The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-12-31

THERMOMETER YESTERDAY ia. M, ,36 !;
8 A. NJ, 80; noon, 81 /; 3 T. M, 62,;;r D x.
NJ. $40; midnight, 81. s1& = .,isl :.
Mean temperature, 41t.. ,.r& sy5. -
tty# "f1a. ..s..---. .u..-.z.--sa-s -
chinese SuperstitiOns. ~
SOME DEVICES OF THE M0NGoLIASs FOR DRIV-
81 ING AWAY DEMONS. 40
We take the following from the San Fran
cisco Chronicle: .ss.;.; .t,rl...s
It NAV be said Of the Chinese that, from
the cradle to the grave. from the highest to
the lowest, the life OF each is an endless
chain ;of superstitiousf observance of idol
and myth worship, and OF perpetual effort
to ward off the malign influence OF evil
spirits. Thefollowing are few samples of
the charms used for this purpose:
As general rule, anything red Is service
able in this way. To mark the :fstops" in
a book with red ink will keep away evil
spirits from the reader; so, also, will pieces
Of red rags or strings. AS those wicked
spirits very often muti|ate helpless little
boys unless duly armed against them, pa
rents stitch piece OF red cloth in the
pockets of the little fellows and braid the
queue with piece OF red silk to prevent
tiends from cutting it off. Yellow paper is
also very efficacious. Slips of this paper,
six to twelve inches long. inscribed
with red or black ink, are suspended
on bed-curtains, or it is burnt and the
ashes mingled with tea or hot water and
drank as. a, specific against evil influences.
Ancient coins are very good also. They are
! tied to the wrists OF newborn babes, ana
put under; the bed: OF the newly married.
The small point Of an old iron ploughshare
will do II the coin is not convenient, for
-; ;rl ;cr
A knife that has been used in killing per-
son is very excellent. Iron nails that have
been used In sealing coffin are not amiss,
if carried in the pocket or braided into the
Queue; or they may be beaten into ring
and worn in that shape until boy is SIX
teen years old. , @.ss
Yet, excellent as are these remedies, they
are used only on the defensive; but as the
tiend may feel more or less emboldened by
mere defensive tactics alone, an aggressive
policy is often adopted, especially in the case
Of a man lying sick in bed. For this pur-
| nose a hempen whip is made in the shape OF
a snake, with which the bed and Dcdstead
are we'll whipped, aud the lurking spirits
made to take hasty exit. Evil spirits are
| much addicted to the malicious practice Of
iniuring houses in course Of erection. To
put stop to their pranks piece OF
| red or yellow paper, duly inscribed with
the proper formula, is tied to the
ridge pole, OF a small bag OF red silk
or cotton Is used instead, containing five
kinds of grain in honor Of five successive
emperors, or five iron nails OF different
lengths. Another very excellent safeguard
against evil spirits is a picture OF flying
.iSer. the spirits being much afraid OF that
ftrocious feline. A lion grasping naked
sword is good; but two lions coming down
4 hill, the sun and moon between them, are
much better. 4 cat made OF lime aud
burnt clay, and looking at something at a
distance, is efficacious; or three paper ar
| rows, or a paper boy in the attitude OF
shooting an arrow, or an earthen lion, either
| of theseEis also good.
The shell Of gourd is suspended by the
bed OF children who have not yet bad the
smallpox on the last night Of the year, be:
cause the god of measles will empty the
smallpox into the shell if it be placed con.
venient to his hand. But the better plan is
to cover the child's face with an ugly mask,
and then the god Of measles, who is mis-
chieyously addicted to spelling pretty faces
will not think it worth while to waste hi:
smallpox upon so ugly achild, and will pas:
him by. The fend is thus tricked out Of his
victim. The combined pictures Of tiger
lizard, centipede, snake, and an unknowr
animal with three feet, suspended round tht
neck, keep off the colic.. a mirror sus
pended to bed-curtain, face outward, viii
keep the devil away, because, on approach
ing the room, he will see hinself~reaectec
in the glass, and, shocked with his own ug
lipess. will hide himself in some deep cav
ern until he forgets the fright.
OF the i1numerable omens of good o.
evil which the provident gods deign 10 man
: ifest few here arc given. The magpie i
bird OF good omen; and hence Il a mai
is projecting. say, aa investment ia stocks
and hears the voice OF this bird, it is a sur
sign that stocks will 20 up and that his in
! vestmeut will be success. A crow
, on the other hand, is a bird o
: evil eaen. A strange dog coming t.
take up his quarters with a tamil
is sign Of prosperity. The coming OF
cat is an evil omen, because the feline in
stinct points out the whereabouts of rat
, and mice, and these creatures have pre-
ference for dilapidated houses. A croWin
hen and whistling woman are both ba
omens-both being unnatural, and what
ever is unnatural is also uniucky. coc
growing before midnight lis another ba
emea, and will soon be killed or sold.
;