Waterbury evening Democrat., 1890-11-17
MINOR sUPERsTITIoNs.
How They Have Wo11Ead Their Way Intu
 1he Fabric of Society.

How They Have Wo91Ead Their Way Into
 the Fabric of Society.
 "You don't know how these minor superstitions have eaten their way into the fabric of society Take the matter of 13 at table. Everybody professes to laugh tit bnGaobody-until we started the opposit: :on-jared to oppose it, sa d HieniieT nf tue Thirteen Club to a writer in tG8 Epoch 'tThe idea of 13 being au unlucky number at table is as old as the ehur, Il fathers. It sprang from the trad tons Of the Last Supper, just as hangman's day is said to be tradition of the crucifxion. Perhaps you think that the strong practical sense or this age has outgrown these weak nesses? If so, the next time that you catch party of intelligent even relig- 1ous people, at table, make the exper:- ment Cry out that there are 13 at table, and remind them that one will die within the year. Then see to what ex- pedients they will resort to make the number 12 or 14 But they will protest that it is only joke.
 "l have given some attention to pop- ular superstitions, and let me tell you that argument is powerless against them. They have grip upon the imagination that cothing but ridicule will lessen.
 Let me give you few instances.
 There is an old and widespread no- tion that the m rrors must be removed from room in which a corpse is lying. found the custom in Ireland, among the peasantry of France, and among the New Englanders of Ohio and Minne- sota. In these latter places they cover the mirror up with cloths instead of re- moving it. Now make the experiment. yourself, and the next time you are called upon to sit up with corpse, notice how uncomfortable a mirror will make you feel Of course it is matter of the imagination, but you can't reason against it. All the in. grained terrors of six thousand years are in your bones You walk across the floor. and catch glimpse of yourself in the glass. You start; was there not a spectral something behind you? So you rover it up
 Tt makes you smile when you think that the gift of pocket knife is SUD- posed to cut friendship in two, and vet, when you wish to give knife to your son or some dear friend, you go through the farce of selling it to him. have seen tho wisest and best of men do this. Rather than load my little nephew with unknown evils, have done 1t myself.
 When you want idiotic superstitions you have to take actors and singers persons who might be supposed to know better. know actors who would rather sleep on the roof of hotel than in room No. IS, or any particular number which could be construed as unlucky. There are certain actors who are called Jonahs, because their presence is SUD- posed to bring Ill luck Cross-eyed men or women are particularly feared in a company, and an actor who is marked with smallpox can scarcely get an en- gagement. Actors all carry charms and amulets around with them; they have their lucky days and their unlucky days, and are slaves to superstition.
 '"The form of superstition which we find likely to baffie even ridicule is the Idea that certain houses are un- lucky. In my own experience I have known several houses which really seemed to bring misfortune upon their tenants It is hard to ridicule this sort of thing; of course it is all internal nonsense. but people insist that there 1re facts to he faced n