The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1891-06-16
MINOR SUPERSTiTIONS.
How They Have Worked Their Way Into
the Fabric of Society.

How They Have Worked Their Way Into
the Fabric of Society.
"You don't know bow these minor
superstitions have eaten their way into
the fabric of society. Take the matter
Of 10 at table. Everybody processes to
laugh at ii. but nobody-until We started
the opposition-dared to oppose it"
said member of the Thirteen Club to
writer in the Epoch. THE idea Of Is
being an unlucky number at table is as
old as the church fathers 1t sprang
from the traditions Of the Last Supper,
Just as hangman's day is said to be
tradition of the crucifxion. Perhaps
you think that the strong practical sense
of this age has outgrown these weak
nesses? If so. the next time that you
catch party of intelligent even relig-
ious people, at table. make the expert
ment Cry out that there are IS at table,
and remind them that one will die
within the year. Then see to what ex-
pedients they will resort to make the
number 1e or IL But they will protest
that it is only joke.
Il have given some attention to pop
ular superstitionS and let NE tell you
that argument is powerless against
them. They have a grip upon the
imagination that nothing but r!dicule
will lessen.
LET me give you few instances
There is an old and widespread no.
ton that the nj r:ors must be removed
from a room in which corpse is lying.
found the custom in Ireland, among
the peasantry of France, and among the
New Eng,anders OF Ohio and Mime
sofa In these latter places they cover
the mirror up with cloths instead of re-
moving it Now make the experiment
yourself, and the next time you are
called upon to sit up with corpse.
| notice how uncomfortable a mirror
will make you feel OF course it
is a matter of the Imagination. but
you can't reason against it All the in
grained terrors Of six thousand years
are in your bones You walk across the
floor. and catch glimpse Of yourself in
the glass You start; was there not a
| spectral something behind you? So you
cover 1t up.
ut makes you smile when you think
that the gift of pocket knife Is sup
posed to cut friendship in two, and yet
when you wish to give knife to your
son or some dear friend. you go through
the farce of selling 1t to him I have
seen the wisest and best OF men do this.
Rather than load my little nephew with
unknown evils, have done it myself
| when you want idiotic superstit:ons
you have to take actors AMI singers
persons who might be supposed to know
better know actors who would rather
sleep on the roof of hotel than in
room No Is. or any particular number
which could be construed as unlucay.
There are certain actors who are called
Jonahs, because their presence is sup
posed to bring Ill luck. Cross-eyed men
or women are particularly feared in
company. and an actor who is marked
with smallpox can scarcely get an en-
Igagement. Actors all carry charms and
amulets around with them: they have
their lucky days and their unlucky
days. and are slaves to superstition
''The form of superstition which we
find likely to battle even r.dicule is the
idea that certain houses are un'
lucky. In my own experience have
known several houses which really
Seemed to bring misfortune upon theil
tenants 1t is hard to ridicule this sort
OF thing; Of course it is all internal
nonsense. but people insist that there
are facts to be faced"