The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-23
THE NUMBER THIRTEEN.
The Superstition About 1t Is Ancient
and WidesDread.

London Daily Telegraph.
Threatened SuperStitionS, like other things
which are menaced with extinction, are apt
70 1--we long. InGeed, it has been often no
ticcd that after periods of rationaism there
come in the history of the world stages,
produced, no doubt in accordance with the
law of reaction, when superstitious observ-
ances recover something more than their
ola influence over the human mind-when
they have power 10 transform domestic life
into dreary catalogue of terrible eventu-
dlltleS, to be guarded against at all costs.
No doubt at the present day we are in the
condition which St. Paul noticed with re-
gard to the Athenians-too much inclined to
crcdulity. In the contest between Mr.. Stod-
darts eleven and the Victorian team at
Melbourne, the Englishmen's want of sue
cess in the first inning has been explained
on very. easy grounds. 1t was noticed that
three of the team-Prince Ranjitsnhji Mr..
pruce and Mr. MISUNDERSTANDING thirteen
runs, While two others-Mr Maclaren and
the captain, Mr. Stoddart-made twice thir-
teen. How could an eleven, however enter
prisng and courageous, stand up against a
fatality like this? Much the same thing
was observed about the parliamentary ex-
ploits of the present administration in last
1t was discovered that in the Queens
speech the Ministry had committed them
selves TO the fatal number of thirteen bills.
The unlucky number appears to have
logged their footsteps throughout all the
early months of 1896. On the 18th of Feb
ruary Mr. Chamberlain communicated to
the House his abortive invitation to Pres
ident Kruger to visit this country; on the
18th of April the Irish land bin was intro
education bill was read 4 second time; in
June it was decided that the discussion on
the same measure, which had been suspend
ed, should be resumed on the 18th of jan
uary, 1897; and. finally when the govern
ment surrendered its own amendments to
the Irish land bill, the decision was made
known on the 18th of July. Nc wonder that
the Cabinet had a somewhat checkered ca
reer after omens like these. On the other
hand, the issue in both the parliamentary
instance and that of the Australian cricket
matcn was Tar better than could have been
reasonably anticipated Lord salisbury's
administration still remains one of the most
powerful of modern times despite it's last
years fondness for the unIucky number
While Mr.. StOddart'S team not only made
ample amends for their failures in the first
innings before the Melbourne match was
over, but look as if they would repeat their
success against the strong team opposed to
them by New South Wales.
For good or for i'll, the superstition to
which we have alluded has chung to the
thoughts and imagination Of men from a
period of remote antiquity. 1t would be
difficult to exhaust all the different forms
which this obstinate delusion has assumed
among various nations, both Of the East
and the West Every one knows that it
is highly inexpedient, if not dangerous TO
sit down thirteen at table, and there are
large number of intelligent men and
women in the metropolis who under no cir
cumstances would consent TO be included
in this precise number of guests. There
are streets in Paris. as Well as elsewhere in
France. where houses are numbered 10 bis''
and ''112 bis" while in many American
hotels no room has 13 painted on the door.
The Partisan who makes his living by dining
IN other peoples houses goes Familiarity by
the name of QuatOrziemo, because it is his
chief function TO add welcome fourteenth
to the unlucky number. The Italians never
use it In making up their lotteries, and in
one OF their games the thirteenth card bears
the figure OF death. Similarly. in Turkey
the number IL is very nearly expunged from
the vocabulary of the people. Nor is there
any lack Of explanation OF this almost uni
Nersal iden- ~ least TWO are furnished for
our choice.
In the Old Morse mythology. when the
goos Il N;lhalla were holding high revol
f.Oki came IL as an unlimited guest. The
consequence was that as soon as Baldur