Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1884-01-04

Superstitious belief extends from
sway down behind the misty horizon
Of the past to the present midday Of
knowledge aId progress. Its past his
tory In the world 10 freighted with
horrors and barricaded TO the light OF
knowledge. Referring to the subject
in one Of bis poems, Southey says:
'Tis q history
Handed from ages sdoWn; . nurse's
Which Children open-eysd and nooth'd
And thus, ~ Rarrluous ignorance relates.
We learn il and believe.
Negro superstition, however, is not
90 ancient, and IS almost purely Of
American origin Much Of it was in
vented in the cotton fields of the
South, around the blazing hearth FIRE
Of the old log cabin, or in the boys
and the swamps, where the slaves
were assembled together at work or
pastime The negroes were not
alone IN these beliefs, for the poor
whites" OF the South eagerly believed
in signs and foreb0dings. and to this
day in common with large majority
of the colored people. From these
plantation euperstitions, . class Of
humbugs sprang up, known as YOU
doc doctors and conjurors, who hold
the ignorant in dread Of their mystic
riOus arts, and against whose practice
laws have been passed 10 several Of
the Southern states. Following are
some of the beliefs, collsted by Re-
publican reporter, after extensive con-
versation with some of the above
classes:
The Growing Of . hen at midnight
IL sure sign of death. If q rooster
retires to bis roost with q hoarse voice
and crows in an unusual manner, II is
regarded as the voice of q hen. and II
any one about the place is sick. prep
srstions are quickly made for his fu.
neral. If a luckless hen should at
any time make an attempt at drown
ing, her head is instantly cut of to
prevent the death OF some person. In
connection with this class of birds
the negroes recite the following coup
let:
Do whistlin' woman an dc CROWN hon
Nsbbsr ouns IN emmy good end.
Frogs, and particularly toads, play
an important part in Southern super
stitions. The hearts of ten toads
made into a stew will canse the effect
Of cOniura.ion The hind legs of a
frog hung over Tn. fireplsces one
veek hefore Cbristmas will bring
nlentv of food and Dresents and the
large eye-balls OF a water frog, or
!" blood,nonp - IA thew are called
vorn n = breast min will Keen his "a.
tauic msiestv n a respectable dis
lance from the we.,er
The weird lack % lanterns which
bob up in the boys of the South dur.
inc the dark nights are regarded as
chnstlv snnariti0ns and indicate the
..ss", - lit. sh.atod srooks
The average plantation negro or white
viii dash wildly toward home ON the
fIrst appearance Of a iack-o' lantern
before them. Indeed. il Is q yery diff.
ficult matter to get one of the above
class ont of doors after sunset under
anv circnmstances
The f3rst annearance.,f frost ia any
ionslv watched for and its nrettv
formation eagerly watched The
rl;sfeninc nictnrcs must he observed
1hen The ann rises The silver mic
tures thns seen In the first of the sea.
son sre r.C.rdad "a ;Ilns.rs,;ons n
vnnr fate a coffin means death !.
Aowers a veddino. money riches .
h;rds lonv life. and s,srs mean sick
ness
The .nnrosch If coon mr. ,nossum
toward vonr honse ia a verv had
omen The cornfield hard saws of
This rare occurrence.
W..
rs IeJ A. ~ Ss Uv1 S S~. ~
Soms rsrsor iii AZ:
Before al. NIGHT!
II !. .lso REGARDED :. . had s;on N
LII .n s-., r,'~ No. of ,hess .n;I .,s
snd - "n"n sha sssssmh,;nr of :
csr.v .Tn, . mocrl;cht MINT Il IL
found thst an even nnmher has heen
h.cged The nartv will hmnt for homrs
TO CAPTURE or Kin another animal.
and rms make the number odd
p,arsv - -shhis. IN tho a,nhhla and
..s..a, ~ a",Hs ;.S s $500. ,.r.a
.ra has1shy cr"r the nav, s.ssor
4 white crow l. = hsrhinoer al
death and disease and the annear.
sncc ~ one of thee h;rds in = NEIGH
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