The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-07-31
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AMULETS ron THE BOYS,
Women Send Charms Warrentcd to
Keep on Illness and Bullets.

Keep on Illness and Bullets.
From the Chicago Times-Herald.
Have you sent an amulet to your own
particular soldier boy? If not, you are be-
hind the times. 1t is the proper thing
just now according to the feminine idea.
10 furnish each soldier with a charm
against the dangers of battle and disease,
and it is a right pretty sentiment. It af-
fords women folk an opportunity to show
their kindly interest in the absent troops
and the latter are pleased with the evil
dence of love and attention. There is
not man at the front but who IS anX-
lous to receive and wear an amulet of
some kind. And this is not because the
boys in blue are superstitious or awed
by the prospects OF danger-they are all
too busy. TOO excited and interested and
patriotcally eager to have time for their
thoughts.
There is no set form or size or shape
for soldiers amulets. Everything is used
from tiny watch-chain trinket to q dried
potato; the only requisite is that it must
have been thrice blessed by the person
sending it. Esthotic taste favors some ar
ticle OF jewolry, and Chicago manufactur-
ers and retailers are kept busy these days
supplying the demand One of the most
popular amulets is a combination flag
and four-leaf-clover watch chain charm
1t IS a dainty little conceit, made of a cir
cuar piece of cardboard, covered in white
corded silk. one side of which is
mounted a flag and on the other a natural
pressed fcur-leaf clover. over these is
placed glass, which is held together by a
gold or silver band, with a ring attach
ment. These are of various sizes both the
fiat, MARI ow designs and the round ones
with magnifylng glasses being popular
han fp h. Col afr,rr 4 III
powerful rabbits foot and turkeys claw
The virtue of these charms, especially The
rabbits foot, which Is guaranteed to be
the left hind foot of a bunny shot in q
graveyard al night by a cross-eyed negro,
is widely admitted in all classes of society,
from the dusky, bare-toed, ragged news
boys who shoot craps at cent a pass to
the rich business men who play poker with
IS chips 1t makes no difference that IL Is
generally known that the manufacturers
who prepare these charms tAy the rabbits
feet by the hundred from South Water
street commission firms, or pick them up
at the restaurants, there is not a girl in
Chicago who wouldn't spend the last pen
ny of her allowance in buying one for her
absent soldier boy. AS for the turkey claw,
mystery surrounds its merits II Is popular
as an amulet, but nobody knows why.
The sailor boy Is not forgotten, and has
his own particular amulets, as well as the
SbINltI. Inc inOSt COilS kfltuOuS u THESE -
the Union Jack" the sailors flag of
blue, profusey dotted with forty-eight
stars, each signifying a state. These are
placed on ali kinds of jewelry, embrOlder-
ed on handkerchiefs and engraved on BAN
giles.
1t is mostly the sweethearts and sisters
of the soldiers who haunt the jewelry
stores in search of pretty amulets. The
mothers and aunts and wives pick up
theirs in radically different places. These
latter think first of the miasmatic climate
into which the soldier boys have gone, and
The amulets they send take the shape of
bracelets for arms and wrists.
you must wear these constantly" these
mothers aunts ana wives write to their
soldier relatives, so as to guard your
health against chills and fever and similar
MS" Some of them buy wild olive flower
bags, which the women of louisiana as
sert viii save the wears from fever If
suspended from the neck The loving wife
thinks of her husbands last touch of
rheumatism and puts a dried potato into
his pocket or buys him an electric ring
for his little finger. These he submits to
wearing cheerfulIy, and consequently safe
ty is surely procured.
A tiny white silk pocket containing
charcoal, hung by ribbon around the
throat is supposed to keep away the
dreaded yellow Jack" When il can be
afforded a turquoise ring OF gold or sill
yer Is also worn 10 render the soldier inn
pregnable to the ravishes of typhoid.