davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-08-31

change and then this would render the
cure of no value. Meat or salt is more
often used, but whatever the seventh son
first rubs with, to make his power more
potent, must be worn by his patients as
long as they live.
| To be born with caul presages great
good fortune to the family and the one
born with it. 1t is a sort of thin mem
| brane covering the face and head of the
child. For ages it has been truism that
a child born with this unusual attach
mont is particularly blest and less liable
| to misfortune than the rest of humsanity
Whoever has the good luck to get it is
proof against shipwreck and disaster by
| flood.
| Sea captains attach so much impor-
lance to it there are many who will not
go out of port without one. So great has
been the demand for cauls that they are
manufactured from the intestines of
discovering the deceit SO long as no dis
aster occurs the seamen are content with
the cauls in their possession and they are
quite as effective in their effects
There are those who believe that a
child's hair and finger nails must be cat
at "just sub time in the moon" Why
the moon, who is go far away, has such
| bearing on the child one cannot say, other
! than it must be on the 'sinrease of the
MOON and that is supposed to portend an
in increase of this worlds goods for the
little one. Another portend for good luck
to the child is that Immediately on it's
birth it must be carried upstairs to in
sure it's upward progress in life; but when
one reflects how many great men were
born in houses where there were no up
stairs or else were born in the top story,
and their first move was q downward one,
it has a tendency to blow that idea away.
When nurse hears little one sneeze her
first thought is not one of wonderment
'sat whore did the child catch such a
cold?' or scarce notice the tickling of the
membrane but her first impulse is to
take it in her arms and exclaim "God
bless you,'' believing this will prevent
evil consequences and bring to them good
to sneeze to the right is a prosperous
sneeze. To sneeze two or three times in
succession presages extra good luck. To
sneeze from noon to midnight devises
good for the child, but from midnight un-
til noon is i'll.
To take baby and stand in front of
looking-glass SO it may see itself is
wanton cruelty, if it is not a year old,
for if it sees it's face in the looking glass
it will surely die. a53
In many rural districts, when a baby is
seized with Group, all hands turn out in
search Of mouse. This is so horrible
and brutal custom one wonders if we
live among civilized beings or savages.
for one is caught it is skinned alive and
the struggling body placed in the sick
child's mouth. If the child sucks the
mouse all is we'll. The animal is buried
alive and as soon as it dies the child is
The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-08-31

stone, SO to speak. Another belief many
trust in, even in our day when supersti'
tion Is surreptitiously referred to, IS the
wearing of a coral necklace as proven
tive against contagious diseases, and
coral bracelets as warder against tits.
Leminus says the wearing of it WILL pre-
vent turbulent dreams and allay the
nightly fear of children. Many blindiy
cling to the belief that amber possesses
the additional advantage over coral that
it wards off not disease but death.
Charms, amulets, and relics are greatly
sought after by doting parents to insure
the longevity, the usefulness, the imam
cial welfare, and success of their children
Bells were first used on churches to
ward off evil spirits, and for the same
reason tiny gold or silver bells were used
as trinkets and fastened to the chain or
piece of coral for baby to cut his teeth on.
There may have been a great deal IN the
noise attracting baby's attention and
helping to keep him quiet, but no mat
ter
The fact of one being born seventh
son or seventh daughter is cause for one
to be looked upon with a sort OF awe
and reverence, believing, as people do
that they are possessed of unnatural gifts
not accorded to the other children; and
another thing in keeping with this faith
is that If II boy. he should be a physician
Since women have been admitted to prac-
tice that profession, the part OF manu-
script that may be seen in the British
Museum ought to be changed to include
daughters as we'll as sons where 1T says
"The seventh son of a seventh son is
born a physician, having an intimate
knowledge of the art of curing all d1sor-
ders and sometimes the faculty of per-
forming wonders by touching only. y
The virtue in this is supposed to be in
creased by double septuary descent.
Clairvoyants and fortune tellers often
claim they are the seventh son or seventh
daughter of the seventh child this having
great weight with their customers, who
have greater faith in these people.
In far away Portugal it is considered a
great piece of i'll luck to be the seventh
son or daughter, as they are believed to be
in the Iower of the Prince Darkness, by
whom they are compelled oi every Satur-
day evening to assume the appearance OF
an ass In this guise, and accompanied
by troop of dogs, he is compelled to race
over the moors and through the village
until the light of the Sabbath dawns,
when he may resume his human form for
another week.
In Ireland these mystical powers are
for future use by great cere
mony. When a seventh son is born the
woman wLo first receives him in her
arms places in his tiny hand whatever
substance she decides that he shall rub
with in after life, as they are great be-
levers in cure by laying on of hands, and
she is very careful not to let him touch
until this shall have been &C
conplished. Coin is sometimes, but rarely,
used, as the coin of the realm is apt to
The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-08-31

safe. If he dies in spite of the remedy
the parents reproach themselves for some
trifiing error in the ceremony, and hence
the belief in the charm is perpetuated
There are a number of apparently
authentic records of this revolving remedy
proving effective.
In many places charms and amulets
are Thought to be more effective than
medicine and surgery. The former cred
ted with absolutely ability to cure; the
latter relied upon with equal confidence
to protect from danger and injury.
Tn Whites History of Selborn" there
is a reference to the practice of splitting
trees and passing children through to
cure ricketts, or scrofula. The ash was
usually selected and young tree split
longitudinally for five or six feet. The
fissure was held open and the afflicted
child passed through. Then, as soon as
the bark on the tree grew together and
united. the sick child gained strength.
This practice was probably relic Of the
old Druidical superstition Of the benefits
derived from crawling through stone
A simple thing to have faith in is that
if a spider be caught and put in goose
ouill. we'll sealed and secure, and hung
around the neck of child suffering from
ague, it would drive away that complaint.
In every age the spider has been popu-
lar charm.
So great is the desire to ease the pain
in whooping cough woman will stop at
nothing and one of the fetiches is that if
YOU take your child across "a river and it
coughs in midstream it will Immediately
grow better.
An infallible remedy in England is to
use whatver means a man riding by on
a piebald horse may recommend. No one
can ride many miles through Deyonshire
or Cornwall on q bi-colored steed without
being consulted as to remedy. One old
gentleman who owned and rode piebald
horse had an answer always ready.
1t was patience and a water Cruel. =
A black cats tail passed over child S
sore ewes nine times will effect cure.
There is a family which boasts of hav-
ing been unusually fortunate, each child
of which earns and says each night of
life before going to bed the following
prayer for protection and good luck:
Mathew, Mark, Luke, and John,
God bless the bed / lie on.
If anything appears to me,
Sweet Christ arise and comfort me.
Four corners to this bed.
Six angels round me spread;
Two to pray, two to wake,
Two to guard me till daybreak;
And blessed angels guard and keep
Safe from dangers while sleep.
The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-08-31

ions Of the efficacy of smuggling the ends of
the hair instead of cutting it. Some hold
that it seals the hair, keeping life in it,
and preventing the splitting of the ends
that is so annoying. Others maintain
that it really causes the hair to split.
1t is pleasing to be able to say that
bleaching the hair has almost become
past fashion. The woman who has given
an artificial color 10 her hair regrets 1T IN
time. 1t is generally begun with the idea
that one application will last llfetlme'
but when it is discovered that it is neces-
sary to touch it up at least once
week. as the new growth appears the
constant repetition of the process soon
becomes annoying. Many women, re-
penting of the folly of coloring the halr
have had it cut off rather than FISK the
glare of daylight on their yarlegateo
locks.
Most women have horror of turning
gray feeling that it indicates the en-
croachment of years. Premature gray.
ness is very common and may be attribute
ed to various causes. Sometimes it is
due to an absence of iron in the blood.
1t is common among people of anaemic
nature, and sickness often causes the
hair to change. People who suffer from
neuralgia generally show very gray at
the temples, and the. fact that hair sud
denly turns gray through fright or intense
worriment has been SO positively proved
that there is no doubt of its occurrence.
Gray hair is always beautiful with a
young face New York Sun.
The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-08-31
TO CHARM CHILDREN.
Odd SuperstitiOns That Prevail in
Many Families.

Dreams and Delusions In Which Fond
Mothers Indulge in the Hope of Bring
ing Good Luck to Their Little Ones
Queer and Nonsensical Ways of Guard
ing Against Disease and Other Ills
Some Methods Are Harmless. While
Others Are Cruel and Revolving.
Mondays child is fair in face,
Tuesdays child is full of grace,
Wednesdays child is full Of woe,
Thursdays child has far to go,
Fridays child is loving and giving,
Saturdays child works hard for living,
And the child that's born on Christmas
day
Is fair and wise, good and gay.
So runs the legend anent the birth of
children. Just now speculation is rife as
to what the future holds for the little
newcomer at Buzard's Bay, and women
everywhere are conjuring up all sorts of
legendary lore and wishing they could
give some of their experiences and advice
that is, the good, homely, domestic
women are wishing that while the new
woman, with her new-fangled notions,
nurses her own pet superstitions and says
never a word.
Superstitions about the good and ill
luck that shall befall a child are as
numerous as the sand of the seashore, but
everyone loves children, and perhaps it is
because the little mites OF humanity are
thought to be in closer fellowship with
those mythical creatures of our own
delightful childhood days-those elves,
the fairies, or as children know them
row. the Brownies-that they hold such
power over us.
A century ago, when ali mankind had
not grown so wondrous wise as to out
wardly disclaim all belief in the occult,
trust in the good fairies and bad bogies'
power was common to nearly every one
Great precautions, too, were taken to
avert their displeasure The respect
shown to the fairies in speech was
striking commentary on the implicit be-
lief in their existence They were fondly
referred to as ''little people or the
"white ladies' and person thought to
be under their influence was said to be
"forsaken.
The Scotch people said to be famous
for their fear of tie occult, yet believe
that children bonn during the eight days
Of the Christmas week, or on Good Friday
can see ghosts and other nebulous gentry
merciful or otherwise, as one may think,
hidden from ordinary eyes. But to be
born in May is especially unfortunate,
and such a one is called May "chit, ;"
and no good is looked for in him.
Coral was always held to conciliate the
evil one and to ward off evil influences,
so the baby was given chance to cut his
teeth and his acquaintance with Old Nick
at one and the same time and with enc
The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-08-31
Odd Mention.

Many a worthless bog, if drained and
cultivated a few seasons until in fine
condition, will make the very best of
grass land.
The absolute necessity of facing
droughts and dry spells is evident We
can no longer speak Of irrigation as
western topic.
Next to Bermuda onions the finest
white onions raised in Connecticut are
about the best sent to market
Authorities on the Maine apple crop
say that the Baldwin is the Maine apple,
and the Baldwin will be small crop
this season.
Connection. is one of the latest states
to enact ''good roads law. !"
In bulletin Of the Vermont station
is stated that tuberculin is capable Of
producing tuberculosis in healthy cat
tie. This agrees with the results of the
researches of Professor Virehow on the
same subject.
In the eastern states with spraying
both Fameuse and Talman sweet apples
do we'll and are fairly profitable IN
less put in cold storage, however, the
Fameuse disappears in December.
Hop growing in New York state is an
industry of important Dimensions.
Connections and Housatonic valley
farmers are waking up to the possibin-
ties Of the warehouse system of farmers
exchange idea applied to the tobacco
crop.
The advice is to sow crimson clover
in the fall as early as is practicable.
The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-08-31

The Salvation Army has now reached
it's two thousandth commanding officer
and the enrolment Of its fifth thousandt
auxiliary, with an attendance OF upward
of million per month, or nearly 16. 600,
600 at it's meetings per annum. In view
of this the army is preparing special
u norial number of the War Cry.
The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-08-31
The Thimble.

A thimble was originally a thumb bell
because it was worn on the thumb as sail
ors still wear their thimbles. 1t is a
Dutch invention and in 1884 in Amster-
dam the bicentennial of the thimble was
celebrated with great deal of formality.
This very valuable addition to my LADY,
work basket was first made by a gold
smith named Nicholas van Benschoten,
the ancestor of the American Benscho-
tens And it may be of fu+her interest
to know that the first thimble made was
presented in 1884 to Anna van Wedy, the
second wife of Kiliaen van Rensselaer,,
the purchaser of Resselaerwyck and the
first PATRON. Madame svan Renssalaer's
memory was duly honored in Holland on
the occasion of the thimble bicentenniaL
In presenting his useful gift Van Ben
schoten begged Madame van Rensselaer,
to accept this new covering for the pro-
lection of her diligent fingers as a token
of his esteem"
1t was not until 1896, just two hundred
years ago, that the ssthimble was intro
duced into England by a Hollander named
John Lofting, who opened thimble
manufactory at Islington. -Harper's
Bazaar
sufa To
The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-08-31

The Portland Daily Press is only SOC
month; try it.
The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-08-31

The MAINE STATE Press is $500 a year
The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-08-31
Hints to Housekeepers.

Sore or infamed eyes are relieved by
bathing in tepid water in which a little
salt has been dissolved. An individual
towel should be used in all such cases
The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-03-30
"A FURRY IN A CONFERENCE.
OBJECTION MADE TO A VISIT TO
THE WHITE HOUSE.

Rev. Tongue Points ont That the
Conference of 1873 Refused TO Pay
Its Respects 10 President Grant
and He Sees No Reason for Making
IA Departure in the Case of Presi-
dent CIeveIand-The Conference
Fails 10 Agree With Him.
Washington, March 2s-The even tenor
Of the transaction of business in the Bal
timore conference of the Methodist
church. South, was disturbed by an un-
expected incident The question had come
up of accepting an invitation to the white
house, the President having, through Prl-
vate Secretary Thurber, signihed that It
would be his pleasure to receive the mem
bers of the conference, their wives and
daughters at / O'Clock tomorrow after
noon. Rev. ]. P. Hyde had made the
announcement and the convention was
on the point Of voting to accept the in
vitation, when Rev. John w Tongue
rose and asked to be heard. He object
ed to going to the white house to pay
their respects to the President. Although
he expressed himself in very clear and
strong words, it did not appear that Mr.
Tongue had anything personally against
Mr.. Cleveland, but he urged that it
would be no disrespect to the President
II the conference should refuse to go 10
see him. He reminded the audience that
consistency was a jewel, and that when
the conference met in Washington in
1873, during President Grants administra,
ton, the only time before this that the
conference had met here, by deliberate
vote they had refused to go and pay their
respects to Gen. Grant.
Mr.. Tongue paid an elouuent tribute
as southern man to the soil and the
manner born, speaking to southern men, i"
to the character of Gen. Grant, whose
magnanimity to our great captain, Rob
ert E. Lee, ever holds his name bright and
dear to the south" But if the conference
would not go to see Gen. Grant, WHY
should it go to see Mr.. Cleveland? 1t
might be said circumstances altered cases.
but they never altered principles. If the
conference was so careful mot to seem to
go into politics in 1875, why should 1t now
be so quick to depart from its chosen
path?
Almost before Mr.. Tongue had resumed
his seat, half a dozen members were up
and crying for recognition, and the entire
conference was shouting question, ques-
tion."
Rev. S. G. Ferguson of Fredericksburg.
Va, shouted, ~ was in the confederate
army, but l regret brother Tongues max
ing that speech"
Mr. Hyde and Secretary Armstrong both
made speeches vigorously criticlsing Mr..
Tongues utterance. A rising vote was
called for upon the question of accepting
the invitation, and it was carried, many
members not voting.
The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-03-30
BALTIMORE CONFERENCES.
An Overture for United Efforts In Be-
half of Temperance.

Washington, March 29.-Wesleyan Fe-
male Institute was to have been discussed
at to-day's session of the Baltimore con
ference Of the Methodist Episcopal
church, south, but consideration of the
subject was postponed until tomorrow.
Rev. S. G. Ferguson of Fredericksburg
Va, conducted the opening devotional
exercises. A report in the nature of an
overture from the Methodist Episcopal
church, north, suggesting that the two
great branches of the Methodist Episco-
pal church join hands in temperance work
was received and referred to the temper
anee committee. The overture suggested
the appointment of committee of seven
by the northern contingent to meet a SINH
lar committee from the religious bodies
in the state of Maryland and that these
committees shall issue call for a con-
vention of the Christian people in the
state for the suppression Of the liquor
traffic. The report was signed by A. J.
GILL; J. c. Nicholson, r. NJ Moore, ]. F.
Heissie, T. P. Frost, w. G. Cassard ana
G. C. Bacon.
The chairman of the board of educa-
ton read the report of Valley Female
College of Winchester, Va, which showed
the institution to be in excellent condi-
tion.
The conference then took up the appli-
cations of ministers seeking entrance to
deacons' orders, and the following were
unanimously selected: J. A. Taylor. A.
w. Smith. W. S. Anderson, ]. NJ. Ander-
son, Hamer Sherman, C. A. Brown, j. L.
Luttrell, r. V. Register, Price Smith and
j. b. Henry.
Bishop Hurst of the American Univer-
sity was introduced and made a short
speech, assuring the conference that it
had the sympathy of the entire northern
church.
Two ministers were entered into the or
der of elders, namely, F. B. Orrick and
L. D. Atkinson.
The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-03-30
TIED A BOY UP BY HIS HEELS.
THE LAD DIES BEFORE HE Is FOUND
AND CUT DOWN.

His Murderer Negro who Had
Agreed TO Raise Him-The Roy Only
sXears Old-The Negro Claims That
He Tied Him Up to Keep Him From
steaIing-The Boys Heels Raised
Three or Four Inches Above the
Floor.
Augusta, Ga. March "a special to
the Chronicle from Gibson says: "A SEN
sational criminal case has just come to
light In Glascock county. Yesterday Willis
Hash swore out a warrant charging
Adolph Cody. colored, with murder.
AT the preliminary trial the evidence
showed that Cody had tied a rope around
the body and arms OF an orphan boy who
had been given to him to raise and tied
the rope around the 1oist of the room. his
feet being drawn above the floor at least
three or four inches Cody and his wife
then left the boy in this position. and lock-
ing the doors of the house went or 10 visit
a neighbor not far aawy.
This was after dark. negro passing
the house heard the cries of the boy who
was about years old. and on making in
auiry as to the trouble. the boy told him
to come in and let him down. and that
Cody had tied him up with ropes.
The negro outside tried to go to his
rescue, but the doors and windows were
securely fastened and he could not enter
The boy begged for help, but no relief
came. The negro outside went to the
house where Cody was and told him he
had better so and let the boy down. 1t
was about an hour after this that Cody
and the negro went to the house where
the boy was and when they let him down
they discovered that he was dead. This
happened on Feb. q, this year. The boy
was buried, and Cody remained in the
community until he was arrested yes
terday. The negro who witnessed the
whole transaction has just given Il out
The matter is likely to lead to some
very sensational developments. Cody in
his statement. said that he did not intend
to kill the boy, but simply tied him up 20
punish him for stealing. The court com
mitted Cody to Jail to await action by the
grand jury at the August term court"
The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-03-30
A COLONY or OLD SOLDIERS.
Gov. Northen working TO Add 10000
to Georgia's Population.

Gov. Northen Working TO Add 10000
TO GeOrgia's Population.
Atlanta. Ga, March 29-P. II. Fitzger-
aid, the founder Of the old soldiers colony
with headquarters at indianapolis, is in
Atlanta to-day In final conference with ex-
Gov Northen about the location Of his
colony in Georgia. Mr.. Fitzgerald.
through the American Tribune. published
at indianapolis, has secured a paid up
membership in the colony amounting to
1900 heads of families and comprehend
ing about 10000 people. who are seeking
location in a milder climate at the south.
Gov. Northen has been negotiating with
Mr. Fitzgerald, the head Of the colony for
several months and he has finally induced
him to come to Georgia for personal in
spection of the advantages offered by this
state. These gentlemen have just return
ed from a tour of the southern part of the
state and Mr.. Fitzgerald viii go to In
dianapolis tomorrow fully prepared to re-
commend the settlement of his colony in
Georgia. 1t Is understood that his recon-
mendation will secure this large colony Of
federal soldiers for Georgia.