The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1874-12-04
POPULAR sUPERsTTTIoNs.
signs, Omens and Dreams. DelusiOns of
Good Society,"

Signs, Omens and Dreams. De1usiOHs o
Good Society.
It is curious subject of inquiry t,
discover just where religion ends ant
superstition begins Our best society
is full of whims, delusions, and preiu
dices that would edify Hottentot. The
breaking of a mirror will spread con
sternation through O most Christian
family, and devout people would rather
go hungry than sit do IN to table with
thirteen. As to seeing the new moor
over the left shoulder, they are morally
convinced that it will bring misfortune
in its train. Your little girl is told by
her nurses that she must not undress OF
dress each foot consecutively, but must
alternate the putting on or off of the
coverings. It would not be lucky for
her during the day if she put shoes,
stockings and garter on the right foot,
and then on the left; but she must make
some inroad, such as both stockings
followed by shoe and garter, or vice
| versa, or, in fact, any change by which
she can vary it. Taught this in child
hood, she half unconsciously carries it
out through life, and if, by any acci-
dent, she breaks1 the rule, she is uneasy
| for the day, and on the lookout for i'll
luck. Always pick up pin when the
head is towards you, but If the point
presents itself first let it lie. Never
mind what necessities of comfortably or
| decently appareling yourself make that
pin absolutely needfuI. you must not
pick it up. Go around all day with an
uncomfortable feeling at your throat
| because the button is off your shirt and
| ITTt
| that pin unless the head is toward yOu.
Grave and reverend seignors have
been unhappy at seeing the moon over
their left shoulder, and every matter
| that goes wrong during the succeeding
month is mentally, if not morally, laid
to the charge of that unlucky look over
the left shoulder.
It is not part of your written creed,
but sort of higher law, sprung from
some mystical source, whose hidden
origin makes it all the more imperative.
Don't have your baby weighed when he
is born. II You do he will die-some-
where between that ceremonial and ten
score, probably. Then. even if it were
not such fearful interfering with Pro
vidence-albeit it might seem to be a
practical solution of the Malthusian
at the weight. It calls your higher
faculties into play, and forms an alli-
ance between imagination and mathe-
matics not possible under any other
circumstances. It almost disproves the
axiom that figures cannot lie. In this
coalition, if the figures do not lie, they
are capable of expansion which much
increases their bulk. The mathematical
Id - I--Ls
becomes the more complete twelve.
and don't weigh your baby.
You must never sit down to table thir-
teen in number. If you do, one of the
party will die before the year is out.
Whether this is predicted upon the ratio
of mortality, in the same way as life
assurance or annuities, Eve Cannot say;
but thirteen has always been considered
an unlucky number. It is the bakers
or devils dozen-the former individual
being held in something the same res
pect as the latter. The original term
was devils dozen, because thirteen
witches sat down at table together on
their Sabbaths, and it is not we'll for
you to emulate witches on your Sabbath
or any other day.
You must not rock the cradle empty,
as there are two prophecies concerning
this-either that no child will be born
to that household or, if one is living,
it will die; or, still more terrible to the
modern parent, there will be culver
overfull of these human arrows. If a
light goes out unexpectedly, or you
extipguish 1t accidentally, you must
speak no word until you have relighted
it. If there are no matches in the
house, emulate Harpocrates until some
are found and utilized, or fire and fear
full troubles will follow.
If you count all the white horses y0u
see at a funeral you will soon die. How
it works when there is only one, and
you cannot help counting it, we do not
know but the probability is that, chari-
OTIS of fire not being of daily occurrence,
you will have to die.
What you dream sleeping in strange
bed will come true; and if you are a
youth or maiden, bachelor or widow, it
is wise to assign to each corner of the
room some special divinity whom you
wish to have look graciousIy down upon
you. If you dream of her, you may
ask what you wish. Mince-p pies, cheese,
sardines, raisins and hard-boiled eggs
are good Introductory supper to little
matters of this sort. Something is sure
to come of it then. The deity will
frown, perhaps, and walk over you, or
sit upon you with the intention of
crushing you but this is all right, since
-" "Dhrames always go by conthraries, ye
know"
II you put garment on wrong side
out, you must not change it. You may
let another person do it for you, if you
are very serious about it, and intent up
on some wish at the time. Otherwise,
though it is your new silk, that is all
founces, applied to an alpaca skirt, you
must wear it so even at the risk of dis
covering the sham to your nearest neigh
Dor or dearest friend.
Trouble will never come near folks
whose eyebrows meet. Certain such
have been hanged or imprisoned, hut
that was probably no trouble to them.
Wise legislation took care of that.
These are but few of the common
est of our extra articles of faith. There
are many more which would serve as
texts, and may yet be preached from.
Meanwhile, where does religion end and
begin?
The Troubles of a Somnambulist.
Mortimer J. Loomis, says Max Ad-
eler, is now one of the most violent of
the denunciators of railroad monopo-
lies. Since his last visit to the cars he