The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1890-03-14
THE sTRANGEsT WHIMs.
Many People Who Have supsrstitions oi
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just been interposing an objection to
tho doing of something because it
would "be bad luck" Absolutely
nothing, in fact. was done or was pro-
posed during the whole play without
Jonah Juggling In one Of his innumer-
able superstitious. .
Was this lady rightp The Chicago
Herald has been at some pains to find
out. so for at least as Chicago is con-
ccrned. And tho conclusion arrived
at was. most ,emphatically, that she
was mistaken. There live to-day so
many forms of superstition that it
would take the compass of q good sized
tome to mention them all.
Everybody knows, of course, that
the theatrical profession is extremely
superstitious Not even tho most en-
lightened of them are quite FREQ of this
feeling, since it has crept into their
very blood and marrow through the
force Of time-honored traditions and
early training. Theatrical managers
are aware Of this and always respect
these beliefs. 1t would not be safe for
them to do otherwise. Here is case
In point:
About a year ago, while Julia Mar
lowe was filling an engagement at Chi
cago some of the scenery used in tho
play fell on Miss Marlowe's aunt and
almost killed her. Last Tuesday night
, the stage carpenter, Mr.. Ricketts,. ap-
: preached this manager, and told him
nc must insist on new ropes being put
en all the scenery to be used during
tile sarne play, which was to be given
by Miss Marlowe the next night. And
he had TO give in, though he knew the
sropes were as strong as first-class hemp
could make them and though there was
quite needless expense involved in
the purchase of new set. But not
to have yielded meant "bad luck" for
sooth! And that is thing anxiously
to be avoided.
How very superstltious gam blers
and card-players in general are, is
likewise q thing of general record.
Not even the most daring of these
knights of the pasteboards would VENT
ure, for instance, to sit atsa game with
his hands closed, the idea being that
luck could not then fly into their hol-
lows. To hold their thumbs for brief
spell, on the other hand, means good
luck for the party it is done for. A
run Of bad luck, as every one knows,
can be best broken by changing chairs
or by twisting ones own chair around
once or twice. The worst omen,
though. that can befall gambler is to
have lonsssnccession OF black cards
(spades or :ollbs) dealt him. For that
presages his own near death or the
death of member OF his family. Vet
'cran gamblers never disregard any OF
these warnings which fate, through,
the medium of tho cards, is supposed
to be vouchsafing them.
AS with actors and gamblers. SO it i 5
with nearly every other profession or
calling and life-each has Its own set Of
superstitions. And it is safe to say
that those men or women who arc ab-
solutely free of every form of SUPER
stitution are probably SO rare that
they are never heard of. Those minds
who have shaken off all religious faith
are quite frequently more prone to
superstition than the rest of mankind.
It is stated of Colonel "Bob" Ingersoll,
the great infidcl, that he believes in
omens and warnings OF all kinds. And
history teaches us that other gifted
men did likewise.
tis we'll known that the great Ma.
poleon was firm believer in various
forms of superstition, particularly in
clermonaco. A curious book on divina-
tion was found in Bonaparte's cabinet
Of e'ariositiss at.+ainsic during the con-
fusion that ensued there aifter his fight
from that city and the rout of the
French army. 1t was looked upon by
him as a sacred work, and he was ac-
customed to consult it prior to his
most hazardous undertakings.
This Eapoleonic incident, however,
forms but one link in the endless chain
of stories that might be stretched out
illustrating how even the most pow
erful minds in modern time could not
divert themselves of every trace of
superstition. Frederick the Great, an
other great warrior and as pronounced
fatalist, as Napoleon l., might be
cited. as we'll as Sir Walter Scott, in
whose tomb at Melrose Abbey SGT OF
books on magic-in which he believed
was laid to rest along with the body
OF the great writer. Superstition, in
fact, appears to be the common inher-
itance of the human race, of which no
nationality is free.
A child when born ought to Ego up
= In the world before going down."
Hence the little creature ought to be
borne upstairs and then down again,
else he or she will all through life re-
main in low station. Most midwives,
too. object to the weighing OF child
after birth, rs it is held to be unlucky.
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baby makes its appearance in the up
per jaw instead of the lower one. To
rock baby's cradle when empty is like
wise esteemed unlucky. although peo-
pie who hail from Lancashire think
differently about that for they have
it:
lfyou rock the cradle empty,
Then you should have babies plenty.
Chicagoans of Scotch lineage at the
birth Of q male child frequently indulge
in q very old form Of superstition,
handed down from the time when the
forefathers were Gaelic sun worship
ers. They encircle three times. with q
lighted candle, the body of'the child.
thus insuring its ration OF good luck
through life, although originally the
custom meant the child's dedication to
the sun god. Another very ancient bit
of superstition is connected with the
ash tree. This undoubtedly comes
from the sacred ash Yggdrasie of Morse
mythology, and traces Of It are pre-