The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1889-08-23

on wood and it'll come good That
many are aware of. I've seen men
who ought 10 know better hunt around
for wood TO scratch their hands on,
and, not finding any available, take a
lead pencil out of their pockets and
rub their palms with it fair Wash
ington belle will not have an umbrella
without a wooden handle. because. she
says, she always wants some wood
around to scratch her hand on Even
the spots on ones tinger-nails come IN
for a share of superstition. They are
called gifts
1t is unlucky to cut the fnger-nails
on Friday, Saturday or Sunday IL
you cut them on Friday you are play
ing into the devils hand; on Saturday
you are inviting disappointment, and
on Sunday, you will have bad luck all
the week There are people who suf-
fer all sorts of gloomy forcbod-
ings If they absent-miEdedly trim
away bit OF nail on any of these days,
and who viii suffer all the incOnven-
ience Of Overgrown inger-nails sooner
than cut them after Thursday.
Nearly overy body has an unlucky
Friday a. a day OF misfortune. proba-
bly, because it i known as kangnun'
day. You can seldom find any one
willing to move on Friday or Satur-
day. Friday is considered unlucky,
and saturdays fitting makes short
sitting"
Superstition Is closely allied TO
witchcraft, and so extends 10 persons
Every one has heard the expressions:
That fellow is a regular Jonah" or
Hes n hoOdoo,' or Il never have a
bit of luck when l see so and So"
This is especially so with theatrical
people, racing men and gamblers.
Monkey Charley" successful
steeplechase jockey, rents his spurs
out when he hasn't got a mount, at
five dollars a race to Jockeys who
think they can absorb some of his
luck by wearing them Another
jockey. Kelly. who rode a good deal
at GuttenburC, believes that II he can
touch or pass near or ride near certain
raC-e-tracS habitucs he Will win, and
resorts TO all sorts of maneuvors TO
come in contact with his hOodoO. An
other recent superstition Of racing-men
is thatif jockey dismounts at the post
before the start for any reason what
ever he will win, and when one is seen
dismounting for cause. or one is
thrown. there is an immediate rush
for the bookmakers, and his mount Is
backed. A mascot is an in
dispensable member of n base
ball club, and when militia
go a visiting they carry one also. II
you can cross the hump OF a hunch-
back with fingers crossed you will
have good luck. This must be done
without the knowledge of the hunch-
backed person, and if IL is a darky the
charm is so much more etiicacIous- II
you can make the cross with money in
your hand it is a sure thing that you
viii win any bet you make with that
money. a dwarf is also a mascot for
gamblers. They are often applauded
for their generosity by those who
don't know that they believe that Civ
ing to cripple or beggar brings luck
1t is considered q sign OF coming dis
appointment if the first person you
meet when starting out has red hair.
To catch the eye OF a cross-eyed per
son is an omen of misfortune which
can be escaped from by turning all
the way round three times 1t can be
passed on by touching some one else
with fingers crossed; then the mis-
fortune falls on the person touched.
The influence of the evil eve is
known and dreaded the world over,
and even the most practical can not
avoid a shudder on finding an eye an
swering its description fixed on him
The harblngers OF death are many.
The banshee OF the Irish is a fxity
in the Celtic mind, and many weird
tales are told of its visits and grew
some warnings The howling Of a
dog under the window of a sick room
is an appalling sound to hear at the
dead Of night, and IS enough to fright
en- q nervous person into the belief that
it is a warning OF death. Dogs have
been known to 90 long dista nee 10
howl under the window where some
one was lying i'll Cats are also sup
posed by the credulous to have the
power OF foretelling death II a bird
flies Into 4 room some one will die
in that room before a year is passed,
and il spade Is carried through n
house there will be n grave dug for
some one in the house within a year.
II one eye Of a corpse remains open
near and dear relative of the dead
person will follow within year. Ifa
sick person takes medicine willingly
and without complaint, or plays with
the cover Of the bed, ii fills the mind OF
nervous person with apprehension Of
death.
The shamrock, or four-leaf clover.
is prized as one OF the greatest of luck
bringing charms. Girls will hunt
through the long summer days for tho
little green emblem Of fortune, and
when they find it. which is rare
enough, they treasure it like a Jewel
or first love letter. Few houses are
without the good-luck horseshoe. al
though not every one knows how TO
hang it to keep good luck-with the
open part up, so that the luck won't
run OF the points.
schoolgirls have practiced wish
ing on rings ever since rings were
worn. The tricks played by young
ioIks on Halloween are nothing but
supersuuons turned to fun, but some
are quite test of nerve. as setting
table for two at midnight. then one
soltary watcher sitting down to wait
Tor the wrath Of her better half that
Is to be-
1he prettiest and by far the most
eXcusable superstitions are those
attached to a wedding. The customs
OF throwing an old slipper or hand
iul OF rice for luck, of avoiding Fri
days and the month of May for we'd
dlngs, and Of choosing above all the
happy month of roses. are so uni