Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1891-06-11
AN ANCIENT SUPERSTITION.


men and warriors believed fully in the
prophetic power of snaczing, and it's oc-
currcncc in seasons of uncertainty was
eagerly looked for. If to the right the
sncczcr turned, all would go we'll; but
if to the left, disaster and confusion of
plans would follow.
Aristotle, n learned gentleman, living
long before the Christian era, of whom
it has been written that he attained
unparalleled distinction for scholarship,
thoroughly believed in its mysterious
influence, and wrote concerning it, that
Ito snccze between noon and midnight
hcraldcd success, but if between night
and noon i'll lu: * r-ould surely be OK
pcrienced." T ON mis- patriarch of let
tiers we learh that even n his day it
was no new dclusion with The sons of
men, and traditions accepted by hitn
and his peers affirmed that "great r.
spcct was paid unto it, as the most
manifest and most sensible operation of
the head, that being regarded as the
principal seat of the SOUL
OF Xenophon, known both as a
scholar and n soldier, it is recorded in
history that ''having ended a speech to
his soldiers with these words: we
have many reasons to hope for prcscr-
vation,' the sudden sncezing of one of
his men stirred the entire army to &C
cept the omen as favorable"
The custom of giving thanks for
sneezing originated long before the
Christian era
THUS, man "profoundly versed in
al T. 81 IL
to absolute belief in this old-time super
stition.
In his most valuable legacy to the
world of letters, n commentary on
IIomer's Had and Odyssey, we find:
'"Telcmachu3 then sncczcd ,oud;
Constrained, his nostril echoed through the
crowd;
The smiling queen the happy omen blessed
So may these impious fall by fate opprcst"
Odyssey, Book XVIII.
And Homer lived hundreds of years
before the Christian era!
It is said that when the king of
Mcsopotamia sneezes, acclaIaations are
made in all parts of his dominion.
In Siam long life" is wished to per-
sons who sncczc, and among Pcrsians,
if often repeated, is regarded as q most
suspicious event.
The year $50 A. D. is usually recl1-
oned the era of the custom of saying to
one who happened to snceze: God
bless you"
In seventeenth century work may
be found these lines:
ut is an order whom you sneeze,
Good mon will pray for you;
Make him That doth SO. for thinke
He IS your friend most true"
According to Lancaster FOLKLORE q
good deal depends upon the day of the
week in this matter of Sneezing:
''SnccZc on Monday, You sncczc T T. danger;
SnCc2c on Tuesday, you kiss stranger;
Sneczc on "Wednesday, you snccZc for q letter;
SnccZo on Thursday, for something bettor;
S1cc2c on Friday you'll snoczo for sorrow;
Snce2c on Saturday your sweetheart to.mor.
row;
Sneezo on Sunday. your safety seek,
The devil will havo you tho rest OF tho week ~
-llarpcr's Bazaar.
A. T. Stewards Way.
An old employee of the late A. II.
Stewart, the millionaire dry goods mer-
chant of New York, tells IN instance
which shows the means sometimes en-
ploycd by that gentleman Tor cnforcirg
the rules Of his store. There was q rule
to the effect that no person employed
III the building should carry matches
under penalty of dismissal. One cvcn-
ing, Us Mr.. Stewart was passing through
The store on his way home, he suddenly
turned to number of clerks who were
standing near the door and asked: "Can
any Of you obligc me with match?"
| No one answered for a moment. till one
of the mon, prompted by courtesy, and
thinking that his employer would not
take advantage Of him, replied: "Cor-
tainly, sir, hero is one" "You are dis
charged, was the ungracious response,
"Go to tho desk and get what is due
you" And with good evening, "Mr.
Stewart passed en- to his carriage. -
Washington Post