The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1896-02-22
PEOPLE WHO ARE SUPERSTI-
TIOUS.

kinds supposed TO endow the possessor
with good luck, is far more general than
the world at large has any idea Of There
is hardly person living who has not some
pet superstition, and it is somewhat of an
enigma why the people are so afraid or
ashamed to acknowledge it. Unconsciously,
even to ourselves, we have imbibed super
stition from earliest childhood until it has
become an established part of our being"
The popular idea that sailors and sporting
men are the only ones who abound with
supersttions is not by any means the
truth. This feeling also has ITS abiding
place in the strongholds of Washington So
cety. Indeed, it exists there in quite as
marked degree as anywhere in this country.
1t is a universal failing.
When the President and Mrs. Cleveland
were in the first flush of their honeymoon
there came to them from some unknown
donor, carefully packed in little box,
sent through the express, a rabbits foot
| his, the sender stated, was to he carried
either by the President or Mrs. Cleveland
carefully in compartment of the pocket.
book. This fashion of carrying Il II, bbits
foot in the pocket-book is very prevalent.
Few OF the society women of Washington
are without at least one rabbits foot, while
some have quite an array to use in case one
should inadvertently be lost 1t may he
| added fpr tba hnnaht ,f a: 1
that to insure the most perfect luck the
iabbit from which the foot is taken should
have been killed in IA graveyard in the
dark OF the moon. Another talisman which
Mrs. Cleveland received about year since
was in the form of a tiny Esquimau doll
presented by the Esquimau child who came
to Washington and was given an audience
one morning in the Blue Room of tn,
| White House, where the Cabinet took part
in the amusing entertainment afforded bv
the child and its elders. This little image,
an exact miniature OF an EsGuimau in ma
tive costume, could readily lie held in the
palm Of the hand and was given Mrs.
Clc> Gland to carry in a purse presented fer
that purpose, and was supposed to impalt
all manner of benefits rs well as immunity
from harm OF eve"y nature.
Mrs. Leland Stanford has fancy for
carrying in her purse a tiny metal figure of
st. Joseph and the child, given her by one
OF her Washington friends The supersti-
ton in this case is that the person who car
RIGS in the purse one of these figures will
never be without money. 1t would hardly
seem likely, even if the little st. joseph
were left out of Mrs Stanford purse
that she would be at any time without
funds.
There is also prevalent cast iron super
st!tion in regard to the manner in which
money should be placed in the purse
ii'ls OF any denomination must never be
cramped any which-way into pocket
book, but to insure luck must be carefully
turned and folded toward one 'sself. and
then creased lenethwise. Thisaccomplished,
the superstition is that plenty and pros
perity will follow
One OF the most gruesome of the SUPER
titions entertained by Washington women
is that one of the West End residents who
carries in her purse tiny bit OF the rope
with which Guiteau was hung This is
always taken with her to poker parties,
and is believed to cast Gordon of luck
about the possessor and insures success at
cards.
Mr.. Beriah Wilkins has a pet supersti-
ton IN regard to the name Emma-his
wife's name. When he goes to q horse
race if there is a horse running under that
title, he will lay wager on it sooner than
upon any OF the well-kpown favorites. The
reason is as follows When he was a young
man, and first became engaged, he attended
horse race. On the list was perfectly
unknown horse billed to run under the
name of Emma, which especially inter
ested him as being that of his sweetheart.
The horse won, and from that time forth
Mr.. wilkins has held to his bit of super-
stition in regard to his wife's name.
In like manner Senator Calvin S. Brice
has superstition in regard to solid gold
scarf pin which he wears almost continu
ously. This is in the design of an oper
safe with 4 chdog chained to one side,
and is embematc in some way of the first
important railroad deal in which he
euchered the New England magnates.
The Chinese Minister wears Jade ring
that is supposed to bring him "All time
good luck, to such an extent that he has
secured one of these ucll-ensuring stones
for his wife. who, however. does not. like
her husband, wear hers upon her thumb
hut upon the middle finger of her left hand
This jade, curiously set in the most massive
fashion with twenty four karat gold, inva.
riably forms part Of Madame Yang's full
dress regalia.
| Making Novena to st. Anthony for q
husband is popular superstition among
the younger set in Washington quite ire
spective of the fact that the person making
the Novena may not he of the Roman
Catholic faith. 1t was but few years
| hack that the daughtpr of n WALTZ nowp