The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1885-07-17
AN AGED SUPERSTITION.
How Friday is Feared in Love,
Law and Commerce.
Nashington Star.

Friday, as every one knows, ha
for many years been regarded b.
many as an unlucky day. Blu
gradually the superstition regard
ing the day is disappearing, ant
now is generally considered au evi
omen to commence an importan
work on that day. A few 90 ever
to the opposite extreme, and selec
Friday AS the best day for gOot
luck. Some of these persons who 81
defy tradition and superstition have
satisfied themselves by research
hat many of the most impOrtan'
achievements in ancient and mod
ern times had their inception oI
Friday, or culminoted on that dag
and, therefore, regard Friday as &
lucky day. There are other days
of the week which are regarded as
more or less unlucky, and few
even among the most intelligent Ol
the com munIty look upon Mondays
as indicating what they may ex
pect during the following days OF
the week as to their business. One
of the leading merchants of this
city, who died Il few years ago
would not pay out money Oh that
day on any oasideratiOn, and would
even let note 60 to protest rather
than pay on that day. He was
however, such precise business
man that he seldom gave note
which would become due OH Mon.
day. Among foreigners here there
is IA large class who will bemOan a
dull Monday, and some OF them
will court good luck by selling to
the first customer who appears Mon-
day morning at nominal figure.
Others have tor various reasons Sc
lected other days OF the week as
lucky or unlucky. From the num-
ber of marriages on Thursdays and
Tuesdays, it would appear that
these days are regarded as lucky
ones by the matrimonIally in-
clined. The questions of the in
huence particular days may have
upon the luck of couple does not,
however, appear to enter the minds
of those who run away from their
homes for the purpose OF marrying.
The Virginia couples who come
here on excursion trains seem to
regard the OppOrtune day as their
lucky day. That the matrimonial
ly inclined generally regard Friday
as bad day to commence married
life, is evidenced by the marriage
license book in the office of the
o,,2rk of the court, which often re.
mains closed during that day.
Probably during the ycSr less than
Il dozen licenses are issued on Fri-
days. The fact that in this section
of the country Fridays are selected
az the day for using the hangman's
moose doubtless has something to
do with tue selection of other days,
for tying the matrimonial moose.
Now aud then an applicant will ap-
pear at the clerks Office on Fridays
and remembering the day when he
gives the name will show symptoms
Dt backing out. Then will Que of
the assistant clerks intimate that ii
here is anything in luck it is more
TO postpone the procure.
nent OF the license than to get
married on Friday, for that day,
named after Freya, the goddess
who, in the northern mythology,
Iresides over love and marriage,
s the best day of the week for the |
This argument Is gen.
,rally knock down, aud the appli.
,ant pays the dollar and receives
lis transportation papers III the
tate of matrimOny. There are
luite number who, not regarding
he question of luck, adopt the
Ixiom, "The better the day the
,etter the Decd" and select Sun
lay for tying the knot, in which
iase the license is procured on the
lay before.
That TO some extent the super
tition regarding different days en-
ers into the minds of those who
70 to law and members of the bar
5 shown by the dockets of the
ourts. 1t has often been remark
d that for commencing suits, Fri
lay must be regarded as nnlucky,
s it sometimes happens that not
ingle suit is entered on that day in
he district court. This is said by
ONE to be rather caused by habit
han by any superstition that the
ad luck of commencing a suit on
'riday will lead to defeat.
The superstition concerning FRI
ay is fast becoming a thing of the
asst, though the habit, which had
s origin in that superstition, still