The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1878-04-11
Turkish Magic and Witchcraft.


Turkish Magic and Witchcraft.
Magic and witehcraft would seem to
be-practiced TO averygreat extent among
the Turks; there are those that are ac-
counted magicians, witches, and wizards,
whose occult power is brought largely
(but with much secrecy to work out re-
suits on another's will, affections, prop
erty and health. Conceive the case of
two rival wives each longing for the
others death. They look in each 9TH
er's faces with jaunGiced smiles, and
reyel together through tournament of
screeching music; and each knows all
the while that the other has, so to
speak, sold her soul to the Internal pow
ers for the sake of present revenge.
Let such thing be suspected by the
one. and no power on earth can turn
her from eourtings every spell of the
dark craft to outdo her rival. For does
not her very life depend on her resort
ing to more powerful means, to- more
subtle secrets than the other knows ofp
Where can she find man or woman
.'wise - enough to lead her through. the
labyrinth of dark ways that have to be
| troGden before she can arrive in triumph
| at her goal, and know her evil wishes
realized? She sets to work cautiously
and surreptitiously, binding some old
woman to her secret service. But be-
| fore spell, charm, or enchantment can
| be commenced, it is necessary to OBJ
tain possession OF some object belong
| ing to the person to be worked on.
/ Say q divorce has to be brought
about, two spoons must be obtained be-
longing to the parties who have to be
separated these metal objects are then
securely bound together, in representa-
! ton of the bonds of matrimony, which
unite their owners. The spoons are
then either buried in the ground, or are
hung in some damp, moldy receptacle,
incantations having been duly said over
them. AS the string binding them to-
gether gradually decays, SO the bonds
of affection between the husband and
wife will surely give place to aversion
and estrangement, till their two lives
fall asunder. In magic, written words
are supposed to have mighty power, as
though they could hold in concen-
trated form the dearest and most hid
/ den wish of the soul; and, if that wish
is written with the hearts life-blood and
in coniunctit n with the names of some
of the hottest prophets, its fulfllment is
the more certain. Nearly every Khanum
wears such an amulet: the religious
minded, as preservation from sin; the
superstitious, as a protection against
shaita'as !; young girls, to insure a hap
py marriage; the aged, to court long
1 life; ambitious effendis, to insure ad
vancement; men who have two wives
to set themselves beyond the power o.
/ spells; and a beautiful woman to ware
off envy But in the case of a rival wifi
this amulet is source of the keenes
/ hope and of the gravest apprehensions
She must hide it from all eyes, and ye
it must never leave. her. Should it b,
discovered and tampered with, it woult
reveal her paramount object, the name
of those concerned, and the end to b,
effected being usually written inside thu
little three-cornered packet. BelgyaUsa
i SOME of the monasterieS of Italy ant
France will send curious Inventions Il
the Paris Exhibition. A Florentin'
i friar has constructed a watch only
quarter of an inch in diameter. It ha
not only a third hand to mark th
seconds, but microscopic dial whicl
indicates the days of the week am
month, and the proper dates. 1t ais
contains an alarm, and on its front GOV
er an ingeniously cut figure of St. Fran
els of Assist. On the back cover tw
verses of the :. TIE Deum'' are distinct
cut. a monastery in Brittany, Francs
t will contribute a plain looking Ins
J shogany table, with an inlaid draugh1
/ or chess board on the surface The il
i ventor sets the pieces for a game I
7 chess, and sits. alone at one side Of til
board. He plays cautiously, and the ol
f pesite pieces move. automatically an
: sometimes checkmato, him. There
( no mechanism apparent beneath II
tabletop, which seems to be solid m,
t hogany board.