Washington sentinel., 1898-06-11
oueer traditions.


and progress, yet it IS amusing ana
instructive to recall the tanc itul
and pretty myths that the minds
of all classes scarcely questioned.
They say it was from the weeping
willow that the rods were made
with which the Saviour was
scourged, and from that time it
has dropped it's branches with
shame. Washington Irving relates,
in his life OF the prophet, that at
the age OF three years, while Mo-
hammed was playing in the fields
with his foster-brother, two angels
in shining apparel appeared before
them. Gabriel, one OF the angels,
laid Mohammed gently upon the
ground and opened his breast, but
without infctIng any pain Then
taking forth his heart he cleansed
It from all impurity, wringing from
it those black and bitter drops OF
sin inherited from our forefather
Adam, and which lurk in the hearts
of the best OF his descendants, in.
citing them to crime. When he
had thoroughly purified it he hlled
it with faith, knowledge and pro-
phetic light, and placed il in the
bosom of the child Nearly all
the precious stones have supersti-
tions connected with them.
Famous diamonds have influenced
the fortunes Of nations and fami-
lies. The emerald is said to have
healing properties. 1t was a stone
OF ill-omen to CorteZ, since the glit
of a magnificent emerald to his
bride so reused the envy OF the
Spanish Queen as to withdraw him
from her favor. The ruby was con-
sidered an amulet against poison,
plague, evil thoughts and spirits.
The sapphire is the faVorlte stone
OF Scripture. The tables on which
the Ten Commandments were en-
graved are said to have been made
oft. The carbuncle was supposed
to have dropped from the clouds
during flashes of lightning, and the
changes in the opal were attrlbuted d
to supernatural agency. The tur-
quoise is said to grow pale in sick
ness and sorrow, and the amber is
the pertrifed tears Of the sisters OF
Phaeton, the unlucky sun chario-
teer. Grecian poets say that the
rose was originally white, but was
turned to red by the blood ot
Venus, who lacerated her feet With
its thorns when rushing to the aid
of Adcnis. The fragrance of the
rose is said to be derived from a
cup of nectar thrown over it by
Cupid, and its thorns TO be the
stings Of bees, with which his bow
was strung. The Druids blessed
apples and distributed them among
the people as a safeguard against
evil. 1t was an ancient belief that
the spirits of the far-lamed upaS
tree had committed some great
crime, and, in the way Of penalty,
it is caused to poison the air for
hundreds Of yards around it, so
that the birds shun it, and the veg
citation beneath its branches is de-
stroYed. AT this day, in some
countries, ,amulets are worn against
disease and tribulations, which
shows that, while science has ex-
planned away almost all supersti-
tions, an inherent love of the mar
velous and hidden obtains some
credulity tor these idle whims. A
passaas f~eua an ansaSnt Welsh
law affords a somewhat ingenious
argument in favor of the use of wax
candles in churches: bees derive
their origin from Paradise, and be-
cause of the sin OF man did they
come from thence, and God con-
fessed on them his blessing, and
therefore mass cannot be chanted
without their waxP' Paris is the
headquarters OF the Thirteeners.
When the republic entered upon
the thirteenth year OF its existence,
IN circumstances of stress and
doubt such as befit that most un
lucky of numbers, Frenchmen re-
membered that the thirteenth year
has been a year of doom to every
government which the present CEN
fury has witnessed in France.
Thirteen years after his elevation
to autocratic power, the FIRST Ma
poleon began his Russian cam
paign. Thirteen years alter the
Restoration, the fate OF the Bour-
bons was sealed by the first reac-
tionary coup desat which led to
the formation OF the PoligAac min
istry and brought on the revolu-
ton of July. In the thirteenth
year OF the reign Of Louis Philippe
the tragic death of his son, the
Duke OF Orleans, blasted the hopes
of his house. In the thirteenth
year of the Second Empire the
fatal Mexican expedition was un-
dertaken. And while we are not
the in thirteenth year of the
Third Republic. The Frenchmen
have not noticed the alarming fact
the Third Republic is the Thir-
teenth government that has been
known in France since the down
fall of the old regime was an
nounced by the capture OF the Bas-
tile. Thus runs the succession:
LOUIS XVI, the Republic, the
Directory, the Consulate, the Con-
sulate for Life, the First En- pire,
the First Restoration, the Hundred
Days, the Second Restoration, the
Monarchy OF July, the Second Re-
public, the Second Empire and the
Third Republicl Tradition also
goes to show that there are many
superstitions concerning musical
instruments. The horn Of Roland
Is heroic and supsrb when the
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