The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-09-13

Bryan's Harmless superstitution DOING
Much for a Formerly Obscure Industry.

p-,,,.s Harmless Superstitution Doing
Much for a Formerly Obscure Industry.
To receive q rabbits foot, mounted as
Der specifications. may now Doe considered
d very lucky thing IL the recipient OF the
gift is not superstuOus, and values rab-
bits foot only as a rabbits foot, neglect
INK ITS y0ol0O associations be has still
much reason for rejoicing. lie or She,
usually She. may throw away the hairy
ab0muatl0u fnat is supposed 90 form the
piece de resistance OF the GIT and sun
have mounting OK gold and jewels worth
several weeks allowance. a rabbits loot
with the customary accessiOns IS a sitt
not 10 be desplscd.
How the custom Of carrying rabbit S
f0o- made ITS way from its origin ia the
mysterious depths or vOodOOism 10 its
present Judgement in the sacred circles
of uDpor tendon lis a question which must
De- lett 90 the specialists on fads and de-
generacy. Iutrnsicauy the rabbits foot
is not a beautiful object. IL is dlrty-look-
ing and IT'S hairy covering has an irradi-
cable tendency % get mixed up promscu-
ouslv wiki everything in IT'S neighborhood.
AS an ornament for personal adOrnment
IL ranks some degrees below the scalp
lock 80 affected by aboriginal society FOR
bizarre effect and as a pocket companion
it Is useless and cumbersome. To reach
into "a pocket in search OF q penknife ana
bring up short against the uncanny thing
gives most peculiar ana disagrcfaDle
sensation very much Ike reaching 49, "a
cupboard in search of food and finding
mouse there for the same purpose
A glance az a jewellers window. how
ever. win show how great demand for
the ornament there is. and the demand
evidently cannot arise from the pure
aesthetic effect Of the ornament We are
driven 20 believe. therefore. that its wear
or, are in search OF the supernatural as
slstance attendant upon IFS possession. II
is just here thar they arc making n fatal
error
OF course. no student OF folklore can
doubt the efficacy OF this charm under
proper circumstances. Here is whore the
trouble arises. There must be a grave
doubt as 20 whether or not all the neccs-
sarv fOrmaiitics are carried out Every
child knows that the rabbit must De what
is known us graveyard rabbit and
tina. it must Dee captured and killed by an
elderly coiored man under peculiar com
binati0n OF astronomical and physical
conditions which seldom occurs.
An enterprlsng firm OF jewellers have
taken advantage Of this and put out the
following advertisement describing ,hci'
rabbits feet:
"Klled in country graveyard at mid.
night during the dark Of the moon. on
Friday. the 18th Of the month. by a cross
eyed. left;handed. red-headed, bow-leggec
Niger. riding a white horse"
II Is hard 20 find colored man with the
above characterist.cs. f. IS harder 20 find
one who can obtain rabbit while riding
a white horse on Friday the 18Th Of the
month IN the dark Of the moon. Grave.
yard rabbits IN addition. are by no meant
abundant. is IT possible that AL the rab'
biz feet on the market are obtained under
these circumstances2 The intelligent in
vestleator thinks not. Yet the market y
Hooded with alleged genuine charms. I
irto 10 feared that the public is being De
ceiyed.-Chlcago Inter-Ocean.