St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-11-24
SUPERSTITION THE RULE.


When PAUL told the men of Athens
that they were too supeYstitious he had
reference. perhaps. to the credulity with
which they absorbed the hobgObin
stories and fancies that did duty for re-
ligiOn for them. They were not entirely
isolated from the race in that and other
ages in this respect. 1t is rare, even
now, to find person who does not have
some pet superstition. 1t may net al
ways be discovered by associates. One
of the pulpitS of this city last Sunday,
speaking perhaps from special knOwl-
edge, said there are great number of
persons in the various walks of life,and,
frequently, matter-Of-fact business men,
who often make furtiye visits to fortune
tellerS. clairvOyants and mediums. In
many cases no business enterprises are
undertaken without direction obtained
in these quarters. \ singular feature
in the connection is that, even when
the advice proves to be unreliable
and bad results follow, there is
little loss of confidence. In one instance
in st. Paul known to quite number.
woman has perSlstently inquired of the
spirit of her deceased husband before
taking any business step. At his de-
cease she had quite a snug property,
but the steps advised by the spirit of
her lamented fraction, almost without
exception. have resulted in loss and
disaster, until they have reduced her to
absolute want. Still she has faith in
her loving and tender husband. al
though he was not noted for business
sagacity before his death, and has evil
IDENTIFY not improved since, If the con-
nectiOn is reliable. OF course many be-
lieve they have obtained valuable cOun-
sci and reliable pictures of the future
from these sources. \ truthful st. Paul
gentleman relates that fortune teller
told him that in the year then passing
his life would be ia danger from fire
and water, but he would have a remark
able escape. A few months later he was
taking short trip on Lake Superior
when a fog compelled the boat to
anchor in dangerous locality. Soon
fire breaks out and all efforts to extin-
guiSh it are futile. The captain and
the crew heartleSsly desert the few pas
sengers. taking the only available boat.
as supposed. The other was almost I'M
possible to get out, and was finally
launched only by much work with axes.
The flames are croWding and roasting
them all the time, becoming so unbear-
able that the st. Paul party jumps over
board, although he cannot swim, A
table is thrown TO him and it breaks in
two on either side OF him, and he is
saved by it finally, only servant girl
being drowned. That man believes in
one prophet. In another case a st.
Paul lady was advised to sell her inter-
est in a firm of which her deceased hus-
band had been a member, as one of the
parties would prove rogue, which was
the case. A lady OH st. Anthony hill
relates that on two mornings she was
startled from sleep by hearing a voice
ask, Are you ready?" She was very
much impressed by it. She remem-
bered the exact tone and quality
Of. voice. Some time later she
visited Chicago and stopped at a hotel
that had new elevator without the
now common safety appliances. AS
she stepped into it. she heard behind
her the same voice and tone so well re-
membered, ask, "Are you ready?" She
jumped back and turned around to look
at the speaker, who proved to be gen.
tleman cOnversing with another, not
noticing her. The elevator went on
without her, fell and killed one or two
of the passengers, badly injuring all.
The voice had saved her. Several other
quite as ineXplicable circumstances, re-
lated by st. Paul parties, could be men,
toned. Nearly every one is familiar
with some mysterious incident easily
attributed 20 the supernatural. Science
is dumb when called upon for the inter
probation. There are realms, possibly
accessible. that it has not been able to
enter. 1t is not surprising that people
are superstitious and refer the unsoIved
to the supernatural.