American citizen., 1872-08-03
SUPERSTITION.


That looks like very long word for
the Little Folks column, but l am only
going to tell some little stories l know, to
show how foolish it is for people to be-
Iieve in ghosts, and signs, and dreams,
and haunted houses. Perhaps you will
say. good people do not but know OF
many who will not staff on a journey, or
have new garment cut, OF begin any
say it is an unlucky day, and you cannot
prosper if you do so and if looking
glass breaks, they look solemn. and saw it
must be there is going to be death in the
family or if you drop fork, company is
coming if dog hewls, death is sure to
follow if you see the moon over your
left shoulder, bad luck for that month !;
and so on, making themselves uncomfort-
able by imagining a thousand things
which never come trtie, or if they do, have
nothing to do with the sign they have con-
nected with it. One evening, good
many years ago, my father took me upon
his knee, to tell me a story for which
had teased him, and looking at me with a
droll expression on bis face, said,
"Nellie, did you ever see ghost ?"
"Why, no SIR" I said at once, did
you 81
"No," he answered, "but I almost
did, >" and went on to tell me his story:
Zone beautiful moonlight evening"
when l was about thirteen years old, my
father said to me,
"'My son, l want you to put the saddle
on the black horse and go over to Hadley,
and do some errands for me, and told me
what they were.
.'Well, when he told me this, my heart
almost stood still for a moment, for my
road lay through very dark, heavy, pine
woods, which l had often heard were
haunted, as very strange noises had been
heard in them. But my father was man
who had no faith in such slories. and
would not have allowed me to wait till
daylight, even if the errands had not been
urgent, because he would have thought it
best for me to go, and If heard a strange
| noise, to trace it and find out what it was
So put the saddle on the horse and
started on my way, and sure enough,
when was about half through the first
woods l heard strange sort of 'hOO-ou-
ou-ou- ou, which seemed right opposite to
me, though far in the wood. l tried to
be brave; l stopped my horse and listen
ed; but the sound became more and more
distinct as l listened, and with a great
effort l made up my mind to ride into the
woods and see if could find what was
causing it. So in l rode to the thickest
part, where, after resting moment, l
heard Just the same sound, several times
repeated, only instead of being beside me,
as had expected, it was out by the road,
which l had just left. Well, l had found
out that it was something that could
move, so after it l went again. and as
soon as l reached the road, there
it was back in the woods.
Well, noc 1 had learned that
it did not wish to stay by me, and the
thought occurred to me that l mi ght
/ g.. Nf fr1. Ixr
| it, so in rode again, but with just the same
effect. So in l made up my mind this time
l would watch and nOs allow anybody or
thing to pass me without my seeing l.,
but this time looked up, instead of on
the ground, and what should see but a
large white owl, which flew over my head
and rested on tall tree. So this proved
the great wonder which had frightened
the whole neighborhood; and 1 smiled
all to myself, and went on to do my err
rands, and then went home and told the
boys what haunted Old Hadley's woods,
and that they need not fear to go through
them, let the night be ever SO dark, and
if they would like to, we would make up
party and see if we could not catch the
ghost and bring it home with usH
| So think the best way is, when We
hear strange noises, not to run away from
them, and believe there is some
and trace them out, and we are
pretty sure to find some simple cause,
but if we lay up all the signs and omens
we hear. and put faith in them, they are
sure to make us unhappy. Orly few
days ago, a friend called to see me, and l
spoke about n,oying, as l was expecting to
do so in ii few days, and said:
Il am so afraid old Kitty will not stay
with us, as she is SO attached to this
place"
| When 1 looked at her, 1 saw she looked
very sober and she said to me.
och, don't think of moving y0ur cat.
| Don't you know it is Il very bad omen9 l
should expect one of the children tcoutd
| die"
| said, "You know 1 do not believe in
such things, and if they should all die, |
should believe it was because Gods time
had come for them, and not because |
moved my cat"
! knew a women once who thought her
| husband died, because he looked into the
grave of his own dear pastor, and she
| said,
! You notice it, and you will find if any
one looks at Il coffin after it is lowered
| into the rave, the next funeral will sure
| ly be his own.
| | was speaking of these things day or
two ago, to a very dear friend of mine,
] W no
/ 81 feel as you do about believing such
! things, and l remember when l was boy
how strange l thought it as l was dining
with a little boy friend of mine, a servant
came to wait upon us at table, and upset
the lt-cellar. She Immediately took a
spoonful of salt and threw it into the fire,
and then put the rest back into the salt
cellar. l looked at Tom to see what il
meant, and he, seeing my wonder, said
Don't YOU know she would quarrel and
have bad luck if she did not do that?'"
Such notions are all silly nonsense
God is n God of Providence, and watches
even the fall of a sparrow, and surely viii
not leave his own children to he the sport
of caprice, or reveal to the moon, or to
dogs, or salt, those things he does not tel
to the wiSeSt of men.
No burning heats by day,
Nor blasts af evening air,
/ Shall take my health away,
If God he with me there
Christian IH'0n.