The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1885-07-18
Rabbits Feet as a Charm.

t"oDAOo EOCJ dS d OUdIlu.
u can't go out to-day" said an en-.
glneer stepping from his cab.
why ~ asked the conductor, who
happened to be standing near.
"Look there" and the engineer
pointed to cat lying on the coal.
hat difference does that make ~,
$50 much that | would risk my life
II were to go out. Don't you know
that Is warning? l do if you don't,
ana he refused to have anything to do
with the engine. This was an eXhi-
bltion of the popular superstition
among railroad men. Although sen,
slble men, practical, and many of
them well educated, yet so strong is
their superstitiOuS belief that 40 reas-
Onlng can convince them of their silly
weakness. The different roads have
different superstitiOns, and different
means Of cOunteracting threatened
evil. On the railroads in Arkansas
nearly every engineer, fireman and
brakeman carries rabbits feet. This
precautlOn, it is affirmed, prevents
serious accidents, Some time ago, on
one of the roads running into Little
Rock, two trains cOllided killing two
engineers. These two men, against
better Judgment, neglected their rab-
bits feet. a disaster was predicted
by a brakeman on each train, and the
fact that it came was an indisputabIe
argument in favor Of the rabbits foot.
A few days ago the writer was rid
ing on a locomotive with we'll
known engineer, who was very COM
municatiye, suddenly became silent.
81 don't like this" he said.
"What?D
"The way L feel" and he grew
pale. He looked ahead with eager
ness, and after remaining fixed for a
few moments, shut off steam and
Whistled down brakes.n
"What's the matter?"
"Didn't you see ?"
"What ?D
"That cat cross the track.n
When the engine stopped he got off,
and approaching the place where he
said the cat had crossed, began to rub
himself with a rabbits foot. After
continuing this for some time, he rub
bed the rail with the foot, mumbIed
a strange jargon and went 10 his en-
gine.
"YOu may regard it as foolish" he
said, as we again flew along, "but you
see | know. If | hadn't seen that cat
we would have had an accident by
this time. There was time when
laughed at it, but | have learned bet
ter. Sometime ago a cat crossed the
track in front of me. My fireman
begged me to stop and let him rub
the rail, but | laughed at him. He
/ vowed that we would have an acei-
dent, and, sir, before we had gone
five miles further the engine jumped
the track and did considerable dam
age. | barely escaped being killed
and since then | have carried rab-
bits foot. When six white cats cross
the track nothing can prevent ca
lamity that is, if the engineer keeps
on, but if he gets off everything may
be all right"
"Do the conductors believe in the
rabbit foot theory ?''
MANY of them do. Sometimes a
new man boots at the idea, but after
while he is convinced and gets him
foot. On some roads an owl claw
is necessary, and still on others moth
ing but the tip end of cOOn's tail
will answer"
"HOW is this discovery made 2"
"Always by the oldest engineer.
When new road is built the oldest
engineer on the line can determine
what to use. The more dangerous
the road, the scarcer are the charms.
l know one road in Mississippi where
nothing but piece of tiger ear will
answer. In consequence Of this, ac-
cident are very frequent. A friend
Of mine ran on the road and never
had an accident. He went to cir
Gus one night and cut off the tip end
of tigers ear. The beast hOWled
terribly, and died within fifteen min
utes. The rabbit foot is the standard,
and, as "A rule, will do for narrow
gauge roads. On the eastern roads,
beef bone is the thing. When a road
becomes known as a beef bone road,
it is regarded as the best. Next is the
goat bone, then the rabbit foot, then
the owl claw, then the coon tail, then
the mole nose and lastly the tiger
ear"
"Did you ever run on a mole nose
road ?"
"Yes, for a little While, hut the
company was doing great deal to