Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-03-28

An Old Superstitl0n-II1w a New Y0rx
Club Of Thirteen Deficd It-PEesfdent
Arthur a Member, Etc.

An OB0 SOpcrSt1Il0n-AADw a New H0Hh
Club Of Thirteen Deficd st-President
Arthur a Member, Etc.
From the New York Sun.
About year ago thirteen meA of this city
banded themselves together for tie heroic pur-
pose OF exploding an old superstition.
from time smmemoriai 1t has been regarded
as unluchy to see the Few moon for the first
time over the left shoulder. Even wise men
who have thus obtained their first glimpse Of
the moon, have been unable to conquer their
annoyance at the mishap. They would have
been happier If the crescent hal appeared 10
them over the right shoulder Many man has
loyfUily discovered that he vas putting his
shoes or stockings on wrong cpd foremost or
wrong side ont III the morning. for he knew
that that was called good OMEN for tile day.
People not specially sl,perstltcus have been
greatly depressed when they broke II looking
glass. for that accident tOretoid the death of
near friend, according to the believers In 0Inens
IN some countries il is considered lucky 10
tou"h the hump OF a hunchhack without his
know ledge, and people who have tried it tell
how nlaryellonsly we'll tie omen has worked
With them. We all know that the spiling Of
salt at table is apt 70 Cause gloom: that when
the cheeks or ears burn, the inference IS that
some one Is talking Of the person so affected II
me burning Is on the left side, III; if on the right
size. good.
But OF al onlers, perhaps the one most zen
orally feared is that of thirteen at table T.
thirteen people dine together the sIperstifinu
IL. one of the number will surely die within a
year. Everybody has heard how often the omen
has been fulfilled. and even very coo!-headei
and sensible lhen are pretty sure to feel nEconi-
for'a0eu IT Is discovered that the omnUis ;hir-
teen are gathered about the table. gloom is
cast over the feast, and thereafter tie lnirth is
forced To avoid sl,ch a catastrophe. hosts have
searched for an additional guest in great haste.
CHILD las been brought in. a stranger even a(.-
mitfeG or one Of the thirteen has prudentlr
been called away. There are. indeed few men
and women who like 10 sit down to board at
WiNch there are thirteen.
II Was TO combat this almost universal s,,per-
sIl'ion III Europe ana america that thirteen
brave and iconoclastic men sat down to dinner
ut the hnicker3ocker Cottage in this city on the
18Th Of January, 1882 Exactly what werr the
feelings Oh the thirteen jconocasrs when they
marched into the dinlngroom no one knows.
DOUBTLESS, however soulo at Least Of them
wished at the moment that they were not there
ihey would have preferred cold dinner at home
TO the elegant spread they were awaiting Of
course they felt 30. IT is not agreeable to
think about tie possibility or probability OF Your
dylng within year when You are about TO
indulge IN even rlIe most rOyai OF feasts At
least every mans Thoughts were upon the omen
whether he believed in If or not. and it did not
form good appetizer.
9lea. They would have been ashamed to do
anything else, for were they not IcOnorIasts2
Nor Is it probable that during the twe!yG!nouth
after. when they We're reminded Of the omen
they We're all h.e from n'sgiyings. IN g word,
those brave thirteen men sacrificed their upa,e
or some OF il. for Il Whole wear to shatter IN" Of
the letters OF superstition which still bind the
most enlightened Of the human race
We congratulate them hat the wear has now
passed. and that they are Ill alive and we'll. as
- Isl
report of the Thirteen Clab made at their thir-
teentsi regular meeting. on the 18th OF January
last. 1t seems that the club has been increased
until it now numbers thirteen times thirteen
members. or one hundred and sixty-nine.
There are also forty-six honorary members,
among whom are included President Arthur
ana many other public men Of prominence. be-
sues tour 1lerGvulen. During the ;,aSt year
elghey-iour different members have sat down
t':lr'eeIl at table at the twelve monthly dinners
ol Inc ciub on the thirteenth of each month and
yet we are told In the report of the scribe that
out Of The entire roll Of membership original
HE, actiVe and honorary. whether they have
participated or not at the banquet table not
single member is dead. or has ever had a serious
!ilhess. On the contrary. so far as can be
learned, the members during the past twelve
months nave been exceptionally healthy and
fortunate"
We observe, however. that at the anniversary
ulhhef at TIE kn'ckerbocker Cottage on the
sat down TO the original dinner were present.
though oil We're reported alive and we'll Per-
maps me abseHtees did not care to tempt for
tune another year Three only OF the original
thirteen had attended every one of the thirteen
baiI1ets. ana they are the scribe. the marshal,
and the archiyist.
TO carry still further their contempt for
superstition. the Thirteen Club have searched
Tor haunted house to dine in. but have been
unaole to find it. They have also passed
resolutions. which they have sent to GOV
errors and judges. urging that the super
stition about rriday's. being an unlucky day be
no longer encouraged by fixing upon Friday for
han9inss. Prom 'eonquering to conquer"
says the archivst in his report, our club is
sure to go on until the supersttions of an ex-
tinct are are obliterated from this and all sue
ceedng ages"
But did it need any practical demonstration
TO show that there is nothing unlucky about
putting thirteen at table? OF course thirteen
Is no more unluckv than any other number
The averages OF life and death are preserved.
no matter whether thirteen, three or thirty dine
together. No sensible man would deny that.
n'Ie insurance Companies do not prohibit those
they assure from dining thirteen together