Morning journal and courier., 1884-03-06
Household Expectations.
Some of the Queer Fancies Entertatne'
 by Good People.

Some of the Queer Fancfe5 Entertained by Good People.
 From the St Louis Globe-Democrat.l
 favorite superstition, in many parts of this country, is the one concerning new houses; that it is unlucky to build new house since the coffin of the builder will be the first one carried out at the door. Hence in many parts of the Southern States additions will be made to the old house as long as practicable czther than rsssrt 10 bsiiaing ar entirely new structure. The superstition, perhaps arose from the fact that so many retired ner- chants erect fine houses only to die in them aS soon as they are finished. This iS often the case, but no supernatural reason is needed to account for the occurrence. The merchant has up to that time been engaged in active persuits, has never been idle in his life ss long as his new house is building he has occupation even though he may have tired from butiness. But when the house is done he has nothing ts do and nothing to think of but his ailments and inflrmities, con sequently thinks oi them great deal, soon loses his courage and dies.
 SpiIlipg the salt on the table is peculiarly bad omen and, contrary to most of these su perstitons, has definite reason for it's own existence Salt is the emblem of hospitality of friendship, of good-fellowship, and when salt is spilled on the table the friendship is in danger of being broken. Like other super stitious fancies sufficient number of in stances of the vsrifcation of the il-omen have been found and recorded to inspire popular relief in the reliability of the sign, and it is therefore respected even more than most others of it's kind.
 So far number is concerned, the most numerous class of superGtitions Is composed of those which cluster round the family candles. The erigin of these probably dates back far in antiquity, when the world was full of superstitious fancies sbout light ia general and candle light in particular. When we come down to the early days of the Christian Church, however we find not few of the or dinances of religion were accompanied by ceremonies borro cd from organism, in which Iighed candles played important part Candles were lighted at birth to keep off the evil spirits at marriage to prevent the evil eye from affecting the happy pair, and at death to drive away the demons who were thought to be always on the lookout for the soul of the dying man. Naturally then, as candles played 50 important a part in the ceremonies of re Iigion. men became accustomed to regard them with something of supeTstitious eye and to look to them for signs and wond CTS which were not to be found elsewhere. So 8 peculiar appearance in the candle, for which no reason could be given, was always regard ed as indicative of some remarkable event about to happen. collection of tallow round the wick Is still known winding sheet, and is believed to foretell the death of one of the family, while a bright spark is 8 sign of the future reception of 8 letter by the person opposite whom the spark is situated, and the waving of the flame without any ap- parent cause is supposed to demonstrate the presence of spirit in the room. In addition TO these fanciful notions there are some others which are founded on natural facts too well known to admit of dispute, such the fusal of the candle to light readily, which in- dicates state of atmosphere favorable to a coming storm
 In Ireland where the household supersti- tions, and indeed supersLitions of almost every other kind grow as if by magic the house leek
 is lucky plant, which, if plante7 in ths thstch, will preserve the inmates from ali dangers brought about by unfriendly fairies, while the four leaved clover is considered certain to give it's possessor success in love, and is consequently much sought after on this account.