The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-11-03
SOME MOST FAMOUS ONES.
ONE FOUND IN THE TOMB OF CHAR
LEMAGNE HAS A NOTABLE
HISTORY.
SIR WALTER scoTT,s ToADsToNI
The Salagramme Stone Cherished fn
1ndia-Dried Muskrat in
Brass.

ways prevailed, everywhere and among
all races of men. There are savage
tribes, no doubt, wnose talismans have
not been identified, but we may be az
tually certain that IS because our
knowledge IF them is not sufficiently
minute. not because The things do not
exist. For the belief is an instinct, i'm
planted during those Lnre 'orded ages
when the human animal was struggling
upward to the full CT it's reason.
1t reappears whenever civilized man
engages in any insult Ct absorbing
interest where luck is all powerful, as
in seeking gold,- diamonds or treasure
trove. One would scarcely find a dig
ger in South Africa who had been for
tunate without some object which he
herished-commonly diamond of odd
shape, but perhaps any bit Of rubbish
which caught his eye at some moment
of triumph. If a man of intelligence
and culture he would laugh at his
own fancy, but he would not part with
the thing. Diggers who were not for
tunate Knocked, but they fell into the
groove fast enough when their luck
changed.
The police tell us that to find a bit
of coal in the pocket of man arrested
is sufficient proof for them that he be-
longs to the criminal class, living from
day to day upon his wits, at the mercy
of chance and in ceaseless fear of de-
lection. He does not ask how coal
will bring him plumber and save him
from the cOnstable-he obeys an in
stinct. The proportion of elderly and
substantial citizens who do the like is
not to be computed, but doubtless it is
large. The fact is that belief in tails
mans descends, without break, from
fetishism. Sir John Lubbock defines
that religion, so to call it, as ''the stage
In which man supposes that he can
force the deities to comply with his de-
sires." 1t is not worth while to ridicule
the notion, nor to ask how on earth a
reasonable being could conceive that
the possession of something he picks
up upon the road-a pebble, stick, a
bit of twisted root-will give him power
over the gods. 1t is beyond our under
standing in this advanced age. After
all his study and meditation, Sir John
Lubbock can only suggest that this
case is akin to the belief, also universal
in past times, that he who gets into his
hands any object belonging to the enc
my obtains authority over him. 1.-The
negro supposes that the possession of
fetish representing spirit makes
that spirit his servant" Obviously.
however, this is not all the explana-
ton needed. For in most cases the fet
tsh is not made, but natural-a thing
picked up, as we have said. The ques-
ton seems to be mystery insoluble
now But it was ineligible at a GER
tain stage in human progress, since all
mankind believed in fetishes once, and.
in measure, do still, under the form
of talismans
The most famous of them perhaps in
authentic history-for we have no space
Tor fables-is that discovered in the
tomb or Charlemagne at AK la Cha
pelle. We never met with a clear rec
ord of its adventures. The story goes
almost contempOrary-tha the en-
bassador of Haroun-al-Raschid made
1t for the wife of Charlemagne to keep
her husbands love forever. For this
purpose it proved triumphantly success
ful-we have left the domain of his
tory now. When the lady died Charlie
magne could not allow her to be buried
until his confeSsor, guessing where the
dlfhculty lay, removed the talisman.
forthwith the priest rose in favor
became archbishop of Mayence ana i'm
perial chancellor Thinking lis promo
ton enough he threw the unhallowed
object into the Lake of Nigelheim In
stantly Charlemag ne began to raise
palace on the bank plundering Ra
VIENNA to adorn 1t, nor would he quit
the lake until the chancellor dragged it
and recovered the talisman. BY what
token this legendary treasure was rec
ognized in the emperor's grave we can
not tell, unless description exists. 1t
is round, of the finest gold, with two
rough sapphires in the middle, and
other gems. the town of AK la Cha
pelle presented it to Napoleon l., who
presented 1t to Fox, earl of Holland.
Afterward it came into the possession
of Napoleon Ill, and still exists, no
doubt.
DR.. Dee's talisman is also historic
and also survives, in the British Mu-
scum. In November, 1882, Dr.. Dee
was praying. when, in blaze of light,
the archangel Uriel appeared, and
smiling gave him ball Of stone, pol
ished black-very like a piece of coal.
liz fact. Herewith DR.. Dee summoned
angels when he would, and they gave
him valuable information. But the
worst of it was that he could not often
understand. and never could recollect.
what they told him. ''It is very rare
says he in his biography, yea, even in
our days, for any operator or master
to hear angels speak articulately.
When they do speak it is like the
1rish-much in their throat That
expression. Yea, even in our days"
invites a commentary But to receiva
daily communications Of the utmost
interest which one can rarely interpret
and never remember must be terribly
trying for magician in the long run.
DR.. Dee conf1ded his troubles to a GER
tain Kelly, who, familiar with the
Irish mode of speaking, understood
the angels perfectly, and what's more,
Transcribed their remarks. But most
people know what singular results. I'M
comfortable for poor Dr. Dee, followed
that association. Several talismans
survive in Scotland. Sir Walter Scott
had one called the Toadstone. which
served in the family, unnamed, from
whom he got 1t, for several genera
lions. often pledged for considerable
sums. and always redeemed. Stew
art of Ardvarlich possesses a crystal
renowned in ages more picturesque
through lower Perthshire; even water
in which it had been dipped brought
luck. The Campbells of Barbreck
have or had "Barbreck's bone" fiat
piece Of ivory not less efficacious And
the Lee penny" now possessed by
Lockhart of Lee. is world famous The
owner in 1850 was indicted by the
synod Of Glasgow for witchcraft. Who
has not heard of the Luck of Eden
hail." upon which the fortune of the
Musgraves depends? 1t is a pretty
specimen Of Saracenic glass. perhaps
brought home by a crusading Mus
grave.
Any scrap of writing is a talisman
for Moslem and Buddhists Of the ignor-
ant sort, who take it for granted that
man must inscribe the name Of God
If he handle q pen--an idea not SO 40