The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1896-10-23
THE RABBITS FOOT BOOM.
BRYAN'S HARMLESS sUPERSTi TION
DOING MUCH FOR A FORMERLY
OBSCURE INDUSTRY.

Chicago Iiter-Ocean.
To receive rabbits foot, mounted
as per specifications, may now be
considered very lucky thing. Ii the
recipient OF the gift is not supcrsti-
tious, aruA values rabbits foot only
as rabbits foot, wglecting It's voo-
|llAa- associations h1la6 still much
reason for rejoicing. Ne o. she, Nsu-
ally she, may throw throw away the
hairy abomination that is supposed to
form the piece dc resistance OF the
gift and still have mounting Of gold
and jewels worth several weeks al
lowance. A rabbits foot with the
customary accessi0ns is gift not to
be despiscd.
How the custom OF carrying a rab-
bits foot made its way from its origin
in the mysterious depths Of yoodooism
to its present lodgmcnt in the sacred
circles OF upper tendon is question
which must be left to the specialists
on fads and dcgcneraey. Intrinsical-
lv, the rabbits foot is not Il beautiful
object. 1t is dirty-looking. and its
hairy covering has an irradicable ten
dency to get mixed up promiscuously
with everything in its ncighborhood.
As an ornament for personal ad0rn-
ment it ranks some degrees below the
scalp lock SO affected by aboriginal
society for bizarre effect, and as Il
pocket companion it Is useless and
cumberson. TO reach into a pocket
in search OF a penknife and bring up
short against the uncanny thing gives
a most peculiar and disagrccable SEN
sation very much like reaching into a,
cupboard in search OF food and finding
a mouse there for the same purpose.
Aglance alta jewelers. window. how
ever, will show how great demand
for the ornament there is. and the de-
mand evidently cannot arise from the
aesthetic effect Of the ornament. We
are driven to believe, therefore, that
it's wcarcrs are in search of the super
natural assistance attendant upon its
possession. it is just here thai they
are making Il fatal error.
Of course, no student of folklore can
doubt the eftiacy of the charm, under
proper circumstances. Here is where
the trouble arises. There must be a
a grave doubt as to whether or not all
the necessary formalties are carried
out. Every child knows that the rab-
bit must be what is known as grave
yard rabbit" and that it must be cap
tured and killed by an elderly colored
man un,.er a peculiar combination Of
astronomical and physical conditions
which seldom occur.
An enterprising firm of jewelers.
have taken advantage Of this and put
cut the following advertisement de-
scribing their rabbits feet:
"Kiled in a country graveyard at
during he dark of the moon,
on Friday, the 18th OF the month, by |
a cross-eyed, left-handed, red headed,
how-legged Niger, Kidding Il white
horse"
1t is hard to find a colorcd man with |
the above characteristics; it is harder
to find one who can obtain Il rabbit
while Kidding a white horse on Friday,
the 18th of the month, in the dark OF
the moon. Graveyard rabbits, in ad.
diton, are by no means abundant. Is
it possible that all the rabbit feet on
the market are obtained under these
circumstances? The intelligent in
vestigator thinks not. Yet the mar
ket is flooded with alleged genuine
charms. 1t is to be feared that the
public is being deceived.