Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-12-02
THE EVIL EYE.
AN INTERESTING EXPERIENCE WITH
A JETTATURA.
singular Superstition Prevalent Among
Italians-sow a Koblemsn was Sad
died with Fatal Gift
fsnn rrancl.co Chronlcla. }

When in Sorrento I CHANGED TO meet
q man considered to DO one OF the most
remarkable .iettatura or "eyil-eyed
in Italy. We had heard Of him through
mutual friends as our future neighbOr,
his parents having taken for the summer
the villa next 10 ours, ejtua,ed IN the
gardens OF the hotel Victoria. Our
Neapolitan friends had given Us hume
rous accounts of this wonderful power,
in which they believed most firmly, aud,
while their stories amused us, we ridi-
culed their superstition, and for one /
fclt q great curiosity 10 meet this won
derful individual who could bring the
direst misfortune upon one by mere
glance.
He arrived in Sorrento the very eve
ming of the bali at the Princess b. 3, and
her sous soon brought him up to be pre-
eented. | was more than ever impressed
with the absurdity of the supershtitlon
on seeing this handsome. elegant cOur-
teous stranger, and decided at once to
accept him at once as a friend if for
nothing else but to prove to his country
men that there were some people
whom they considered intelligent and
we'll educated far above their SUI
perstitiion. We saw greal Of
him that evening, and we're ELI greatly
pleased with him, and what struck me as
particularly strange was that every one
t~sated him with marked consideration
and courtesy. The evening WAS charm
ing, with a little excitement added by
one Of the young ladies slightly strain
ing her ankle toward tine close of the
last repetition OF the Tsrsntella- not very
seriously, az she was able TO walk to her
carriage indeed 80 slight an accident
that we forgot all about It before reach
/ ing home.
The next day we were visited by tho
| friends who had introduced the Marquis
/ d., the .johGiUr0, and Immediately /
commenced rsllying them on their alb
surd superstition. and said that, consid-
ering the light in which they regarded
him, / noticed that they all treated him
most respectfully.
THAT is just IT," Que exclaimed,
"people have to treat the fosoini POI
litely, SO that they may do them no
/ harm"
"And now, madame" said another,
the most impulsiye OF the two. "you
cannot deny the power Of the jettatUra
after last night"
"And what happened last night ?" I
inquired.
"Why, didn't You see the petite Mon
tebellO was dancing beautifully when y.
looked at her, and she fell and sprained
her ankle? Then there WAS tho Prince
b., who came from Naples to attend his
wife's ball he had never been in bis
lie; d. speaks to him, tells. him how
glad he il to see him looking so well,
and in half mn hour afterward the poor
man falls suddenly Ill and can hardly
reach his bed, where he will probably
have to remain, the physician says, for
several weeks
"Well, in all that" reply, "I see
nothing strange. Both things could
have happened as well without the
presence Of the Marquis DO you not
see that it is simple coincidence, and
that it is only because yOn are looking
for such things 10 happen when your
poor friend is near that you notice him
just AZ 1t happens when some one We
care for If seriously ill, every sign seems
TO point t. death. if we 20 out we meet
funeral or pass streets in which We
read undertakers' sign-bOards il We take
up book or paper something concern
ing death Is sure TO meet the eye At
another time itwoud oil pass unooticel ;
but the miHd being full of one subject,
OF Que fear, 1t has room for nothing
else. ="
But all my arguments were useless
their answers were always the same.
" Well, Whatever people say, there IS
something in it, and none OF US would
ever 80 ont without something about us
to keep of the evil eye.
have never met more intelligent,
more highly cultivated men than the
upper-class Italians. Yet il is Just in
tbis upper class, the nobility, that one !
finds this superstition strongest The |
middle classes, the trades people. ire |
almost exempt from it, but the peasantry, |
like the mobiles, believe Il with an un- |
doubling faith. They have the greatest !
number Of ornaments as charms against |
this wonderful power. and | do not be. |
licve there WAS one among the highly |
educated people We met IL Naples snd |
lis enyrons vino did not carry. concealed |
generally, a little coral or shell ornament |
in the form Of a hand with the thumb /
and two middle fingers turned under,
leaving the index and little finger to
stick out like two horns. This same
4. Il.
one meets the person endoeed with tbo
fatal gilt. another powerful charm
against it is little bell, rather square
than round, with part of phrase ID
Greek letters meaning, MAY the God
iess of Olympus protect Us against the
power OF eyes.
II is wonderful to see such An enhpht-
aDcd nation persistng in such nm absurd
belief. but the most curious thing about
he superstition sits antiquity. 1t goes
pack TO tie most remote antiquity, le-
yends and ornaments proving It's exist
,nce in Italy, Greece, and ludia.
But to return 10 our .jcHoiDa. He
'Oon became al intimate friend, and
many R time We laughed together over
ib tNsAtAu ttNtAsA'll u NAlt AAukaNA
friends. and al other times the poor fell
ow was almost on the verge OF tears as
le looked upon the serious side Of the
al Joke.
You will ask how this fatal superstition
vas fastened upon him. Well, in the
most idiohc way imaginable. His grand
ather WAS a Minister OF State and par.
ocular friend OF the ex-Klug OF Naples {
hey were together at San Carlos one q
yening, listening TO the latest opera !
nd criticising the grand ballet. OF which q
Italians were SO fond, when the Marquis q
}. remarked that the large chandelier III 2
he middle Of the theatre looked very in !
ecure, and if not attended to would {
Don he the cause, perhaps, OF some [
readful accident II happened that no I
ias true prophet. for almost immeii- =
tely after the performance the chsnde- :
er fell. fortunately on empty seats, l
T the accident would also have c
ollowed. The next day, when the Z
mo Vas informed az ~ he said laugh q