Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1884-01-17
WHAT ALL HALF BELIEVE.
The Popular Supsrstitions That Somehow
Keep Alive.

'Ot Hatterlng to human SaGacitv in the
tenacity of old superstitions 1t is a
usual thing for intelligent persons to
declare that they are not superstitious,
the declaration being coupled with
|self-satisfied air that proclams 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 a journey on
Friday or to beginning an important
piece of work on that unlu Ky day.
They will carefully pick up pins if the
right end lies toward them and as care
fully avoid them if the wrong end is
nearest. Other persons who scorn the
lucky moon and unlucky Friday super
stitiOns have a peculiar regard for the
magical number seven, or any number
which may be divided by seven or add
ed so as to form seven. They prefer to
live in house which IS numbered sew
en-. 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 by them
regarded rs especially lucky. Others
have special aversion to the number
thirteen. The finding of buttons is by
some considered lucky omen. Other
persons are superstitious as to dreams,
and still others as to the wearing of
certain charms or amulets to ward off
disease. Thus, q horse chestnut in the
pocket is considered 4 safeguard against
rheumatism, and string of peculiar
sea-beans will carry q child safely
through the diseases incident 10 teeth
inc. PeacOck's feathers are unlucky:
the bowling dog foretells disaster to his
masters household, and to pass between
the carriages of funeral procession is
q pOrtentous emen. TO meet a colored
person, a cross-eyed woman or a white
horse betokens good or bad luck as the
case may be. In fact, the most trifing
things in life are coniured into prophet
ic symbols.
Perhaps one of the oldest supersti-
tions, and one that smacks somewhat
of sOrcery, is the belief in the divinino
rod. This rod or twig, is thought to
enable certain gifted persons to discov-
er hidden springs of water. Reliable
persons declare that they have seen the
rod successfully 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 conceal
ed. There have been many attempts
to explain this mystery. Some believ-
0rS al hot -
others that the rod is only an index,
and that the physical sensations of the
searcher communicates themselves to
the wand. The most sensible solution
is that of Paramelle, who wrote on
methods for discovering wells. He
concluded that the wand turns in the
hands of certain individuals of peculiar
temperament, and that it is very much
q matter of chance whether there 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 Ia
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 superstitions is proof that there
is something in them. In the mean
time houses 60 on being haunted; ghosts
continue to appear; tables to tip; chairs
to move without the aid of visible hands,
and the periodical resurrection of half
forgotten bogies is unceasing, notwith-
standing the declaration of the average
nineteenth century man and woman
that they at least are not superstitious.
PHI, adelphiG Record.