Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-11-14
HOODOISM.
Strange superstitfons OF Intellfgen,
People.


Il can't 30 out to-day" said an en- gineer step
ping from his cab, in the presence OF an attache
| OF the 7raueltr
Why" asked the conductor, who happened
| to be standing near
Look there" and the engineer pointed to q
cat lying on the coal.
What difference does that make?"
$50 much that would risk my life if were
to 90 ont. Don't you know that is warning?
do if you don't" and be refused to have any
thing to do with the engine This was an exni-
b,tion of the popular superstition among railroad
men. Although sensible men. practical and
many OF them well educated vet so strong is
fAer s1perStitions belief that no reasoning can
convince them Oh their silly weakness. The diff
i"rent roads have different supcrst tons and
different means of cOunteracting threatened
eva. On III" railroads IN Arkansas nearly every
engineer. fireman and brakeman carr es rabbits
teet. This rrecaution. it is affirmed. prevents
serious acc dents. Some time ago. on one of
| IN" roads running into little Rock two trains
collided killing two engineers. These two men
! against better iudgmpnA neglected their rab-
BITS iert. disaster was predicted by a brake
man on each train. and the fact that it came
was an i'dlsputable argument in favor OF the
rabbits foot
few days ago the writer was riding on To-
conceive with q wplI-hDown engineer The
tram was running very rapidly, ana the engineer
VINO was very communicative, suddenly became
silent.
IL don't like this" he said.
The way feel" And he grew rale. He
looked ahead with eawernfss. and after remain
ing fixed for frs moments shut of steam and
whsted down brakes"
WHATS the NATTER"
Didn't you see it7"
"That cat across the track!"
When the engine stopped he got off, and ap-
proaching the place where he said the cat had
crossed. began to rub himself with q rabbit =
loot After continuing this for some time he
rubbed the rail with the foot mumbed strange
jargOn and went back to his engine
~ 0u may regard it as foolish" he said, as we
again flew along. but you see know. If I
hadn't seen that cat we would have had an acct
dent by this time. There was a time when
laughed at it, but have learned better"
From the Denver Republican.
Il have been hoOdOoed to-t1av." remarked one
ofthe sporting fraternity to a reporter the other
day. He looked very glum, and the scribe
thought at first he used the words in the sense
of robbed" which it occasionally receives.
''WhO did it " he asked
Don't know. II ] had knowed, 1 wouldn't
have played A man gets hO0doOed lots Of times
without knowing ANYTHING about it except when
he commences playing"
Are there any big hoodoos here that you
know OFF,"
Yes, there is one | know and am afraid
that is what struck me. There is q coon here
that all out of shape. and got a horrible mug
on him. He is the worst ever saw All the
boys are on to HIN. and whenever he looks at one
Of them. and the fellow knows it, he won't play
any that day 1t don't make any difference if
you seq him. bat if he secs YOU that settles it
ior that day. II you play. you are dead sure to
lose. He is holy terror and there ain any
cure for him that know of"
Il suppose You can cure some hOOdoos. can't
you:''
I'm not sure about that There are some
sports that think So. SOME think it breaks bad
luck To ret up and walk around your chair from
right 10 lett. Some Always 20 on certain side
oi the street Some carry charms. | used to
know fellow that carried bullet that woman
was killed with. and he aiways thought it rave
HIM luck. I've heard that some people carry
luck with them"
They can give their luck to other people
them"
'O course. Now there's hunchbacks If a
man can touch the hump OF q bunchback with
out him knowing it it gives him the best kind of
luck. but # ne knows it it don't do any good.
why. / used to KNOW "a hlnchback i'll San Anto-
MO that always had hO,e wore in the back of
ms coat by boys touching him"
us 1t uniucky to put u copper back if any one
brushes 4 Oii!"
THAT depends on how You look at it. don't
think 50. Some men never play coppereG at All
know one sport at LeaGYille that ALWAYS plays
open. He says it is all he can do to guess the
winners. let alone tie losers. Others are differ
ent. | know some men who wouldn't put a
copper back for anything. If a man Knocked it
oil accidentally. even If it was square against
Their system. May be they re right"