The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-09-26
SOME OLD sUPERsTITIONs.
The EVIL Eye, Old Shoes and Rice,
Walking Under Ladders, Etc.

From the Chicago Times Herald.
Everybody knows that It is ineXpedient
whenever you happen to think of it to
walk under a ladder, to break a mirror,
to stand under an open umbrella indoors,
to begin a journey on Friday and a few
score of similar beliefs which have come
down to us from ancestors more or less
barbarous. But these same ancestors of
ours believed in a hundred of such mat
ters for everyone clinging to their un-
worthy descendants, and some Of these
long forgotten superstluOns are just as
wiso as necessary and as true as any one
of these others. Why, then, should they
be neglected?
We are content to-day to throw rice at
newly married couple, or an old shoe
or two, and the bride losses her bouquet
among the girls to inform her who is
lucky enough to catch it that she will
be the next one marriedA But wheat is
really the thing to throw, Because the evil
spirits hate the color yellow above all
things-if white grain like rice is used it
attracts them and, to become eficacious
should be colored yellow with turmeric
or some similar dye. Ghosts and the
things that bring i'll luck hate leather
so old shoes are proper, except in those
Instances when it was suggested that the
guests throw the carriage and
the couple drive away in the
SHOE But a shoe under your pillow
is a radical cure for nightmare, and
cramps in bed can be averted by placing
a slipper upside down at the foot of the
couch. The use of trunk straps, slippers,
leather whips and the like on small bows
also prevents the approach of new spirits
OF mischief and drives off the old ones.
1t Is well for the bridegroom to sew gar
nc, cloves and rosemary in his waistcoat
before the ceremony-no spirits gets de-
o. 4erh -,
The route at wedding must be arranged
so that everything is done as the sun
travels or as the hands of a watch 90
round; anciently there used to be a sa-
cred lire about which the bride and groom
danced in this manner
1t is all right enough to find four-leav
ed clover a horseshoe or the like but
mere picking them up is not lucky II
must be an assured fact that the finding
is thing of pure chance then, as the
object is taken in hand you must say.
90 not pick up this horseshoe (or as
the case may be-, but 1 pick up good
luck May it never leave mer' Horse
shoes are useful for more things than one;
q crooked nall from one is a sure cure
for fits or if placed in the nest of a set
ting hen will keep her from being fright
ened off by thunder. Made into a ring
and worn on the third finger of the left
hand it cures rheumatism. But it can
not be insisted upon too strongly that all
these things must be found-you cannot
buy luck
Mirrors are good things to have-if thew
remain whole. 1t is always wise to have
a little one set in a ring, brooch or brace
let. You know all evil things are unable
to withstand a sight of themselves. If
they catch the slightest glance of their
ugly visages they flee for their very ex-
istence. This makes barber shop a
n hot IN,
the barber must be particular to go to the
top of hill with all his clippings and let
them be blown away, else something unde-
sirable may find the hair and work you a
mischief. There are some BARRIERS in Chi
cago who are known to be careless about
climbing hills for this purpose. Holding
mirror in front of a man when he is
sleeping will put stop to any hail storm
If persisted in. And, by the way, the I'M
luckiest thing in the world is to steal
from a blacksmith. Many man has been
known to be defeated on election day be-
cause in his boyhood he took things from
the smithy without permission. And it is
also unfortunate to make any disposition
of tho parings of your finger nails except
TO bury them.
The evil eye is an ancient institution and
one worthy OF regard. The animus behind
the owner of the bad eye is always envy.
He sees something he wants and looks
dShduCG at H. anu dlleI Nndt lne Inlng
never has any luck. For this reason pretty
girls have TO take special pains with them
selves, not to keep off the bad fortune
that may come TO them from men who
wish them all good luck, but as a protec-
ton from other women, who will look at
their compilations or teeth or hair or
Easter bonnet, and after that there will
be false teeth and hair and stucco face
washes. Now, to avert all this possible
mischance, the surest thing is to have
some defect, real or apparent, but always
obvious. Then when the evil-eyed one sees
that she cannot wish for it, and her pow
er is gone. In some places this is done by
putting a little piece of black courtplaster
or something similar on the face. Lamp
black on the eyelids is famous though
pains should be taken not to make it look
like long eyelashes. In Chicago the favor
lite cosmetic for this purpose is soot-what
the British call blacks" These are gen.
orally worn; and it has been eruditely
surmised that this is one reason why the
city and its inhabitants have such good
luck-no envlous visitor has ever been able
to make the evil eye work through the
smoke NUISANCE,