Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1883-10-25
WHAT ALL HALF BELIEVE.

WHAT ALL HALF BELIEVE.
| The Popular SupCrstitions that Some-
how herp alive.
There is something remarkable and
not tlattering to human sagaclty III the
tenacity of old superStitions 1t is "A
usual thing for intelligent persons To
declare that they are not superStltlous'
the declaration being coupled with Il
self-satiSticd air that proclaims their
! belief that they are notch above their
fellows. Yet these same persons like
to see the new moon over their right
shoulders, and regard the incident with
especial satisfaction if they happen to
have silver in their pockets. Maybe
they are adverse to starting on jour
ney on Friday or to beginning an
important piece of work on that un-
lucky day. They will carefully pick
up pins if the right end lies toward
them and us carefully avoid them If
/ the wrong end is nearest. Other per-
sons who scorn the lucky moon and
unlucky Friday superstitions have
peculiar regard for the magical num-
Der seven, or any number which may
be divided 10y seven or added 50 as to
form seven. They prefer to live in a
house which is numbered seven, with
seven steps. If the house is the
seventh in the row. and there are seven
members in the family, the charm Is
complete. The seventh hour of the
day, the seventh day of the week, the
seventh month of the year, are 10y
them regarded as especially lucky.
! Others have special aversion to the
number thirteen. The finding of
buttons is 10y some considered Il lucky
! omen. Other persons are superStitouS
as to dreams, and still others as to the
wearing of certain charms or amuletS
to ward off disease Thus, horse
chestnut in the pocket is considered a
safeguard against rheumatism, and a
string OF peculiar sea-beans will carry
child safely through the diseases in
cident to teething. Peacock 5 feathers
are unlucky; the bowling dog foretells
| disaster to his masters household, and
| TO pass between the carriages of a
funeral procession is portentous
omen. To meet a colored person, a
cross-eyed woman or white horse be-
tokens good or bad luck as the case
may be. In fact, the most tritiing
things in life may be conjured into
prophetic symbols.
Perhaps one of the oldest supersti-
tions, and one that smackS somewhat
of sorcery, is the belief in the divining
rod. This rod, or twig, is thought to
enable certain gifted persons to discov-
er certain hidden springs of wat I.
Reliable persons declare that they have
seen the rod successful ly used in search
of water, the twig often turning so
quickly in the hand as to break it in
! two. What seems remarkable is that
the rod never turns except where the
water is concealed. There have been
many attempts to explain this mys-
terry. Some believers claim that the
wand is inspired, others that the rod
is only an index, and that the physical
cate themselves to the wand. The
most sensible solution is that of Para
melle, who wrote on methods for dis
covering wells. He concluded that
| the wand turns in the hands of certain
individuals of peculiar temperament,
and that it is very much matter of
chance whether there are or are net
wells in the places where it turns
| The twig was also used in ancient
times to point out where stolen goods
were concealed, to answer questions a
la planchette, and to indicate crimes
and criminals. A Bible suspended
like pendulum has been thought in
some parts of rural England to serve
the same purpose. The credulous say
! that the wide distribution of these and
other popular superstitiCns is proof
that there is something in them. In
the meantime houses 90 on being
haunted; ghosts continue to appear;
tables to tip; chairs to move without
the aid of visible hands, and the peri
odical resurrection of half-forgotten
bodies is unceasing, Notwithstanding
the declaration of the average nine
teenth century man and woman that
they at least are not superstitious.
Hardwood Lumber.