through the
forests and fields, utteripg the most prolonged
and plaintive cries. If a dog howled near
where one lay sick, it was considered the prog
nostlc OF death. This superstition was grounded
on the belief that these animals scent death
before 1t smltes person, and that wraiths are
visible to them.
BIRDS.
The ow occupied place of honor and i'm
nortance IN the religions of Greece and Rome.
Every &c Il; l.
dlsmale creature was invested with significance.
The screech OF the owl was regarded as fatal
presage.
when screech owls croas upon the chimney tops
Its certain then you ofa corpse shall hear"
Chaucer mentions this hoarse and horrible
sound among the Omens of caamities:
The ielous swan. agenst hys deth that singeth.
The oule exc, that of deth the bode brinxeth'
And Edmund Spencer has the following dis
itch on the venerable superstition.
" The ruefu strch still waiting on the beere
The whistler shi ILL., that whose hears doth die"
The raven was also supposed to feel the
shadow OF coming calamity. The croak of this
bird pOrtended death 1t is stated that one of
these gloomy birds premonished Cicero of his
approaching death.
Crows were also accounted prophetical birds.
When flying in hOcks they were watched by the
Romans with trembling, for if they passed on
evl. The flight of a crow over house three
times in succession, with a croak each time.
was sure to bring a death in the family. An
Old writer was so profoundly convinced of the
prophetlcal powers of this lover of corn that he
expresses the belief that God showed his
prevy counsayles to crows"
SALT
Several of the superstitons of the olden time
have been preserved by salt. The spilng of
this indispensable substance has turned MANY
aEruddy cheek pale, and instantly silenced the
most gleesome laughter. If by an unlucky
accident any one overturns the salt-cellar, the
eye OF an evil doom is thought to be fixed upon
HIM. And the person toward whom the salt
falls Is also supposed to be about to suffer some
mlschance; but this may be averted by having
wine poured on the lap, or by tinging some of
the split salt over the left shoulder into the
fire.
SHOES.
The occult science Of omens pronounced the
putting Of a shoe or stocking on the wrong foot
a most unlucky occurrence. Throwing an old
shoe after the bridegroom and bride on leaving
their respective houses was supposed to secure
for the couple the most desirable blessings
1t used to be customary in some countries of
Europe for the bride, after she entered her
chamber, to turn and fling her shoe among the
crowd that gathered about the door, The per-
son who succeeded in getting it was sure to be
married before many moons.
These occasions were productive of much
noisy jollity, and this simple sorcery was never
omitted.
WEDDING CAKE.
The custom of dreaming on wedding cake
dates back to a very remote period. A slice of
this charmed cake placed beneath the pillow
was supposed to bring before the inner eyes of
the fair sleeper the person who was destined to
be her loved lord.
SNEEZING.
Sneezing has been considered good omen
from time immemorial Prometheus is said to
have been the first to bless the sneezer. The |
person who uttered this joyous sound, and re-
ceived the benediction of the ire-thief, was the |
man he had fashioned of clay.