The Dickinson press., 1889-06-08
GOOD AND BAD LUCK.
SOME OF THE THINGS BELIEVED
BY suPERsTITlous PEOPLE.

Good Luck to " Bridal Party.
l am very fond Of game at whist. In
deed, quite agree with Talleyrand, who
says 1.-THE man who doesn't knew how to play
whist is laying up for himself very uncom-
Portable old age" Now it is well known by
those who have studied the law Of chances
for what We call chance has its law as much
as have the stars-that, though the luck NAV
be all on one side for whole evening, vet, Il
the same partners should play once or twice
week for year, the average deals would be
about the same. Thus, in years playing,
the luck would average itself and be about
the same for both sides. The best players
as In most games, even that of hfe-would
come out ahead. Yet l have often played
with people. who, after making blunders
enough to lose the game. would want to
change the cards, or change seats, or get up
and turn their chairs around to "changc the
luck" Or they have some peculiar and sup
posed magical way of shutting when the play
is against them. But the luckiest thing
know about cards is attending to your busi.
ness and having good partner who will do
the same. There is an element of luck. of
course, but in the long run in spite of all the
spirits supposed to NEEDLE with the hands, it
is good play that wins.
There Is whole cycle of lunar supersti-
tons that having so far escaped the lunatic
asylums, are still wandering about the twi-
light of the world. What a mighty differ
ence 1t Is supposed to make whether the pale
sweet crescent is seen for the first time over
the lett shoulder. out of the left corner of the
lett eye, or from the opposite side. Though
whether 1t Is the moon or the eye that is sup
posed to take vengeance on the unimaginable
fault, have never discovered Then there
are those who think the childs hair and the
baby's finger nails must he cut only on "the
increase of the moon" Why the moon should
be SO much interested in these purely domes
tic arrangements have found it not easy to
understand. One would suppose, as she lives
9oooo miles away, she might let people look
after their own hair as they pleased
Inc upsettlng of salt cellar was sufficient
to upset the equanilnity and destroy the APP
petite of so great poet US Byron. And many
are the housewives still to whom the soiling
OF the tablecloth is the least part of such an
accident. The origin of this is simple were
there time to stop for SO much explanation.
Or. johnson was never willing to enter
room left foot first If he did SO by accident
he would 60 out and come in second time.
And all are familiar with his well known
habit of touching with his cane-as scrupu.
lously as though it We're religious ceremony
all the posts of the fences as he passed along
the street.
1t was only the other day that | was
telling scholarly clergyman-and l was
laughing over the fact-that | had discoy.
cred that my children, Us soon as they were
born had been carried up stairs by the
nurse Why" said be, ri myself carried
all mine up" With him it was hardly a
superstition; it was only whim. Yet the
mere whim was powerful enough to make
him obey it. But SO common is this that
whatever our future fortune NAV be sun
pose the most of US, some time or other.
have had the experience of going "up in the
world" wonder what people do who live
in houses of only one story! And, by the
way, noticed when in Stratford last sum-
mer that Shakespeare was born in the high
est room i'll the house, and SO his first move
ment must have been down in the world"
Perhaps that accounts for his never having
written any better plays than Hamlet" and
"MacbethN' lam aware that many famous
literary men have lived and written in gar
rets, but being compelled to Give 50 high"
and go up so often | have never heard nc
counted part of their good fortune
have friends who, on going out, if they
happen to get a garment on wrong side out,
will wear it SO till their return rather than
risk the i'll luck of changing it. Just what
they think will happen. or who among the
gods or spirits will care what side out they
wear a piece of cloth, | am sure do not
know.
THAT RUSTY OLD HORSESHOE.
Ii there were any virtue in horseshoes, the
people ought to be fortunate, for there is one
in almost every house. They are no longer
needed as a defense against witches. and vet
there are hundreds of people who do not
really believe in them, who still think it is
lust as well to have one," and so be on the
safe side.
A lady on whom l called tho other day
said laughingly that she thought she should
take hers down, for it didn't seem to do her
any good. The story of the horseshoe would
be long if should tell it. To possess real
virtue it must be one that has been cast and
picked up on the highway. The whole myth
itself has been cast off by ancient Paganism
us it Travelled down the dusty highway of the
centuries and people have picked it up with
the mystery of its origin clinging about it,
not knowing who forged it or what hurried
horsenan left it behind 1t could tale un-
fold" both weird and strange, But must
not stop for it just now How many things
people thoushtlessly do, the explanation of
which would be an astonishment to them.
1t Is still common custom in many parts
OF the world to throw an old shoe for good
luck after departing newly married couple
1t was custom in ancient times and among
unlettered people, who could neither prepare
nor give written deeds, on the conclusion Of
the sale OF piece of property or land, to take
Off the shoe and give it to the purchaser as a
pledge OF possession and the ratification of
the bargain. Similar customs still obtain in
the east. Here is doubtless the origin of the
wedding custom The daughter was the yer.
table property Of the father Marriage used
to be-and sometimes still is. even with US
an outright purchase. The man bought the
woman, and she became his bride. At first
the father would take off his shoe and trans
fer it to the bridegroom as the pledge of his
purchase. And now that the old meaning is
all forgotten, we stll-such creatures of habit
and tradition are we!-must fling an old shoe
after the wedding party.
said it was supposed to be sign of good
luck. read of case the other day where
it turned out to be the contrary There had
been wedding of colored people in the
country. After the marriage, as the happy
couple mounted their country wagon to start
for home Jealous and muscular friend Of
the groom seized an old brogan to complete
the ancient rite. He was so lucky and vigor-
Gus in his aim that the cowhide bearer Of
gc"! wishes struck the dusky bride in the
side Of the head and stretched her senseless
Oh the bottom Of the wagon. Then arose
the bridegroom in his wrath, and when, the
next day, the groom was seen with his arm
in sling a,ad his best man appeared with an
eye closed and part of one ear missing.
there were those in the wedding party whose
faith in the good luck of throwing old shoes