Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-05-15
SURVIVING sUpeRsTlrloNs.
signs, Charms. and Philters In Which Civ
ilized People stu Put Credence.
kansas CITY journal !

lhhushs Nlty journal
In Michigan double cedar knot is car
ricd in the pocket TO cure rheumatism. and
In New Hampshire n man carried Gall
from the stems Of golden-rod for the same
disease. A small white grub IL in the gall
and he thought as long rs the grub re-
NAMED alive no rheumatism could get
hold of him. Hickory-nuts. the buck
eye, and its consIn. the horse-cbest-
nut, which brings good luck in New Jer-
sey, are other foes to rheumatism in differ
ent localities Some people wear a strange
ring made OF a potato with q hole bored
through ii for rheumatism. and Others car
~ plain potato in the pocket. The charm
Is more potent II the potato has been sto-
len. Almost anything seems have rheu-
matism- fighting properties, for in South
ern Michigan a pebble in the pocket serves
TO ward Il of.
A New Hampshire cure for sore-throat is
TO wear about the neck stocking. i'll the
toe of which potato has been tied. Ac-
cording 10 Maine belief nutmeg pierced
and hung on string around the neck pre-
vents bolls, Group. and neuralgia. The
effect Of q Connecticut wooden nutmeg IL
unknown.
Among the negroes the most striking
remedies are 20 DO found. Witness the
combination of cure and spell, described
under the name of "conjuring a tooth"
in Alabama. Go into lonely part OF the
woods with one of the opposite sex, who
ia TO carry an axe. The bearer of the
axe chops around the roots Of white
oak. cuts of with large jack-knife
nine spinters from the roots of tree, then
cuts around the roots of the aching tooth
with the knife, dips each of the nine splin-
tiers in the blood flowing from the cuts,
and finally buries the splinters at the root
of the tree from which they came. While
dong this the operator repeats something
you don't understand. which is a charm.
From the same locality comes curious
remedy for chills and fever. Take the skin
from the inside of an eggsheil, go TO a
Young persimmon tree three days in sue
cession and tie knot in the skin each
day.
On the Eastern Shore of Maryland bill
iousness is cured by boring three holes III
a carefully-selected tree and walking three
times around it, saying, 60 away
blhous.m It is matter of utmost import
ance whether the one who performs the
spell walks with the sun or against the
sun. bat no one knows which is the ap-
proved direction.
We have comparatively few philters,
none with truly Indigenous reputation.
out there are some OF European origin
naturaized. Many of them have under
gone certain variation since they found
a home on tins side or the Atianlic'
Plants used In love divinations are com;
mon. In many parts Of England and
Scotland the familiar Southern wood IS
known as lads love-" lad-love-lass,'
or lads love and lasses, delight"
Another British name for the plant Is old
mans love-" or simply I" old man," from its
use recommended by Pliny.
In Woburu. Mass, tins herb Is called
"boy's love" and il is said that II girl
tucks q bit IN her shoe she will marry the
first boy she meets. In other parts OF
Massachusetts, it Is thought that If girl
puts a piece of Southern wood down ner
back the first boy she meets will be her
husband. In Boston if marriageable
woman puts bit of Southern wood.under
her pillow on retiring the first man she
sees in the morning will, so says the SUI
perstition. be the one whom she is to
marry