The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1892-07-23
SURVIVING sUPERsTlTloNs.
signs. Charms snd Ph,lters in WhieA
Civilized People Still Put Credence.

In Michigan double cedar knot is
tism, and in New Hampshire a mar
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 him.
Hickory nuts, the buckeye, and its
cousin, the horse chestnut, which
brings good luck in New Jersey, are
other foes to rheumatism in diffe,en
localities. Some people wear strange
ring made of potato with hole
bored through it for rheumatism, and
Others carry plain potato in the
| pocket. The charm is moro 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 a potato
has been tied. According to a Maine
belief, nutmeg pierced and hung on
string around the neck prevents boils,
Group and neuralgia. The effect of
| Connecticut wooden nutmeg is un.
known.
Among the negroes the most strik-
ing remedies arc to be found. Wit
ness the combination of cure and spell,
described under tho name of "conjur-
ing TOOTH" in Alabama. Go into
lonely part of the woods with one Of
the opposite sex, who is to carry an
axe. The bearer of the axe chops
around the roots of a white oak, cuts
off with a largo jack-knife nine splint-
.ers from tho roots of q tree, then cuts
around the roots of the aching tooth
with the knife, dips each of the nine
splinters in the blood flowing from the
cuts and finally burics the splinters at
the foot of the tree from which they
came. While doing this the operator
repeats something you don't under
stand, which is charm.
From the same locality comes o
\ curious remedy for chills and fever.
Take the skin from the inside of an egg
shell, go to a young persimmon tree
| three days in succession and tie knot
| in the skin each day.
On the Eastern Shore of Maryland
bifousncss is cured by boring three
! holes in carefully selected tree and
| walking three times around it, say
ing, go away, bilious" 1t is mat
| ter of utmost Importance whether tho
one who performs the spell walks with
the sun or against the sun, but no
1 one knows which is the approved di-
rection.
We have comparatively few philters,
none with a truly indigenous reputa-
ton, but thore are some of European
origin naturalized. Many of them have
undergone II certain variation since
they found home on this side of the
Atlantic. Plants used in love divina-
tions are common. In many parts OF
England and Scotland the familiar
Southern wood is known MS "lad's love-"
s'lad-love-lass," or lads love and lasses'
delight" Another British name for
the plant is "old mans love,r or simply
"'old man." from its use recommended
by Pliny.
In Woburn, Mass, this herb is called
"boy's love-" and it is said that if
girl tucks bit in her shoe she will
| marry the first boy she meets. In
| other parts of Massachusetts it is
thought that ii a girl puts piece of
Southern wood down her back, the
first boy she meets will be her hus-
band. In Boston, if marriageablc
| woman puts a bit of Southern wood
under her pillow on retiring, the first
man she sees in the morning will, so
says the superstition, bo the one
whom she is to marry.-KanSas City
| JOh1r7lul.