Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1886-09-05
SUPERSTITION.
QUEER BELIEFS WHICH ARE COMMON TO
MANY PEOPLE.
The Need Of New Clsdss on Easter Sunday, Accord
ING TO English IdsaS-Why You Should
Always First Put Money in the
Right Pocket
Nerp York Commercial Advertise.

NeID York Commercial Advertise.
Whenever my mother dropped her
dishclOth," said the great Snowman,
Phineas 7. Barnum, she always knew
she was going to have a visitor" She
knew it. There was no use trying to dis
suade her from that belief. She had prov
en- it time and again for many years, and
she couldn't be talked out Of it. If she
dropped a fork and the tines stuck in the
floor, there would also be a visitor, but he
was sure to be q gentleman. If when he
came he stayed TO dinner and, by accident,
got two knives, two forks or two spoons at
his plate, he would be married within a
year and there was no help for il. If IN
unmarried female stumbled upstairs, she
would not be married within a year, and
all old maids were very cautious how they
went up stairs. Yet my mother secuted
the idea OF her being superstitious and
taught me never 10 go under a ladder for
fear of bad luck.
Now, as for me- said Mr.. Barnum.
Il haven'ta grain of superstition in my
composition. eHdeayOr 10 commence all
my important undertakings on Friday to
show my contempt OF the superstitions
attached 10 that day, and think that for
the next fifty years at least, no maj should
be hanged on Friday. "
Judge Stephen Burdette Hyatt of the
city court, New York, visited Paris,
France; three years ago, and upon his
return told this interesting fact concerning
the superstitions of the people: II wander
ed through the streets of Paris day after
day. One fact | discovered was that no
house in any street | went through-and
| went through many-waS numbered
thirteen. After the fact was first brought
to my notice | made ii a study 10 search
for such a number. | always found num-
Der twelve, but the next number was in,
yariably dOuze bis-twelye and a half.
And this owing 10 the superstition of the
French people concerning the number thir,
teen, which is the strongest of all their
superstitiOns."
But the French are not the only super,
stitiOus people. On the contrary, SuperSti'
ton is almost universal, and there is not i
ration, tribe, nOmandic hand nor scarcely
any individual who is not imbucd with il,
or atleast possessed of some pet superstition,
That assertion is ridiculous, - remarked
4 staid old gentleman one day.
..T, l., ,l,t l,-., .lAr.,rt ,,@ - ,.,y
pocket before You deny it again eXclaim,
ed his friend, who knew he always carried
one to cure his rheumatism. As people OF
other nations carry about their persons
talismenS of various kinds to charm away
disease, avoid prOpitate love, prevent acct
dent, preserve virtue, promote temperance,
save from drowning, Cure h%ydrOphr0bia
and for many other reasons.
The sailor who will no leave port on
Friday for fear of shipwrcCk prizes most OF
all the caul, and his faith in its saving
power cannot be shaken. Tom Hood at
tempted To do so in his ''WhinS and Oddi.
ties" when he spoke Of the jolly mariner
who confidently went Ia sea i'll spite of the
inky-bIack sky which told every eye q
storm was soon 10 be-
But still that jolly mariner
Took In no reef AT all.
For in his pouch cOnfidingly
He wore Il baby's Cuul.
His faith was majestic, but il did not
avail him, according To the story, Tor the
storm in fearful fury burst upon his lrail
bark and he
Was Smothcred by the squall.
Heaven nc'cr heard his cry, nor did
The ocean heed his CuIl.
There is no end to the SuperStitiOnS.
They pertain 10 birth and infancy, child.
hood, love and courtShip, marriage. death
and burial, the human body, articles OF
dress, food, furniture, singing, signing,
laughing, crying. SnceZing, whiStling, Ia
bic furniture, bric-a-brac, money, diseases
and, in fact, to every conceivable act Ol
life aS well a everything tangible and
intangible. They possess the minds of not
only the ignorant and the Sickly, but the
educated and the healthy as we'll. They
come in all shapes and manners. they have
existed for time imImcInUrial, ana they viii
continue To exist Till the end of time.
Men walk on the streets with horseshoe,
on their breasts, women carry them ~
charms. and thUuSandSnau them over their
doors To propitiatc good luck. while few
men can resist a desire Ia rejoice when they
pick up one from the street.
Judas had the thirteenth seat at tn,
Lords supper; and Judas had yrllowisI
red hair. lie betrayed his Master. No.
body ever heard OF a parent calling hi
child Judas, but red and yellow hair be
came unpopular, and in course Of time
even n red or yellow beard wa held il
contempt and regarded rs a token Of a vii,
disposition. Yellow hair was regarded q,
a dciormity, and in the ancient tapestries
both Cain and Judas are invariably repre-,
scented with yellow boards. There is great
wealth OF superstitiOns. The hand has
devoted TO il many, among which may
lie enumerated the following: 4 great,
thick hand signifies a person not only
strong, but stout; a little, slender hand,
one not only weak, but timOrOus: a long
hand with long fingers bctOken a man not
only apt for mechanical a~rtitice. but libcr.
ally ingenious. Those hands that ar
short, 4 fool and a gOOd-for-nOthing; a hard,
brawny hand. one dull and rude: 4 soft
hand. one witty. but efiemeniate, a heavy
hand, one luNurionS. The itching of tn,
right hand signifies that il will shortly
receive money: if the left hand itcheS, ii is
q sign that before many days money viii.
have to be paid. The little white speck'
on the finger nails are considered OminOus
Concerning the feet, a fiat-iooted person i
generally considered TO have a bad temper
The itching of the foot indicates that it,
owner will shortly undertake a long jour
ney.
At Faster let your clothes he new,
or else be sure you will IL rue.
An old saw saws concerning the clothing
In the north of England il is believed by
the people that the rocks will spoil thei
clothes on Easter Sunday if they are no
entirely new. As once a year is not, IL
most cases, too often 10 renew their cloth
ing, this superstition Is not As baleful a
many.
An old superstition pertaining TO cloth
ing is that before putting on new clothe