Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1880-11-03
PINS.
SUPERSTITION IN CONNECTION WITH
THEM--THEIR MANUFACTURE AND
LOSS ss-INTEREsTING STATISTICS.

One would scarcely imagine that the
pin, this insignificant little article in
dress, should be the subject of a folk.
lore, Under certain conditions ii is
regarded as omlnous as salt spilling,
the breaking Of looking glass, or the
bowling Of dog, not TO mention that
host Of common superstitions which
are current amonst MS. Thus, for ex-
ample, in some localities it is said that
on seeing pin one should always pick
it up for the sake of good luck, as by
emitting to do so misfortune will as
suredly soon overtake those who are
needless of this admonition. The fol-
lowing rhyme embodying this iancilul
notion is still in use:
See pin and pick it up,
All the day you'll have good luck
See pin aud let Il lie,
All the day you'll have to cry.
Why however north country people
are so persistent in their refusal to
give one another a'pin 1t is not easy
to discover as even they themselves
cannot give the origin and reason of
this superstition. When asked Tor
pin they invariably say, "You may
take one, but mind | do not give it,"
1t may perhaps have some connection
with the vulgar prejudice against Civ.
ing knife or other sharp instrument,
as mentioned by Gay in his "Shop.
herds Week =
But woe is me such presents luckless prove
For knives. they tell me, always sever love
superstition as popular now as in
days gone by. Another fact associated
with pins will doubtless interest those
of the fair sex about to enter on the
happy state Of matrimony. Thus it is
still a prevalent beliefi certain places
that the bride, IN removing a bridal
robe and ehaple at the completion of
the marriage ceremonies, must take
especial care to throw away every
pin worn on this eventiul day. Evil
fortune, it is affirmed, will sooner or
later inevitably overtako the bride who
keeps even one pin used in the
marriage toilet Woe also to the
bridesmaids il they retain any of them,
as iheir chances of marriage will there.
by be materially lessened, and anyhow
they must give up all hopes of being
welded before the following Whitsun.
tide. On the other hand, in Sussex, a
bride on her return home from church
is often at once robbed of all the pins
about her dress by her single friends
present, from the belief that whoever
possesses one of them will be married
IN the course Of year. Much excite.
ment and amusement are occasionally
caused by the youthful competitors for
this supposed charm and the bride
herself Is not unfrequcntly the victim
of rather rough treatment.
Among the magical properties of
pins we may mention their supposed
efficacy in the cure Of certain diseases.
Thus, in Leicestershire, in the case of
warts, the patient is taken to an ash
tree, where pin is first stuck into the
bark and withdrawn a wart is trans.
fixed with it till he feels pain, and the
pin is again pushed into the tree.
Every wart thus treated is said to die
away gradually until they entirely dis.
appear Aiew years ago We are told that
some trees might be seen thickly stud.
ded over with pins each the index of a
cured wart In connection with this
superstition there is a well.known
couplet.