The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1892-07-02
SURVIVING SUPERSTlTIONS.
Signs, Charms and PhiIters In Which
Civilized People sim Put Credence

! W
Civilized People sim Put Credence.
In Michigan a double cedar knot is
carried in the pocket to cure rheuma
tsm, and in New Hamphire a man
carried a gall from steams of golden
rod for the same disease. A small
white grub is in the gall and he thought
as long as the grub remained alive no
rheumatism could get hold of bin.
Hickory nuts, the buckeye, and its
cousin, the horse chestnut, which brings
good luck in new Jersey, are other
foes to rheumatism in different local-
ties. Some people wear a strange
ring made of a potato with ahole bored
through it for rheumatism, and others
carry plain potato in the pocket.
The charm is more potent if the potato
has been stolen. Almost anything
seems to have rheumatism fighting
properties. for in Southern Michigan
pebble in the pocket serves to ward
it off.
A New Hampshire cure for sore
throat is TO wear about The neck
stocking, IN the toe OF which potato
has been tied. According to Maine
belief nutmeg pierced and hung on
string around the neck prevents hollis,
Group and neuralgia. The effect of
a Connecticut wooden nutmeg is an
known.
Among the negroes the most strlk
ing remedies are to be found. Wit
ness the combination of cure and spell,
described under the name OF "conjur-
ing TOOTH" in Alabama. Go into a
lonely part of the woods with one OF
the opposite sex, who is to carry an ak.
The bearer of the ak chops around
the roots Of white oak, cuts eff with
large iack-knite nine Splnters from the
roots of a tree, then cuts around the
aching tooth with the knife, dips each
of the nine sp!inters in the blood flow
ing from the cuts and finally buries the
splinters at the foot of the tree from
which they came. While doing this the
operator repeats something you don't
understand, which is a charm.
From the same locality comes cur
ious remedy for chlils and lever.
Take the skin from the inside of an
eggshel, go to a Young perslmmon
tree three days in succession and tie
a knot in the skin each day. On the
Eastern Shore of Maryland blliousness
is cured by boring three holes in a
Carefully selected tree and walking
three times around it, saying, go
away, 15;llous." Ii IS a matter OF ut
most Importance whether the one
who performs the spell walks with the
sun Or against the sun, Tut no one
knows which is the approved direc-
ton.
We have comparatively few philtcrs,
with a truly indigenous reputation, but
there are some OF European origin
naturahz=d. Many Of thea have
undergone certain variation since
they found a home on this side OF the
Atlantic. Pants used 10 love dlvlna-
tioEs are common. In many parts of
England aud Scotland the familiar
Southern wood IS known as "iad's
love-" clad -love-lass," or "lad's love
and lasses' delight" " Another British
name for the plant is cold mans love-"
or simply "old mar" froul its use re-
commented by Pliny. In Woburn,
Mass, this herb is called ''boy's love-"
and it is said that if girl tucks bit in
her shoes she will marry the first boy
she meets. In other parts of Massa-
chusetts it is thought that if a girl puts
a piece OF Southern wood down her
back, the fist boy size meets will be
her husband. In Boston, if a marriage
able woman puts Bit OF Southern
wood uuder her pillow on retiring, the
FIRST man she sees il the morning will,
SO say the superstitious, be the one
whom she is 10 marfy.-AaRsaS Gly |
Journal.