The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-06-05
NEGRO SUPERSTITIONS.
They All Point to the lnsatIabili-
ty of Death.
Legend of the Creation Of the Black Race
Ominous Influence Of sereech Cwis-Evit
Warded off by Eabbit-Fotot.

ominous Influence of sereeeh Cwis-Evil
Warded off by Eabbit-Fotot.
| From the Cosmopolitan.
"And what is death ?" I asked an old negro
woman She had come from several miles out
in the hill country to sell the townspeople a
basket Of late roasting ears" She was such a
| queer specimen Of humanity, and ideas and
| fancies from her weired world Of ignorance flew
so rapidly to her tongue, that one was enticed
| into desire to hear more of her jargon.
"And what is death ?" / asked. ''Do you
! know it?'
"Eyl know it," she answered. IT ha' done
seen it in times sorrer, in times er sickness.
| Hits er shader er darkness; hits like er
| spiders web, cept ez hits black, black eZ de
| long hours er night-dee legs NV it, dar whar
hit hangs DER de cwool by dee air-long-long
| long. Dee reach, one ter do cas-, one ter de
| wes', one ter de north, en- one ter de south ;
| right fun its middle hangs or reap-hook. En-
| dat shadder en- darkness hit comes drappin'
down on yer, creepin' up on YER hit gifts hold
| 'er go feet. Den hit slips up ter yer knees,
| den hit slips up, up, up, twel hit gifts ter yo'
| breas. Dat reaphook hit gi's er wrench ter dc
| breaf or yo' mouf, en- darl yer gone-caze yer
breaf hits yer SOUL"
Among those of tho race that live far from
white people, their teaching and their inhu-
ence, there Is a barbarous belief that, whereas
God is indeed creator of the dominant white
race, they, poor blacks, are the handiwork of
Satan. This making man contra to the COM
maDds OF our creator was the sin for which tho
devil, once an angel Of high degree, was flung
from heaven. "Flung into hell" declared my
informant, the corn-vender, zen dar he be now
tied ter de wheel or dc chariot or fire! Chained
ter de turnin' wheel er fire; en- dar he gwine
stay twcl dc great risin' day"
Finishing the uncouth legend: The devil,
succeeding only in forming the shape OF q man
without the soul, became as it were, creator
of death. Gle blew en- he blew, but dar come
no life, dar come no breafl" said the woman
excitedy "But de Lo'd he feels sorry fer do
dead man dat lie gin him er breaf en- or soul
same en- er white man"
The larger amount of their superstitions,
however, affect not such primal beliefs, but
bear upon little daily events, which their igno-
rant minds translate into signs and wonders.
Their folklore Is rife with signs OF coming
death death-warnins." II apple trees put
'on twice in ono year their rosy covering of
blossoms, deaths cold feet are sure to walk
that way. More still DO the white blooms of
the pear coming at undue season, portend a
shroud for some person passing beneath those
white flowers, expected only to show their
kindly sweetness at early spring. When dog
comes to the yard in front Of house door,
air making motion to and fro as if rubbing
bis back, know that he measures a grave for
some member of the household. Or, if death
be very near, the dog will bark and whine
at unscemy hours. II person sneeZe once
while eating, it is his death sign. Should
rooster come to house door and crow Justify
into the house, the death-spirit will be the UNI
welcome guest who will soon enter that door.
If, on sunny morning, brood of chickens lie
flat on the ground all in a row, with wings
spread wide, summing themselves, they are
measuring IA grave il the row of extended
wings cover long space, a long grave shall DO
needed; if n short space be measured by the
wings, q child will pass over the dark river.
Three lamps burning at once in n room is
portent for either the eldest or youngest per-
son occupying the apartment to quit life for
death ere full year passes.
Screech-owls, with their quivering, harrow
ing cries, portend death; but they are very
sensitive little creatures to all countcr-charms
put upon them from within the house over
which they Groom their dolorous monologue.
just jam de sheVel inter de fire, N time hit
gitred hot dee'l hesh deere shiverin /" or sprin-
kle salt on tho blaze, or turn pair Of shoes
up ON the floor with soles against tho walls
perhaps this faint semblance to a laikout
corpse will paciiy the hungry spirit; the
charm certainly according to the negro beheD
will silence its harsh voiced emissary.
To hear cows lowing late in the night
"down deep in the nights as sure a warning
of approaching death to near and dear one
"eZ OF some pusson were o. ready laid on de
coolin board"
When shy forest birds come to futter about
n dwelling as if they were frightened; when
they seek entrance, and, agitated by unwonted
signs of civilization, beat their wings wildly
for exit, so some soul will tiutterngly seek its
exit from that house. And black butterfly,
woesome one Of lightsome breed, will bear
into u homo dreadful portent.
Woe to that careless individual who strides
through happy home, bearing on his Shout
der noe, or an AK, or shovel, or spade; that
looks as ii he were bound for the place of
graves; and the ever-watchful, too-eager spirit
of death will follow through that house with
swift gait to choose his own.
Never dig a grave until tho day of the burial
for, il left open over night, the gaping mouth
will call, and call, and call for whole iannly TO
follow that way. Neither must the huryng of
the dead be after shutdown, for doing the deed
ON the wane of the day will place dreful spell
upon all the dead ones family and friends TO
follow soon to the last rest One must never
step over graves; neither must one count
graves, nor even point Mt q grave. A house
must never be swept after sunset there is
some woful portent attached TO the act nor
must n broom, used with clearly intent, touch
the floor while a corpse lies cold within the
house. When grave is filed, the tools used
thereabout should be laid on either side of 1t
and left until other use absolutely requires
them; II taken straight from the new grave
the anxious spirit will seek them Nor should
when a new one is dug.
Very meaningless are most Of the negro SUI
perstions yet in some way all seem 10 point to
the vast instability of death lie must be
invited by no weird circumstances; by no care
less freak, such as carrying sharp, heavy imple-
ments through Il house; by no undue delay in
the performance of offices for the dead, or any
undue haste TO leave the lost to hurry back 20
life by the greedy carrying away of the last
things needed by the dead-the shovel and the
hoe-to have on hand 10 begin straightway the
making of bread 20 fill living mouths.
Even 10 the simple act of poultry-raising
queer siporSutions are attached. For instance,
n successful poultry raiser will always take the
shells just cracked ana left by the downy
brood and place them above the nest; the
higher the broken shells are placed the more
rapid and satisfactory will he the growth of
the brood. And here is an invaluable rule by
which one can raise turkeys" those least
hardy of yard fowls: "Ef yer want TO raise
turkeys en- raise em certain on sure. DIES ez yo
take dem shellSwhar de small turkeys ha des
busted, en- string 'em all on eryaller homespun
string er yarn, en- hang EN- up 'gainst lie lef
side or de jam er dc chimney; den yo' gi dem
young turkeys pepper-grass ter eat en- 81 hit
ter EN- soon,
When n nestful Of fluffy little chickens are
taking their first peep nc the world from under
the mother hens wings, the careful pouterer,