Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-05-05
OUR SUPERSTlTIONS.
. CHAPTER on SIGNS, oMENs, AND
sPOOKs.
Fireside Ghost stories-First OF may
the Calendar Dny-LookinE Down
An Open Weil-Pcrsonais ITO"
Alton. ~
lu,-1..a. for the Diepatch.l

| written for the Dispatch)
ALTON. VA, May THAT there are
| stranger things in Heaven ana ear'h
than are dreamed OF in philosophy VIII
hear repsating. One OF these-or' per
haps. as pertaining to two woriuS' II
might be of dual consderation-is the
.origin OF superstition and the persiste"cy
! ~ ia hold upon the human race. Ceh-
,ur,es of enlightenment have not server
to eradicate IT, and no mans eor "o'
man's) blood Is quite free from itS uh-
cannv faint. A belief in the supernatural
cannot be defined, and is never acAho"-
lodged: but 1t is there-only bidihg us
time. II may be In the simple creduiity OF
lucky or unlucky days; OF NUMBERS oil
dreams; OF white horses; or black cuts
or red-headed girls; or In the deeper
SCIENCE of occult mysteries; but In some
form II IL unborn, ard is only Kept DOWN
by its sworn enemy-ridicule. Love VI
the marvellous is not conined 10 any -
ton. but in cities it is absorbed py other
interests IL Is in isolated mountain
raoiona that hair-llfting stories are told
Of beadIess horssmen and pale figures In
oracles of fate are needed.
SOME OF THE SIGNS.
II Is unlucky in the country 10 own
Growing hen. and biddy soon goes 10 'he
fattening coop. If a rooster crows upon
the fence expect company on horseback;
If on the ground your guest VIII come
a-waIklng. 1t is unlucky to sing before
breakfast. or relate your dreams-if bad.
II vour left ear burns bite your little nm
ger sharply, and you bite an evil tongue.
If girl puts the wishbone OF fowl
over the door, II Is a "hoodoo' Tor the
first unwary swain who enters. But what
ever else may be fateful. never turn your
feather-bed on Sunday. or Kill the little
"cricket upon the hearth" No form OF
entertainment is more enjoyable In oid
country homes than to gather around the
fire on long, winter evenings ana listen
TO folklore and ghost tales. or weird
yarns Of wtchcraft.
DO you believe in ghosts?" some one
begins.
mo. DO your
Then they peer around Mt each other,
and smile, incredulously at first, and then
SILVER. Presently a very brave member
exclaims:
mo one with common sense believes
In any such foolishness."
"Well, / don't know" doubling
Thomas commences and the ball rolls on;
mebbe until the dreary hours between
the noon Of night and cock-crowing. But
no one rooms alone that night when they
finally scamper through the dark halls
to bed. In literature. ghosts play very
conspicuous part. and are about the most
salable commodity on the brain-market.
Wherever they started frOm-or, 10 De
more exact. whatever place they last IL
hablted-current literature is doing every
thing it can TO foster belief In ghosts;
reproducing people who rove about Doul-
less. giving them organs of speech, and
vet melting them into thin air. when too
roughly approached. The ghosts OF
Shakespeare are the most horribly cor
rect in their makeup. and bear the most
authentic flavor of the charnel house OK
any on record. Their mission was 10 terri
~ and. beyond doubt, they succeeded.
Take Hamlets father
$50 frowned he once when in an angry
parle
He smote the sledded Polacks on the Ice.
APPARITION DAY.
In the mountains May 1st is the calen-
dar day TO evoke apparitions by looking
down an open well and rejecting the
image of ones future husband or wife
as the case may be-in mirror held
above the water. Things have been
seen: but whether it Is long climbed
frog with a dark-green coat and white
vest. or a water-snake pulled In n cof-
nn-shape at the sides, Is open TO DOUBT.
This is one of the oldest superstitlons,
and II would take a very clear loSlclan
to dispel the Illusion The most gruesome
mystery of this sort, probably, was tie
old well in Southampton a few years ago.
Many people attest TO the truth of these
strange apparitions. which came ana
went for awhile, and finally disappeared
las they usually do) Just as good thing
was being realized. The only material
benefit ever heard Of from them was the
boom they gave TO ehostly lore, when the
Banner OF Light got out an extra edi-
ton. and the New York Herald sent
down it's special correspondent and Illus
traitor for a three-column article, Tor
which IL doubtless paid more than poor
got for the whole OF Ham
let.
1t has been raining all this week. and
has been very bad for matrimonial pro-
pheo!es, but the weather has been ia
vorable for the young grass and oats
and timely on the gardens.
BACK FROM SCHOOL.
The private school at "Redland,"
taught by Mrs. Bette NJ. Shepherd.
closed Wednesday. after a very pleasant
and successful session. Among the
young people returning from other
schools last week was Mr.. William
Grayson Goodloe, son Of MIR. Benton
Goodloe, OF Oman. who graduated with
honors at Dunsmore's Business Col
lege, in Staunton. Mr.. GoodlOe is a
young man Of fine abilities and very
popular. lie is now filling an important
clerkship in West Virginia.
Mrs. Myra Fox. an aged lady, died
Tuesday. and was buried at the old home
place.
A little child Of Mr. Q. NJ. Elliton's was
badly burned on Monday. but is thought
10 be out of danger.
Mrs. James McCauley. aged 60 years.
Iip1 Monday a 4 l. NJ aud hnria1