Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1883-10-04


PAilss4pais Rs.srd.
There il something remarkable and
not aattering to human sagacity in
the tenacity Of old supestitiOns. II
j. an unusual thing for intelligent per-
sons to declare that they are not su-
perutiticus. the declaration being cOu-
pied with sslf-satis6ed air that pro-
claims their belief that they are :
notch above their fellows. Yet these
same persons like 10 see the new moon
over their right shoulders, and regard
the incident with especial satisfaction
if they happen % have silver il their
~ = Nss q
starting on 1 journey on friday ST.
to beginning IN important piece Of
work on that unlucky day. They
viii carefully pick up pins if the right
end lies towards them if the wrong
end is nearest.
Other persons who scorn the lucky
moon and unlucky Friday supersti-
tions have a peculiar regard for the
magical number seven, or for any 9TH
er number which may be divided by
seven or added 90 as to form seven.
They prefer to live in a house which
is numbered seven, with seven steps.
II 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 by them regarded as
especially lucky. Others have q spe-
cial aversion to the number thirteen.
The finding of buttons is by some con-
sidered a lucky omen. Other per-
sons are superstitious as to dreams,
and still others as to wearing of GER
tain charms or amulets to ward off
disease. Thus. o horse chestnut in
the pocket is considered safeguard
against rheumatism, and string of Pc
culiar sea-beans will carry q child
safely through the diseases incident
to teething. Peacock's feathers are
unlucky; the bowling dog foretells
disaster to his masters household, and
to pass between the carriages Of fu-
neral procession is a portentous omen.
To meet colored person, cross
eyed woman or white horse beto-
kens good or bad luck as the case
may be. In fact, the most trihing
things in life are conjured into pro-
phetic symbols.
Perhaps one of the Oldest supersti-
tions, and one that smacks somewhat
Of sorcery, is the belief in the divin-
ing rod. This rod, or twig, is thought
to enable certain gifted persons to dis
cover hidden springs of water. Re-
liable persons declare that they have
seen the rod successfully used in a
search for water, the twig often turn
ing 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 sconcealed. There have been
many attempts TO explain this myste-
ry. Some believers claim that the
wand is inspired, others, that the rod
is only an index, and that the physi-
cal sensations of the searcher commu-
nicate themselves to the wand. The
most sensible solution is that of Tara
melle, who wrote on methods for dis
covering wells. He concluded that
the wahd turns in the hands Of GER
tain individuals of peculiar tempera-
ment, and that it is very much a mat
ter Of chance whether there are or are
not 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
Ia planchette, and to indicate crime
and criminals. A Bible suspended
like pendulum has been thought in
some parts Of rural England TO serve
the same purpose. The credulons say
that the wide distribution of these and
other popular superstitions 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 Pc
riOdical resurrection Of half-forgetten
bogies ID unceasing. notwithstanding
the declaration of the average nine
teenth century man and woman that
they at least are not superstitious.