Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1891-10-10
OMENS OF ILL FORTUNE.
SUPERSTITlONS THAT STILL PRE-
VAIL IN MODERN LIFE.

Kyrle Bellew and Room I3-Sarah
Bernhardt and Spilled Salt-South-
ern Men Who Imbibe the Fears of tho
Negro.
Don't put me in that room young
man, for heavens sake! I'd rather sleep
in the cellar or bunk on the roof than go
in No. 10. If you haven't another spare
chamber I'll have to seek different hotel.
I'd stay out in the streets all night rather
than tempt fate by going in 49,"
This is what Kyrle Bellew, the Apollo
Belvidere of actors, said to the clerk of
Washington hotel when he played there
with Mrs. James Brown Potter season
or two ago, Despite the fact that skepti-
cal individuals here and there show their
contempt for the superstition by forming
"13 clubs, which title is obtained from
the limitation of membership to that fig
ure, the fact remains that large percen-
tage of people look on 13 as an exceed
ingly ill omened number. Foolish as
such notions are, they are deeply rooted
IN human nature and survive even in this
age of general enlightenment from ideas
held thousands of years ago. The ancient
Egyptians made calendar of lucky and
unlucky days, by which, for instance, on
the 10th of the month Athor one must
not embark on the Nile, while child
born on the 5th of the month Paopi will
be killed by bull.
I'VE have room, No. 49," said the
chief clerk of one of the best known
hotels at the Capital, "and many's the
kick from superstitious guests that were
afraid to occupy it, 1t is connected with
one of the most luxurious and finely fur
nlshed suites in the house, but that did
uot prevent Sarah Bernhardt from
making such a racket that she had to be
given other quarters. l guess she is full
of superstition any way, as one of her
trunks was loaded with odds and ends Of
charms and talismans One day while
at the dinner table somebody spilled the
salt, whereas Madame Bernhardt turned
white as a sheet and couldn't finish her
meal. She regarded that as the worst
possible omen, and expressed fear that
something dreadful was going to happen.
Take them all in all, theatrical people
are more deeply imbued with superstition
than any other class of the travelling
public. | recall the case ola well known
actor whom we put in a room where
there happened to be a slightly cracked
mirror He refused positively to stay in
it, because it was bad luck, and as the
hotel was crowded nothing could be done
but have workman go to the room and
insert new glass.
On investigating the reporter learned
that but few of the hostelries of the
Capital have rooms with the unpopular
number. A good many of them avoid it
by starting on the first floor with 100 and
numbering in regular order from that,
but beginning on the second story with
200, and so on through the entire build
ing. AT the Shoreham combination of
letters and numerals is used as A l, B /,
and G |, denoting apartments on the first
floor and A O. B 2, ETC.. on the second,
the figure showing the degree of eleva-
ton.
Southern men are, 1 think, more re-
gardful of signs and spells and lucky and
unlucky omens than those from any
other section" said gentleman who
was born on a cotton plantation and
knew whereof he spoke.
II attribute it, he continued, "to their
youthful association with the blacks.
They heard from the old uncles and
aunties of the family weird stories of
witches and ghosts, and ever after
maturer years proved the absurdity of
the folk lore of their infancy, it was
hard to shake it completely off,"
Ex-senator Reagan, of Texas, hard
headed, practical man of the world, got
it from an old darkey that it would bring
him ill fortune to put on his left shoe
first, and never once in all the years that
have sped has he failed to give the right
foot precedence.
"If the late Henry Grady, the eloquent
Georgia orator and brilliant journalist,
had on walking Or driving along coun-
try road observed rabbit cross his path
he would not continue his journey for
that day. 1t was sure sign that some
misfortune was impending, that could
only be averted by retracing his steps and
taking fresh start on the morrow.
Superstition is widely prevalent among
the colored people. Even here in Wash
ington, where they are better educated
and more intelligent, as a rule, than any
where else in the United States, voudoo.
ism and the black art have many dew
otees. The most common superstition
among them is the fear of might doc
tors. There are hundreds and hun
dreds of Washington negroes who
wouldn't walk a lonely street after dark
for all the silver in the Treasury. They
never saw a night doctor, never knew of
any one who has, yet they are convinced
that he haunts the dim lighted thorough.
fares and lonely commons of the city, in
tent on securing victim for his cruel
dissecting knife. Washington Post.