The times., 1898-05-15
Mascofs for Mars.

There is not mothers son tramp.
tramping his way 10 the Southern States
who does not wear around his neck or in
his pocket some one or two o!d-tfme safe
guards against battle. disease. and sud
den death. not 10 speak Of such common
place illnesses as toothache. earache.
bonefellons. and what not Some Of the
queer and more or less eficacious tails
men the men have chosen for themselves,
and every good Catholic wears a com
forting scapuIa about his neck but in the
majority of cases the women have been
responsible for this outburst of suDersti-
tious belief IN the powers Of the various
amuets.
"Of course there may be nothing at all
in wearing potato in your pocket, but if
you would just do it for my sake" is
what an anxious wife says TO a rheUma-
tic or neuralgic husband, who she knows
viii have 10 sleep in damp places and run
al manner Of risks. Well he usually
pockets the potato. with a shaking sort
Of confidence in the humble tuber him
self. while another man submits 10 the
wearing Of tiny white silk packet hung
by a ribbon around his throat. The pack
ct holds finely ground charcoal and IS q
warder-off of typhoid fever and all other
ills that arise from drinking impure wat
er. is said TO posses an honorable record.
Stronger than a fear of Spanish bullets
and torpedoes is the American womans
dread of fever. and every wife and mother
has her own opinion OF q special preven-
tive of the dangerous yellow Jack. y
turquoise is supposed TO render its wear
er impregnable to what the ancient De
Iievers in amulets called fire in the blood
4 gold or silver band. on the fourth nm
ger set with a blue jewel, IS a popular
military decoration Just now and appTe-
hensive women beg that their soldier
boys Will keep their hair as closely crop
ped as possible, or wear sulphur boots.
/ else a square of raw white silk seWed
into their coats over the region OF the
heart.
/ Lamb's-wool bracelets over the ankles
and wrists are also considered effective
/ for preserving the blood at a normal
! temperature, and women in Louisiana
( gather wild olive flowers and sew them
/ into little bags for wear about the neck
/ in fever-ridden districts.
'If a wife breaks her betrothal ring
/ with the husband who goes off TO the
wars. he will be sure TO come back 20
give her the half she gave him" There
is a rather grewsome taipiece to this
saying. which assures the doubling
ones that if the husband does not
come back alive. his wife will always
. be able 10 meet MIN IN neT dreams, anu
thus learn the fate of the lost half or
I the ring.
The soldier who wears jewelry these
days is wearing it to some purpose, for
one way 10 escape gunShOt wounds is
/ supposed TO be found in the wearing of
a ruby. The red stone does look omin-
/ ously like blood. but no matter, tradi-
/ ton speaks to the contrary. and ruby
rings. or rubies set in cuff buttons or
! the backs of watches, are very much the
mode just now.
1t is not to be supposed that the un-
worthy Spaniard will ever get near
/ enough to our soldiers TO offer them
! any injury with sword thrusts or the
bayonets point. However, it is as Well
/ think the superstitious. to be on the
safe side and wear a bit of dried Span
] ish moss in enes pocket. Almost any
/ where south of Tennessee the moss will
be found in abundance. A wisp of it
must be set TO soak in water. then dried
/ in the sun. After this its mere presence,
when it is mixed with a little green
/ grass, will stanch the severest wound.