The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1890-06-19
(Teend)
WAS NOT suPERsTITIoUs.
But scme Ideas hnd Condolences Made Him Feel
Uncomfortable.
iNetD ToYk TrilffHe1


"Superstition No. am not snperstitious.
j d0n't believe ia IL At all-that Is 20 say ab.
s6lutely refuse 10 accept circumstances which
strike one ia a strange manner as anything
other than clTCumstduces-cU condolences And
yet" and the speaker t6yed with the slender
stem OF his wine-g glass, aud seemed 10 be trying
20 fnd some expression which would explain
his views.
The dinner party were smoking their cigars
aud chatting, when someone avowed his ina
biIity 10 shake of certain ideas which seemed
like superstition.
What / do not believe" the speaker went
on, pushing the glass from him. Is that super.
stltion IS anything but Imagination. But
sometimes ! lind superstition governing my
actions IN spite Of myself"
. IN other w0rdg." someone interposed. "you
say 10 yourself that you are not, but you know
that you are"
i" 10, not exactly"
Then you know that you are not. but say
that you are"
g" fes-no, that isn't IL either" and his hand
again reached for the wine glass.
p" Let me give you an example. When was
down ~ Georgia, last Winter, friend of mine
gave me the left hind foot Of graveyard rsb.
bit graveyard rabbit is one which is shot
IN a burying-grOund between sundown and
dark. The left hind foot is a voodoo. and. ac-
IA
luck TO the man upon whose heart cross Is
defined with couple Of strokes OF the soft
brown foot. put the little thing In my poek ct
with laugh. When came home was i'll for
two weeks aud could not 20 to my Office during
that time. / finally got out only 10 drop a
pretty sum on a stock which seemed the guresi
on the market. went 10 the races alone and
lost. went with friends, aud we all lost At
the last moment j missed "A contract which
would have been worth $4,000 10 me. / did
not believe that the YoOdOo had ANYTHING t0
do with my ill-fOrtune: but one day | took IL
from my pocket, aud, feeling ashamed of my
weakness put il in drawer. ] went TO the
races the next day, not to try the effect Of the
change, mind you, and won On everything.
Ny stock yindicated itself Immediately. /
made 4 better contract than the one / lost
wouldn't carry the vO0doo again, but know
that IL had nothing 10 do with my luck
BuL you are superstitious" another diner
said.
No Pm not. But when one gets an idea
into las head like that, IL makes him uncom-
Portable. The way do is 10 remove the cause. -
Well said one Of the party, laughing,
that comes pretty near 10 supersttionn
Heres another story" put ia an interested
I listener. . A friend Of mine, on leaving Paris.
/ sold his cob for 200 francs. The baggage OF
/ himself and WIie amounted 10 l3 pieces The
I number Of the cab which tOuk them To Tie
+ station was l3. The steamer sailed on the 18Th
I day Of the month. There were 200 souls ON
+ board. aud the steamer was wrecked. He
doesn't belieyein the nnluclly -, aud lac laughs
at tle whole thing. But he has told me many
/ times that lie would never get on steamer
under the same or similar circumstances be.
cause it would make him miserable
81 still maintain" said the advocate oi
superstition that That is the good old doctrine
oil superstition"
:" But I'm not superstltious," declared tho
owner Of the YoOioO.
"Of course not, but"
!" III give you the rabbits foot, if you will
take it,"
8 SO, thank you" and tho laugh turned on
the scOiieF.