Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1895-10-30
BELIEVE IN OMENS.
Strange Things That Rule the
World of Luck.
ARE NOTED FOR SUPERSTITIONS
Actors Consider Cross Eyes and Hump
Backs Two of the Bearers Of Good
Fortune.

Of all men the actor is the most su-
perstitious. The palm for being most
thoroughly impregnated with supersti-
ton has frequently been awarded to
the sailor and the soldier; but, to those
people who have had passing acquaint-
ance with men and women OF the
theatrical profession, the assertion.that
any other class of human beings can
be more superstitious than actors is be-
You'd belief, for there is every evidence
that the people of the stage are SO
thoroughly saturated with superstition
that the surrounding air is laden with
it in every shape and fancy.
Not only are the stage, the play and
the theatrical costumes saturated with
superstition, but every event in life has
for the actor its accompanying super
stition. So far does he go with his
superstition that he sometimes Pounds
a superstition ON a superstition-as.
for instance, in the habit of wearing
dead mems clothes, the clothing OF
ones self in such habilaments having
for ages been regarded as sure to result
in death to the wearer To an actor,
the wearing of the stage costume OF
some great, dead actor is sure to give
inspiration and fame, according to the
pet superstition, and the old superstl-
tion is wiped out of existence and loses
its force. In ordinary life, the old
saw says that it is an indication that
"the evil eye" is upon the person who
sees pin or any sharp instrument
with the point toward him; but this is
reversed in the theatrical profession,
for it is bad luck to see pin with the
head toward one. 1t is the delight OF
all betters on the race track to touch
the hump of hunchback, and all the
gamblers at Monte Carlo consider this
act as sure to bring good luck; but.
on the contrary, the actor dates his bad
luck from the appearance OF hunch-
back in the audience on first night
or some other time.
There are superstitions in the pro-
fession. clinging to supernumerary and
star alike, which are unknown outside
the profession. A cross-eyed man
could not find employment in any
capacity within the walls of theater.
If the rule should be relaxed, and
cross.eyed stage carpenter or property
man should be engaged, he would be
discharged the very moment the slight
est i'll luck befell the company. for it
would be his presence that brought
misfortune. The actor or actress who
has several times been in the cast of
an unsuccessful play is given the name
of Jonah. and ever after is regarded as
sure to bring ill luck to others. 1t is
a fact that many promising actor has
been obliged to leave his profession be-
cause he was tabooed as Jonah, and
made unwelcome wherever he went by
his fellows of the profession. On the
other hand, there are actors who are
regarded as mascots and cherished like
gifted talismans. The star who has
happened to be housed in several hotels
which have been visited by fire is
called "fire fiend' and houses in
which they happen to put up as we'll
as theaters in which they appear are
given wide berth when possible by all
members of the profession. Miss Kate
Claxton, after the burning of the
Brooklyn Theater, acquired this name
for she was playing an engagement
there in the 1.-TWO Orphans. in the
winter of 1875, when the terrible con-
flagration occurred.
The individual superstitions of GER
tain prominent actors are often anus
ing and always ridiculous. For in
stance, a great actor saw load OF hay
on the afternoon of the day upon which
he was to appear in new play. He
was successful, and ever after insisted
upon having provided for him a load
of hay upon which to wish before en-
tering the theater ON the first night of
a new play. He happened to be sue
cessful with all his new plays, and at
tributed his success not alone to his
own talent. but mostly to the fact that
he had made wish upon load of
hay If one new play had been fail
ure there is no doubt the hay would
have lost its virtue and been discarded
as an evil worker. Edwin Booth was
regarded as man of good common
sense, yet he would never sleep in
room in hotel with an odd number.
His great friend, Lawrence Barrett,
had lasting prejudice against people
who had many ISIS" in their names,
and always made up his company as
far as possible with men and women
in whose names the Objectionable letter
did not appear. His friends attributed
this prejudice of Barrett's, surely
strong enough to be styled superstition,
to the fact that his own name
O'Shaughnessy-had so many ISIS" in
it.
The fast friend of Forrest and great
tragedian, John Mccullough. had
superstition concerning the manner of
putting on his shirt and other apparel,
for he would never permit his dresser
to put on any garment over his head.
This was only one of his many super
stitions which governed the life of an
otherwise sane man, but this one was
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