Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1884-05-15
An English Superstition.

Police magistrates, among Other
strange experiences that fall 10 their
lot, must get frequent glimpses of q
number of odd superstitions which still
survive among the classes not frequent
ly brought into contact with the magis-
terial dignity. Such an instance was
presented at the Southwark police
court yesterday in the case of a gentle
man of whom it was stated that he had
intermarried with one lady and subse-
quentlv loved another too well for his
happiness and his fair fame. In the
ardor of his passion he is said to have
married the latter, neglected to make
known to her the fact that his first wife
was alive. When it was pointed out
to him that he had committed the of
fense called bigamy, he seems to have
set up the defense that his former mar
riage was illegal, since the ring used at
the wedding ceremony was made of
brass; and this view of the case ap-
pears to have been taken by the first
wife herself, as well as her brother,
who appeared to testify in the court.
Whether or not Frederick (such is the
too ardent lovers name) really acted
in good faith remains to be investigat-
ed at the next Old Bailey sessions,
where his proceedings will form the SUBJ
ject of some further inquiry. But the
belief to which he referred. that mar
riage ceremony is illegal if a gold ring
is not used-is probably not at all un-
common. No doubt there are many
worthy matrons within the metropolf-
tan area who would feel far deeper
pang at discovering that their wedding
rings were of brass than if they had no
one and the same day split the salt,
left the knives crossed on the table,
neglected to throw q severed lock of hair
into the fire, sneezed without saying
"God bless you," or looked at the full
moon through glass. st. James's Ga
zette.
Turguenieff's Eccentric Mother.
A Russian paper publishes pen pic
ture of the mother of Turgueneiff
which is anything but tlattering. 1t
appears that this lady was proud and
vain to the point of folly, ruling her
children as despotically as her slaves.
She was as proud of her noble descent
as of her riches, and after she became
a widow her arrogance knew no
bounds, so that this woman, who was
by nature but foolish, seemed
mad. She ordered her household like
to q royal one; her serfs bore the titles
of office in use at court. Thus, her
postboy was called postmaster-general,
her steward chief of the gendarmes,
and so forth. No one might speak to
her unless addressed. Not even her
sons might appear in her presence un-
announced. And when her eldest son
Nicholas married without her consent,
she withdrew from him all pecuniary
MD and let him suffer the most cruel
privations. When, in 1S49, the cholera
broke out in her district she happened
@ hear that the infection was spread
BY means of bacteria that prevaded the
air and were breathed in with it. She
jhereupon ordered her steward of the
household to construct for her some
by means of which she
,ould see objects when going out of
loors without breathing the pestilen-
ial air. She therefore caused a kind
If sedan chair to be made with glass
'oof, which had the appearance of one
If those chests in which in the Greek
Church the figures of saints are borne
broad. Thus it came about that go
ng out in her machine a pious person
Who saw it pass feel on his knees ac-
ording to custom, crossed himself,
md offered the bearers penny for the
,ood of the church. h.-London World.