The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-04-21
THE FATEFUL THIRTEEN.
ihe Superstition in Regard to II Is
Widesprend--T The Italian Respects
man Omits 1t, the Turk TabOOs IL.
From the London Telegraph


From the London Telegraph.
For good or for ill, the superstition
about the number thirteen has Clung
10 the thoughts and imagination of men
from a period of remote antiquity. 1t
would be difficult to exhaust all the diff
ferent forms which this obstinate delu-
sion has assumed among various ma
tiOnS. both of the east and the west.
Every one knows that it is highly in
eXpedient, if not dangerous, to sit down
thirteen at table, and there are a large
number of intelligent men and women
in the metropolis who under no circum-
stances would consent to be included in
this precise number of guests. There
are streets in Paris, as well as else
where in France, where houses are
numbered "12 bis and ZIP bis" while
m many American hotels no room has
l3 painted on the door The Partisan
who makes his living by dining in
other peoples houses goes familiarly
by the name of Quatorzieme, because
it is his chief function to add a well
come fourteenth to the unluCky num-
ber. The Italians never use it in max
ing up their lotteries, and in one of the
games the thirteenth card bears the
figure of death. Similarly, in Turkey
the number thirteen is very nearly eX-
Dunged from the vocabulary of the peO-
pie; nor is there any lack of eXplana
ron of this almost universal idea. At
east two are furnished for our choice.
In the old Morse mythology, when
The gods in Nalhalla were holding high
revel, LOki came in as an unlimited
guest. The consequence was that as
soon as Baldur arrived he made the
number of guests thirteen, and fate de-
,reed that he should die. Christians
refer to another and more solemn in
aident There were thirteen who par
took of the last supper, and Judas, who
left the table first went and hanged
himself. IT was in consequence OF this
that the number was accused, together,
apparently, with all combinations of
figures into which it enters. Sooner or
later it was, of course, inevitable that
50 widespread and so fascinating sup
@rstition should be challenged. Some
thirteen years ago--the very interval
of rime Is an odd coincidence--a club
was started in New York for the ex-
press purpose of waging war against
the associations connected with the
always to consist of some multiple of
thirteen. They dined together on the
thirteenth of every month. thirteen at
table, and their club dues were thir-
teen cents month. 1t will be remem-
hered that only a short time ago a
similar institution was established in
England, and farcical entertainment
was provided, at which knives are
and cross bones ornamented the walls
and the walters We're chosen because
they squinted and possessed the evil
eye. The American club habitually
published reports to prove that, indi-
Vidually and collectively, they are as
healthy, prosperous and long-lived as
other members of the community; nor,
so far as we are aware, did any serious
calamity fall upon their daring imita-
tors in London.
1t is idle to imagine that an inveter-
ate superstition can be got rid of by
such merely theatrical bravadO as this.
The case stands with IT as it does with
similar idea about the folly ~ un-
dertakng any serious enterprise on
Friday. There are whole classes Of
mankind TO whom these notions form
a sort Of unwritten creed. Every one
knows that sailor does not like to
have his ship to be commissioned on
Friday. Indeed, one Of the eXplana-
tions given of the disaster which be-
fell the Thrasher torpedo boat was
that it had unluckily commenced its
cruise ON the penultimate day OF the
week Soldiers, though not quite so
superstitious as sailors, are by no
and gamblers who live the life of the
nerves believe i'm luck with obstinate
tenaCity. The theatrical profession.
-DnD IL lA.Dli i..E.-