St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1890-05-31
NUMBERS ODD AND. EVEN,
Two. Three. Five, Six. Seven. Mine, Twelve
end Thirteen Each Have some
Sgppoesd Mystic Power for sr
Good or Evil.


Spppossd Mystic Power for -
Good or Evil.
81 tss s4r" X f-szs. s+-i
That there is luck in odd humbers is .
popular AyiDgs Characterised by . de-
lightfu ambiguity. which renders it
equally correct in the case Of either good
or bsd luck. The expression, however.
is gSneraiiy taken to mean that good
luck may be ATTRIBUTED to odd numbers;
and sAethsr otnct they may be justified
in aBsning that even ones must conse.
quentlyi be sunlucky, oy=country
women will osly put their hens to set on
an odd number pf eggs. in the belief
that Otherwise NO chickens would be
Numbers both odd and even have al
ways been credited with mystic powers
capable " Influencing the destinies, Of
man. 1t is possible that this belief may
have .beeGAue IN the first instance to .
sense of reverence and awe with which
the imugutable laws et mathematics we're
probably regarded by the iguDrant: the
fact too. that the third, fifth or sixth
note IN an octave harmoAiFes with the
first may in some measure account for
the sSpcfstitiods fmportapce with which
the numbers three, hve and six have
been sce1raed; and Aeregularity and
frequency with which certain numbers
occur h GntuEeaA Aandiwosofs may also
have given aiSe4 70 = belief in some
mystic. .pQyeD inherit in the numbers
themselves. Thus, two is constantly
before us in bilateral symmetry and the |
number Of The sexes; Ave occurs rs the
number bf petals (which many flowers
possess o. tAt number q fingers and
toes on each OF our hands and feet-the
thumb. Of course, heing resk0aed a. one |
of the 6Ngaes;s and aS-an Instance in
which six occurs we may mention che
cells of a honeycomhs 1 a
1t s9pnece&ary to give examples Of |
the mystical use Of numbers in the |
for no one who has read the
Bible can have failed to notice the fre-
auency With which certain numbers are |
used, s~soently Intentionally and with |
, symbolical significance. "
In manyof the legeads which may bel
found amongst the North Anerican In-t
aians. two witches pr medicine women
play q prominent part ThiA may be
merely . curious coincidence; but more
probably 1t Is the result of some fOrgpt-
ten superstition connected with num-
hers; fse the Ola World, two has kn-evil I
anl % far as smcmsrchs have
been osnesr,ed. il certainly seems to
have bean a4unlncky nsnbcr many Of
those who were second OF uame aza~r
ing had troubled reigns Or met with un-
timely fates. AZ pygl
There is much superstitiosa regard
Tor the number three in the popular
mind. and the third nepe t4tisn lsf sny
hing is generally looked upon IS .
;risis. sTAnaSan article may tw!ee be
ost and srsnosesed: bvt the third slme
hat 1t is lost it is gone for good. Twice
man nay pass Though senes great
langer in safety; but the third time he
oses his life. II however. the mystic
third can be successfully passed. all is
we'll. Three was called by PythagQras
the perfect number. and Swe Mequently1
ind its use symbolics4 o. Deity: thus |
We might mention the ssiaertt Of Nep-
une, the three-forked slightaia9 ~
love, and the three adedd dog cf Pluto
The idea of trinity is not Ooaanek tD
but occurs in .seyeral
eligions. In mythology, also, We find
,hree Fates, three Furies and three
traces; and coming nearer to our own
lines, Shakespeare introduces his three
witches. In public-house signs three
eems to playsan important part, for we
frequently meet with Three Cups,'
Three jolly Sailors Three Bells
Three Tuns. Three Feathers in fact,
hat number of almost any thing Of
which q fertile Imagination can conceive
trio. In nursery rhymes and tales
his number is not unknown; and If We
ook back to the day of our childhood.
most of us will call to mind the three
wise men OF Gotham who took q sea-
'oyage in bowl, not to mention the
hree blind mite that 'hsd their tails cut
II by the-lsDaePe wfeI Pefhaps there
S some ssscils .poSss .iRsthe Ssdmbef1
which essenAs sinhs'I division b. q
lovels iafa three-l volumes 4 and +,
induces doctors to orders q thar
Medicine ts-be taken thsice daily. It's
cunt SeJSSd tsrss; SIC q .isSoass they I
nay haves ND &6eds 70 express higher |
toglkpsw ShouYd be Scarcely I
justified u esAnins sKstS they ste fhi r
apable ofAppssdatias Ito value ofthei
after. 49, { Dis sEsss ~sls'' 80
Five is asoV4do, nsa.har vhich was
to possess great influence over
lemons and evil spriR probably prim-
tive man. not. Npliks some a Ais do-ls
sas a ssH - ~