Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1894-05-11
OLD SUGGESTIONS.
,ome OF tho Very Wholesome and Eco
Domic Lessons Taught by Them.

Domic Lessons Taught by Them'
II is matter of surprise that so
many of the old and apparently base
less superstitions are believed in and
cherished hu-Vo many educated and re-
fined pee as well as women.
But it must y .hembered that most
Of the supcrstitions that have come to
us through long line of ages must OF
necessity have some reasonable basis
for their origin, or they could not have
retained their place among even the
most credulous people And the basis
in most Eases was in the direction OF
better manners and morals, and large
Iy for the promotion Of economy and
discretion.
One of the ancient superstitions
which take hold of many people who
are ashamed to confess it Is that Friday
is an unlucly day. Anyone with ordi-
nary intelligence knows that no days
can be especially marked out as I'M
lucky, and Friday, according to history,
has been day full of great and glori-
Gus events. But the superstition plain
ly had its origin in very worthy and
evident idea that it was not well to be-
gin any work Of Importance on day
40 near the close of the week that the
progress Of it must be delayed or
broken into by the coming Of Sunday.
No work that would take up a weeks
time would usually be begun so near
the intervention of holiday and this
is evidenced in the sessions of congress,
the legislatures, the schools and other
public bodies. So thus far there is
reason in the idea that Friday is an un.
lucky>day.
Again, to have thirteen at table pre-.
sages a dire calamity - usually the
death of one of the number before the
year is out, and many good people
would be very much worried If they
should be OF the number. AS matter
of fact, thirteen is very uncomfort'
able number to have at table, for II
makes it necessary that one of the com
pany shall be without partner and
even the arrangement Of chairs at the
ordinary dining-table would have to be
irregular to seat thirteen. Then, more
over, thirteen is a rather large number
for little family party, and an excep
tionally scant one for generous ban
quet. Thus it is that thirteen is ar
"unlucky" number at table, while the
tradition of the death OF one OF
the number within year took
it's root from some ancient allusion to
the events that SO rapidly followed the
Last Supper of the Lord and His disci
pies.
1t is unlucky, also, to break look
tng-glass. Seven years Of bad lucl
will follow. In the days when look
Eyeglasses were very scarce and expen
sive, the breaking of one was undoubt
eddy a very unlucky accident, and sever
years of bad luck was very sure to fol
low him or her who had to make vi
the loss But the superstition origin
ally served, no doubt, to illustrate
some priestly lessons on carefulnes
and economy, and very powerfully too
in view of the frail structure of tn
mirror of earlier days, and s.
far it served a good purpose
) and will continue to do so. O
/, the same order of economic les
sons are other superstitions, such a
that of upsetting the salt, which
though very common article, mus
not be wasted, and that against fail
: ing to pick up pin or horseshoe tina
one finds on the road. Pins and horse
shoes were by no means as common a
= they are now, to be idly thrown away
), and when they were very valuable
= which was not farther back by an
means, as the dark ages of sorcery an
q, superstition, very worthy spirit {
= thrift was engendered.
: There are many other superstition
and many proverbs also, that have
;. very wholesome moral to them, which
fine analysis will bring to view, {
well as many superstitions and pro
: cribs also that have neither sense ~
beauty in them-N. Y. Tribune.