The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-05-13
FROM LEFT TO RIGHT.
Oar Turning That Way Ii a Relic of
Sum Worship,

When our thoughts turn toward the
Parsees, that strange sect of sun worship
ers that has retained almost intact it's
ancient practices and beliefs, it never &C.
ours to us that there are traces of that
form of old time religion In the common
est actions of our daily life.
We wind watch and turn screw from
left to right, and we think we do it be-
cause 1t is the only right and proper way,
but if we wish to extract a screw we find
the reverse process just rs et1icacious and
easy.
We read from left to right, and when
we sit down to indite an epistle to our
friends our pen goes In the same direction.
We open book and fold Of note paper at
the left side That is because we read in
the same direction as the sun moves, and
of course we must write in correspond
ing way. But there are two points to be
noted in this connection. We turn the
leaves over from right to left, whereas it
Is really easier to do as the Jews do-begin
at what we call the end and turn the
leaves with the sun. And the second point
is that in writing we make the 80, the
tops of the "g'' and "q," as well as GER
tain other curves, from right to. left and
find 1t very easy.
The last mentioned point suggests that
our ordinary direction is not absolutely
necessary for the due performance of our
daily actions, but we seem to think 1t is.
So deep rooted is this belief that the ma
jority of our worthy housewives would DO
Mortified at the bare idea that they should
vary the monotony of stirring melted but
ter and other culinary preparations by
turning the spoon in the opposite direo-
ton.
On many farms there is popular no.
tion that if the churn be turned only once
from right to left all the work previously
done in the manufacture of butter will be
nullifed and the butter be no nearer than
it was at the beginning.
In popular medicine there arc traces OF
sun worship. A person suffering from
rheumatic pains often derives relief from
rubbing the seat of the malady with the
open hand. Among certain classes the
superstition prevails that the rubbing will
not be effective unless it be from left to
right.
If you are requested to turn round
three times and catch whom you may" or
uShcu W uesCFlDo clfCle WIN youI estS
open, the odds are about hundred to one
that you will turn in the same direction
as the hands of your watch. You could
do it just Us well in the reverse way but
that is not usual proceeding, and you
don't do it.
Ono curious instance Of the survival Of
the superstition may be seen in New har-
Dor, Newfoundland. The captains Of the
ships are very careful that tho first move
mcnt of their craft shall be from left to
! right.
We perform certain movements from
| left to right because tho use of the right
hand or arm facilitates motion in that di-
rection or renders it necessary but this in
no way affects the argument that such
movements are trace Of sun worship.
That ancient faith having influenced our
actions the preponderance Of tho right
! hand over the left may well have come
about through copying the direction Of
the sun.
! Dents Toothache Gum stops the ache cures
the pain. All druggists Is cents.
| Il ia h., Il