Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va) 1886-1890, 1890-01-05
THE FOOT OF A RABBIT.
A WASHINGTON MAN WHO CARRIED
ONE FOR GOOD LUCK.

He Fsu Down Stairs, His Wife Became
Ill, Case Was Decided Against Him,
and Cor u Whole Week Everything Went
;2rons-Then he Threw 1t Away.
If q man ever tells you there is luck in
u rabbit's foot, believe him if you want
to, but don't let him, under any circum-
stances, present you with ono rs a
souvenir to carry for lGsk. If he at
temptS it, be sure it is because he has a
grudge against you. and desires TO get
even in roundabout manner.
There may be good luck in some rab-
bits feet, but the particular one which
this story concerns was the QuintesSence
.: misfortune, and its posses6or is q hol-
tow eyed picture of despair, CHOSE every
movement has been productive of calam-
itous results.
Two weeks ago theowner of the charm
was in the best OF spirits and on good
terms with himself and the world, and
prospecting. For week the nightmare
of Ill luck has clung 20 him with the
grasp of the old man of the sea, and
cannot be shaken of.
AZ CNHEEDED WARNING.
lie came into the possession Of the
furry article which wrecked his happi-
ness in . somewhat peculiar manner. 1t
was presented to him rs IN emblem of
luck by one of his friends, and he care
e. fully tucked it away in his vest pocket.
\ third friend who was standing by re-
marked at the time: IF were you |
would throw that cursed thing rs far as
could Its certain 10 bring i'll luck.
am usually not superstitious, but l
wouldn't carry one for thousand dol
lars
The pessim;st was heartily laughed ct
for lis foolishress. and ridiculed as a
prophet of bad luck. Wait and see"
was his laconic response to the others
badirage Had thar friend been listened
20 and mis- advice taken. this story would
never have been written.
1t was Saturday evening when the gift
was received, but nothing eventful hap
pencd that day. When the posSesSor Of
the taliSman went to bed he began %
think OF the words of warming he had lis
tened 10 and it began 10 trouble him. He
could not sleep for 4 time. and when he
fms LLs4.frfct;ll into q iitful doze it was only
TO see big ana little rabbits feet obstruct-
ing him and barring his progress in
whatever direction nc turned. They
seem % ovorwhelm him and crush
him down, and when lie awoke with a
start it was u hear his wife calling him
ito breakfast. Tie arose. haggard and
worn out. Sleep had been burden
rather than rest, aud in consequence
he was snappish and out of humor.
The breakfast was succession Of
growls. lie grumbled at everything
until finally his wife. who was unaccus-
toned 10 sec him angry, arNiously in
CURED what was the matter. He gave
her a curt reply, THAT sent the tears 10
her eyes and her lips to Quivering. and
left for his Office without his usual fare
well kiss. something he had never done
before since his marriage.
TWAS Sunday, and. OF course, none Of
his clerks were at work lie could not
find any Of the correspondence he de-
sired, and this made him more angry,
Finally lie thought again of the rabbits
foot. II must be that" he sohloquized
.'but III keep it just for spite and see
how far ii will work lis spell.
Coming down the stairs from lis Office
he slipped and fell, and badly spraincd
his wrist.
When he reached home his wife was
sick, and so the doctor had & % patients
instead Of one. Sunday night was but a
repetition of the previous one, filed with
bad dreams, and when the morning
dawned the possesSor Of the emblem was
thoroughly fatigued in soul and body. He
determined to get rid Of the rabbit foot
and when he reached the street threw il
on the sidewalk. In 4 moment he felt like
a new man. and his former buoyancy Of
spirits returned But. alas, fate had more
misfortunes in store for him, and he had
not proceeded half a square before col
ored urchin touched him on the arm and,
holding the fatal rabbits foot toward
him, said. Il seen you dropit, sir, and !
thought YOU might want it.
There it was, confronting him like a
nemesis. 1t would have been easy to have
told the boy to keep it, but he did not dc
this, and moodily walked down TO his Of
fee. The day was succession of un-
lucky events. He did not receive a con-
siderable sum of money he confidently
expected, an important case in which he
had large contingent fee was decided
against MIN, and his clerk was taken i'll,
so that it became necessary for his en-
ployer to do his own work, which he man
aged to get through at late hour with
the assistance of a stenographer and
typewriter.
His wife was considerably worse when
ne returned home and he was compelled
to remain up all night with her. The
rest of the week was repetition of the
two days he had passed. When Satur-
day came he was careworn, fretful and
anxious about his wife's health, for she
YES dangerously ii, aid there were
grave fears as to her recovery. His bust
ness had gone wrong and every thing he
did seemed TO turn out exactly opposite
to what lie desired.
Then he determined to get rid of that
internal rabbits foot. Its influence had
undoubtedly contributed great deal to
his rloroseness, and he was well nigh i'll.
Into the stove he threw the foot and
watched it burn with considerable pleas
.ure. He was rid of it at last.
/ Strange to relate, his wife began to i'm
tprove. lie felt on better terms with
himself, and his life returned to its nor
Imal channels. 1t may be that rabbits
foot is not unluckv. but there is one man
lin Washington who will never carry one
lssagain for good luck.-Washington Post.