, 1881-01-09
SUPERSTITIONS.

AZ The day you'll hive good lrck;
had luck you'n have iii day.
The superstition is common one. shared by
all classes and doubtless originated in past ages,
when pins were scarce and valuable. We often
hear it quoted as an instance of Stephen Cir
ards economy that be was never known to pass
a pin without picking itup, bur the question Is
an open one whether the nct was due to motives
Of thrift or simply to the old superstition. This
fs the season Of building, and it is curious to OBJ
serve how, when a ladder is erected agalnst d
wall, many pcrsons-in fact, the majority OF
passers-by -by-go round It. out 1uto the street,
rather than pass under, although danger to life
or limb from SO doing there is absolutely mono.
And OF those who sturdily walk under, probably
more than one remembers uucomfortahly the
III luck which is snid to attend the act The evil
repute which attaches to Friday ls well nigh
Worldwide. Among sailors this prejudice
against this day is especially prevalent ln or
ure wealthy English shipbuiIder once built q
vessel when was begun On Friday, finished on
Eiday she EIlda aRd launched t,s On
were found to man her. but tempted by high
wages crew was at last obtained, and She set
sail on Friday Unfortunately for the success
OF the experiment She was never heard Of again.
TRYING ON MOURNING.
There are Intelligent and we'll educated people
whom nothing could induce TO try on mourn
ing garment when not in black themselves. The
writer has heard lady upbraJlng herself with
the kecnest remorse on the death OF her sister.
because few days previous she had tried Oh
the hos IL resson via her ad euenyoF to
prove that any connection between the two
events was impossible co1uf forted her but little;
ana to-day 1t IS probable that none Of the family
would upon any consideration do the same thing
again. Every one knows the origin Of the Gus:
tom OF burying the dead with their feet to the
tions, and adopted at first that as the Lord is to
come in the east the dead may arise and stand
with their faces to Him III the resurrection sT1e
deeply that 1t is little wonder that when 1t is de-
parted from the 8uperstitlous shake their heads
and prophesy that M good will come OF it. Some
of US indeed, who do not in such case actually
expect another death ia the family, must con-
tess tofeelinr as though our dead could not rest
ored position, Probably insurance agents are
the only people " ho have any idea how many
men, sensible IN other respects, are kept
on % theIr s own r part ' or . On tt Tat tot Ct Some some
member of their families, that the act might
shorten their lives and these are sober business
litigation rather than make will, because OF
the vague fear lest thus ''settiug their house in
order hasten the day Of death From the same
to an old house, and We hive known q man
prominent In his ne1ghhorhood. wealthy and
otherwise lbera, to bis family, who year after
year lived on In a dwelling which was con-
tinual mortiticatIon to his wife and daughters,
resisting all their entreates to REBUILD SO fully
death T would @ soon soon @ follow This | superstition @ is
not an uncommon one among Old people,
BROKEN MIRRORS.
ssSay your prayers, child; you'll have seten
years trouble once said q lady to the writer
wnen the latter had broken her dolls looking
glass. The auR.urF was fulfilled, but aR four of
the seven were the black years Of the late Civil
Var the trouble was by no means contined to tne
some ia Jest, some In earnest-trat1slate the
voice Of chicken cock growing at the door into
an oet oid iay ' who iursraby @ made e1 preparaaoa
for company when the warning note was
sounded up9@n her R5esss had Ia tar
aied her Ths sane 3 od ay had rs pes
a cat as black as any WITCH ever figured in tale
Ct necrumancy. Keep black cat" she used
men:ed on, "keep O black cnt and you'll never
want for money She was weulthg, but few
miles OF lived an old negro crcne, mistress Of a
cat as black as her own, who the negress, not
the cat) had the credit of witchcraft, and who.
in spite Of her connection with the devil and the
ownership Of the cat had hard work to keep
and Que superstittous strung upon the thread Ut
our everyday lives, and which meets us at every
influence our actions, yet most Of US remember
them unpieasantly now and then. while very
many uf US, did We own the truth, have one or
more omens which We would not prefer to en-
counter. II cannot bear to- have my left eye
quiyer," said lazy Of cultivation and average
t the con1Se n a; sow a there Is 5s noG
does so as If trouble was coming" Plenty Of
people who ought to know better are firm be-
place tue shoes when one bus worn during the
day otherwise at hight than with the toes point
ing to the door, and cannot sleep in peace unless
they have done SO. /
spnLNG SALT.
Years ago the belief in the evil omen Of spill. |
ing salt wAs so prevalent that it was ridiculed |
by Addison in the Spectator but the superstition
still holds it's own. The evil may pe e averted by
a charm witch is clearly relic OF the old |
heather ceremonial Of casting rice in the air |
pitiatory offering to unseen spirits Among the !
signs which are supposed TO foretell death are !
the ringing in the ear, known as the death-bell;
the death watch "a peculiar ticking noise CAUSED
by stuall insect cutting its way through woodh !
OF portrait falling from its place on the wall,
and each OF them has more than once gwen nerv-
GUS persons q lit of the blues When the eyes OF |
q corpse refuse to shut they are ghastly enough,
In all conscience, to give color to the supersti-
soon to follow, and il horse stumbies near q |
graveyard, its rider may be excused II his sensA-
uons thereat are none Of the most pleasant even
though he is not so foolish as to consider It an
actual death warning. If door opens without |
apparent cause, the Germans have snyinG+ ]
which has come aci0ss the water TO their amer.
the old, nervous shiver, which NEST persons have
felt less often, il held to result from the
footballs over the future grave OF nlm VINO e.
it. There are sick purses Whor at the
bedside Of the dying, never fail to open the door
Or window that the departing soul may pass out. !
The superstition is Think Of Scotch origin, md |
the reader will remember Meg Me7Tfltcs at the :!
dying bed Of the gypsy, chanting: /
Open Iock-end strife I
Come death and pass 1Ge-
Tragic stores are related in different parts OF |
the country, at home and abroad of evil result
ing to the unlucky guests at dinner parties OF
thirteen. Many Intelligent and educated people
harbpr the superstition. Bismarck. it Is said,
refuses under any circumstances to sit down TO
: table with the fatal number, and a prominent
businessman OF New York Is reported to owe !