Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1888-05-25
FROM "A SCIENTIFIC
STANDPOINT.

"'" ~ oh'pdiihS CAPCiiCuSCo WIN
hoodoos and finding what peculiar
characteristics have been noted in all,
it is hoped that the science can be |
perfected to such an extent that a |
hoodoo can be easily detected with |
the naked eye at long distances. Ne
cessity is the mother of science, as
we'll as invention. knowledge of
hoodoos can be gained by experience,
but it is costly experience. Expe-
rience, however, will form the basis
Of scientific investigation of the prin-
ciples of this new ism, and when new
theories are advanced, experience, or
great aggregation of experiences,
will be marched up to testify, and if
the combined experiences are not at
varience with the theory advanced,
the theory will then take its place in
the immutable ranks of demonstrated,
positive, deep-rooted facts, after first
being duly clothed in proper re-
gala. But if not sustained by vote
of two-thirds or more of the assem-
bled experience, anything advanced
will be deemed unworthy of further
consideration and scientific thought,
and will be retired to the rear in dis
grace. Long experience in mining,
solo and freezeout have enabled
many to spot old-time hoodoos, but
they have no means of knowing
new one when they see him, and to
find him out would cost great deal
of bad luck as an incident of the ex-
perience, and then they would know
no more than before how to de-
tect a hoodoo at first sight, and
thereby be able to avoid him as they
would the smallpox, yellow fever, or
the Prohibition party. The object of
the society will be to formulate some
rule or rules for detecting hoodoo
at first sight intuitively, as it were
By a careful canvass of the town, only
five have positively sworn that they
do not believe in hoodoos. AS these
, FIVE have never engaged in mining
nor sat down in game of solo with
: hoodoo of the genuine sort peerine
, at his hand over his off shoulder, theil
:. dense ignorance is excusable, and i
/ is hoped and expected these few will
q fall into the ranks of true believers a
V they gain years, experience and wis
$ dom. Until few weeks ago ther
n were six unbelievers in town, by actu
al count, but one of these was con
verted by evidence, puissant, power
P fully potent evidence, striking in tn
II highest degree. He was playin
g freezeout with four or FIVE believer
Il He got stuck nine times in succe;
= sion, and happening to look aroun
N saw well-known hoodoo, whom b
d. had heard spoken of many times g
d such, and his unbelief suddenl
p crawled out of the pores of his sy
r tenn. He made some excuse
ID change seats with one of the oth'
re PLAYERS who had not observed tt
hoodoo. In fact, none of the playe
had noticed him, being so absorbe
". in the game that their Observable
~ was confined to the limits of the t
- BILE. The man who took the chair
70 the new convert got stuck twice
: succession, and then thought
10 smelled, not mouse, but a hoodo
lJs He glanced around, and sure enoug
i. The man who knows by experlen
II that a hoodoo is fixed reality, al
,;s that when he is present he is on hal
90 by big majority, is always on t
i alert, and if he loses two games
,os succession he gets suspicious and II
70 mediately surveys the surroundin
with the full expectation of gazi
into the serene ceuntenance of
Use old and familiar hoodoo, and he ge
asst erally finds what he looks for. II
ort proceeding was repeated until t
I'll little circle of freezeout players ma
no. complete revolution, and when
the was all over they adjourned to an
the scure corner and each related
ort experience, and the enthusiasm Il
OF was then and there aroused for
lite, formation of an organization for
vay scientific investigation of the hide
tan mysteries of hoodooism has spre
; Of and we expect this organization, l
for can get fairly down to work and
red obscure, unknown hoodoo gets in {
nd turns their deliberations into wrC
, non channels so that they will come
rar naught, we may expect the organi
ex. ton to accomplish even more for
ullv section, and also for all Christi
rec dom, than was accomplished by