The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-11-11
IN sUPERsTITIOX's GRIP.
The Pet Omens which Most people
Cherish.

FROM the new 1OFh llnlCS.
Every human being has his pet super
stitiOn. 1t came to him almost in the
cradle and has remained with him, by
a strange pertinacity, all his life Man
is too proud to admit a governing inhu-
ence which has no real foundation and
must fall to pieces when it's stability is
tested, but no matter how silly a SUI
perstition may be, once imbedded in MEM
DRY by single instance when il came
true, all its signal failures viii generally
fail TO loosen its grip upon the human
being who has been taught it in child
hood. A pet superstition will lose not
a jot of its influence should it fail every
time in hundred, provided it proves true
IN one instance only. This fact shows
how men are Joined to their supersti-
tious idols.
Sing before breakfast, cry before
night, is the most ridiculous of all old
bogies, and the most destructive of mirth,
laughter and happiness. 1t is not diff
cult TO prove its fallacy. Let every man,
woman and child stand up against il,
sing, howl, if they cannot give forth me
at the coming of day. like the birds, whose
first thought upon waking on the appear
ance of the first streak of dawn is to
sing happily with pure joy for the return
Of another day. Let each be as happy
as the birds, and make everybody else
happy, and thus will this detestible SUI
perstition retire to the gloom of its in
ception and be heard of no more.
There is an old superstition that the
left limbs should always be dressed first,
but not completely at one time. Sup
pose that the man who manifests his in
dignation at the assertion that he is super
stitious commences, cautiously at 1t were,
without letting himself know that he is
being watched. with the first garment
he puts on in the morning, and learn what
is the result. How surprised he will be
to know, perhaps for the first time, that
left leg in his trousers first, and his
left sock on his left foot first, to say
nothing of continuing the observation as
far as the shoe. There are men who will
change a garment which has been put on,
unconsciously, inside out, but there are
many men who will not, for their lives
risk the old superstition concerning such
an act. Kings have not dared it.
Where Is the man or boy who, saving
walk under a ladder? Even If done in a
spirit of defiance of the old boyle, how
eXpectantly and sometimes tremblingly
he awaits the coming of the penalty Try
it, man, and if the penalty of sorrow or
loss, disappointment or accident, does not
result before the day has swept by you
will not tell of it. If 1T comes to YOU the
rule will be followed, and you viii never
cease telling of it, this rare occurrence.
When man returns TO the house after
once starting out, having, PERHAPS for
gotten to kiss his wife, or something less
important, his natural inclination, with
out special prompting, is to sit down be-
fore starting again. 1t is said to be bad
luck to omit this.
Even death may result if a human be-
ing should raise an open umbrella over
his head within DOORS it Is said. Umbrella
makers have been known to observe this
religiously.
People who live in the country must be
careful not to have around their homes
a White-nosed COW, for should the window
be open and this cow with the white pro-
boscis reach it over the windowsill in
search Of Information or something dain-
ty, there will be death in the family be-
fore long. So says the old saw.
Why we must give penny for any
sharp instrument presented by friend?
Why do we seek a four-leaved clover,
and why must we pick up a dirty horse
shoe from the street whenever we see II
there? Why do men nail the horseshoe
over their doors, and ends down, too, in
variably, when the original superstition,
of which they seem to be in ignorance, as
serts that it should be nailed up the other
way, so to catch within its embrace
the luck which descends?
There is no longer any use of talking
about the old boyle concerning one of
year after the feast. for the Thirteen
club exploded that foolish old saw by
sitting thus month in and month out many
years, many tables with thirteen at each,
and all lived ont the dangerous year and
more years added, but there are still liv-
ing men who will not undertake a Journey
on a Friday, although, after coming to
sum the matter UP, multitudes of men have
discovered that Friday, Of all days in the
week is the most fortunate day for every
thing. And 1t is rarely now, that a crimi-
the world, thanks TO that same Thirteen
Club who laugh at superstition, knife and
fork in hand Yet there is not one Of them
who has not his yet superstition, either
consciously or otherwise. The biggest
man in the club carries a hOrsechestnut,
and another IS a spiritualist. They all put
on the left sock first. and few of them
dare sing before breakfast But they are
deserving of great praise for what they
have done and must not weary in well-do-
ing.
When a valuable vase in the Tuilleries
fell to the floor and was shattered a short
time before the great battle Of Waterloo,
Josephine prophesied disaster would fol-
low-and it did. Napoleon met his fate
there, but his Book Of Fate" never told
him defeat was near and disaster lowering
over him. But this was the first vase
broken by many in the Tuilerfes. What
about the others and the old omen? The
opal is a stone of i'll omen, it is said, and
III luck must follow the person who wears
one, yet Queen Victoria of England
makes il a point to have one Of these
beautiful stones put in every piece Of
jewelry she intends for a present. What
about the wearers Of them? Are they all
unfortunate?
The crockery trade has reason to re-