Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1885-02-06
SOME OLD sUPRRsTTTrONs.
origin eR Climbing Glasses and ITS
Relation 90 the Senses

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good healthgn
mo, was thereby.
ssWell, it's not SO odd after oil, said
the gentleman, laughing. It is q relic
OF barbarous custom -of feudal times.
It had its origin in the time long before
the Inauguration of the Knights OF the
Round Fable. Then, when men were at
feast, the swassaiI bowl used to pass
from mouth to mouth, and il was huge,
ponderons affair. A man used to take
the cup in his hand, and holding it high
in the air, would pledge mine host in It,
after bringing 1t to the level of his lips.
BY holding it high in the air he would
expose his person to the. thrust of an
enemy's weapon, and we are told by his
torians that many man fell at the table
through this means. "
Seeing that the lis ener was interested,
the old gentleman became warmed up to
the subject, and descanted at length on
the engrossing subject.
. .sOut of that grew the custom of man
calling on his next neighbor at the table
to stand up for him and stand his pledge.
The next neighbor, with drawn sword,
used to protect the body of the drinker,
and stand his pledge. When the drinker
sat down he performed like service for
him. Hence, to this day, in certain Eu-
ropean countries, the custom prevails of
the next man standing up, and although
the swords are absent the custom re-
mains"
ITO come back to the original sub
iect, " he resumed, 1.-THE reason why men
clink glasses is a remembrance of the
Ave senses That sounds odd doesn't
it2 Well, I'll explain to you. You see,
I touch my glass to yours; they give out
souUd-that's hearing, one sense.
You see the glass in your and my hand;
that's the sense of seeing. You feel the
glasses vibrate under the touch; that's
sense No. 3. Then you touch it to your
lips, at the same time smelling the liquid
it contains. Then yon crafty two
senses tasting and smelling, and then
you have your five hearing, see
ing. feeling tasting and smelling. Now
you never thought of that before did
your said the old gentleman with a
smile of delight at the reporters look of
establishment.
s'Do you know that many of our dear
old superstitions are dying outgn he
asked. This was said with sigh. But
the old fellows eyes soon frightened,
and be rapidly began summary of some
of the superstitions that he heard old
grandmother tell when he was q youth,
around Christmas or Hallow cen
fire.
tHow we'll remember" said the old
gentleman, 'sthe superstition OF drop
ping a red hot horseshoe into the churn-
full Of refractory cream, and consulting
the almanic to see If the signs of the times
were suspicious for the weaving of the
baby, or slaughtering the fattencd pig,
or when the golden COW should be
slaughtered. I remember the old bed
side prayer so well.
Mathew, Mark, Luke and John,
Be blessed the bed that lie On;
-Four corners to my bed,
-Four angels are aspreaad:
One at head, an one at feet:
And two to keep my soul asleep.
sATnen as we used to shoot APP
pie seeds from between our fng-
ers, we used to. repeat the lines:
'sKermel, come kernel, hop over my thumb
And tell me which way my true love viii
come:
East, west, northor south
Kernel, jump int my true loves mouth.
''Then we used to believe, ~ Dorset
tells us. that white specks on the finger
nails indicated gifts, adding the
rhyme:
Gifts on thumb, sure to come,
Gifts on finger. sure to linger."
The old gentleman recited many of
the old supcFstitions that he had heard
In Germany and Sweden, and gave
an interesting account of many of
them.
.In some times and countries. . he
saids "a cat show like the recent one ia
Boston would be regarded with horror.
In Italy and Spain, even now. such q
gathering would be regarded IS meet
ing Of witches on some diabolical bust
ness intent. Tuscan believes when
man desires death the evil ONE Is passing
before his eyes in the form Of some
feline. The cat was created bv Diana.
and Ovid relates that her fOrm was ap-
pTOpriated by that fair goddess in a
fight from the Titans Now. the cues
tiOn has often been asked about the day
Of the week child is born
on Here Is the. rhyme ] learned in my
youth
Sunday child ne'er lacks in place;
Mondays child Is fair IN face;
Tuesdays child ia full OF grace:
Wednesday child Is sour and sad;
Thursday : child is loving and glad;
Fridays child Is loving and giving:
Saturdays child shall work FOR q living
ST could give you volume on these
old superstitions, said the old gentle
man, "but have not the time at pres
evf Ne.nu~1. NJ - D..