Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1884-04-18
superstitions Of Mount IEtna.

In the farmhouse called La Scala, In
the Plaza, the farmer found that the
rats had eaten all the inside of his
cheeses, leaving Only the rind. He told
one OF his laborers of this, saying he
must carry off his cheeses to Bronte.
This man, whose clothes also had been
gnawei, replied: Leave it to me; 1
will see about it." He then sharpened
a nail to a point, like a needle, and
then stuck it in the floor where the rats
passed, saying: MAY the rat wi ich
gnawed my drawers fall on this and
kill himself. The farmer and he watched
until they saw the rats come and walk
past the nail unhurt. At last one ran
upon it and was killed. From that
time no rat camenear the place. This
man had the power of charming away
pain when horses. etc, were suffering
from collie. He was refused absolution
by the priest after confession and not
allowed to receive the Sacrament
There was also a "Monaci di Casa, I"
who lived in Linguaglossa, who had
these supernatural powers. She was
consulted by those who had been robbed.
After listening to their story sh =
thought for a few minutes, and
then told them where the stolen
goods were to be found. One of the
MANAGE men went to her when the driv-
ing belts of the engine were stolen. An
old robber who died in Bronte four wears
ago at the age of one hundred and five
had the same reputation; and a poor,
sick, scrofulOus boy, bedridden for the
last twelve years, is also one of the
"white witch tribe" He knows the
name of and cure for all diseases, where
stolen things are hidden, where money
is to be found buried under stones, and
the like. and he has predicted his own
death, which is to take place two years
from this date. When Peppe Pagano )
cottage was being built some human
bones were dug up. These were put in
basket previous to being reinterred.
and placed for the night in a corner of
the hut where the workmen slept. They
declared the next morning that they
had been kept awake all the night by
the bones rafting and dancing in the
basket. In August. 1881, during n ter
rific storm of thunder. lightning, wind
and hail as large as pigeon eggs. a
priest died ut Bronte He was
an enormously fat and self-in-
dLlgent man, very rich, and with
a Lad character. At the moment
when his corpse was carried into the
church young married woman, the
mother of three children respected and
esteemed by all who knew her, was re-
ceiving the Sacrament As she opened
her mouth the spirit of T., the priest,
been sub ect TO fits of madness, in which
passed into her. From that time she has
she speaks and acts exacilv as he did,
her voice sounding like his. She has
confessed MANY o. his crimes; among
Others that he had been in the habit of
cheeting the poor by e wing unsig ned
receipts, or writing down the wrong
amount when they intrust ID corn or
money TO him. An attempt was made
by the priest to exercise the demon
which had entered her, but he threat
en- d TO 60 into another young woman
If they did, so, thinking it as well to
circumscribe the area OF the devils ac-
t .vities, and wiser to put up with what
they knew than to attempt unknown
charms, they desisted and left things as
they were. = Temple Bar.