The Osceola times., 1882-06-17
A VERY OLD HORSESHOE.
An Emblem Of Luck that Has Been In the
Family Over n Century.
Buffalo News

An Emblem of Luck that Has been In the
Family Over Century.
Buffalo News
Superstition in some form or another
has at all times in the worlds history
had an existence, and the number today
who are in no way afflicted by il is, in.
deed, small. Few there are-yes, likely
none-who have not some whims that
are nothing more or less than pure su'
perstition. The ill.fated Friday, the
chirping cricket the bowling Of the dog
and the good luck of the horseshoe, are
all signs upon which is placed the most
implicit reliance that something good OF
bad, as the case may be, is about to hap
pen. The number who pin their faith to
such omens is incalculable, for their name
is legion. OF all the signs mentioned the
latter-that of the horseshoe-can un-
doubtedly claim for itself the most de-
tenders. Merchants have taken advan'
tage Of the proyerbially good luck OF the
horseshoe, and with excellent success
have used ii as sign to advertise their
places of business. Farmers have, where
! lightning ia frequent, nailed M a horse
shoe on their exposed buildings, and
their course, SO they tell us, has been in
variably followed by good results. As
proof Of this read the following from an
old farmer: Il tell you there is every
thing in it. nailed up a horseshoe and
no misfortune befel me, while my neigh
bors, who neglected TO take this precau'
ton, were all more or less visited with
bad luck. One lost his cattle, another
his barn by lightning and so on" Then
the latest style of merit cards for children
has very pretty design, a horseshoe
wreathed with II Iwers. One writer has
said that horseshoe aud good luck are
synonymous.
These remarks are called forth by the
sight of an historical horse shoe shown
an Evening News man by Mr.. Sherman
+. Bunnell the blacksmith, of l24 Erie
street, this city, which has been in the
Bunnel family for nearly century.
There is IL. connection with the shoe a
most interesting history, which the re-
porter was made acquainted with. II
seems that in IVA, General Lafayette,
with the immortal Washington, was
making a tour through the northern
po'i IN OF New York state, and one
e, ening, near nightfall, they reined up
at neat and comfortable looking inn,
kept by Mr. James lIaskins. Here
the distinguished guests tarried for a
week. Just before rcsuming their jour-
ney, Lafayette's horse shed a shoe, and
the famous general picking it up, handed
it TO "mine host" and smiling, said :
Here, take this and keep it, for it is an
inheritance of luck" The recipient
heartily thanked the donor, and carry
ing the gift into the house, ketp it
treasured it highly long after. Mr..
Haskins handed it over then to his SON.
in.law, Ira Brooks, whose wife died in
1876, at the advanced age OF 100 years.
The mother of Mr.. Bunell of this city,
afterward came into possession of the
relic. This intellil ent lady resides with
another OF her sons, Mr.. vii lam Bunell
near Pembroke, Genesee county. Though
nearly::an octogenarian, Mrs. Bunell has
retained her mental faculties wonder.
fully, and recites somv facts in Connec'
ton with this horseshoe which are GER
tainly most interesting. Mr.. William
Bunell then fell heir to the shoe and a
short time ago gave it to the present
owner, who takes especial delight in
showing the curiosity. Yes, curiosity ii
is, and it would pay any one to call and
see it. The visitor is struck at once
with the contrast between it and the
collection OF horseshoe models, specimens
of his workmanship that secured the
prize at the Batavia fair recently. The
curiosity is about Ione-e eighth of an inch in
thickness and possesses other striking
peculiarities. How different from the
ones with which Mr.. Bunell has shod
the flet-limbed Maud S. and other
famous trotters. How truly interesting
it would be could this relic OF America
in her post-aboriginal state write its
own biography