The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-09-10

hcient TO New England to avert the sever
ance of friendships ties the spilled salt
must also be thrown upon the stove
There is in Russia a superstitious preju-
dice against helping ones neighbor to salt
at table on account of the liability to quar-
rels thereby incurred.
In Italy helping a friend to salt at table
was formerly thought to be an indication
of undue familiarity, and when salt was
offered by one gentleman to The wife Of
another, II was deemed sufficient cause for
Jealousy and quarreng.
When a native of Abyssinia desires to
pay delicate attention to friend or
guest he produces piece of rock sah aud
graciously permits the latter to dick il
with his tongue
The priest sometimes places a little salt
in the chlds mouth al baptism in Sicily
thereby imparting wisdom, II is believed.
Hence the popular local saying in regard
TO a person who is duh of pnders landing.
that the priest put but little salt in his
mouth.
common amulet among the Neapoltan
poor is bit of rock salt suspended from
the neck.
It's Uses as Charm.
The peasants of the Hartz mountain re-
gion in Germany believe that three grains
of salt in a milk pot will keep witches
away from the milk.
Scotland as a charm, and the salt box was
the first chattel to be removed to a new
dwelling. In 1889. when Robert Burns was
about to occupy a new house at Elisland
he was escorted thther along the banks
of the river NTH by a procession of rela-
tives, and among them was borne bowl
Of salt resting on the family Bible
A mother seeks to project her daughter
from evil glances in Bohemia by placing a
little bread and salt in her pocket and
when young girl goes out for a walk
the mother sprinkles salt on the ground
behind her, so that she may not lose her
way.
Scotch fishermen have a custom of salt
ing their nets for luck" and they also
sometimes throw a little salt into the sea
Ito blind the fairies"
According to the mythical lore of Fin
lard, Ukko, the god of the sky, struck fire
in the heavens. a spark from which de-
seconded into the ocean and became salt
The earliest mention of salt in the Bible
Is in reference to the destruction of Sodom
and Gomorrah
Formerly the women and girls among the
Mexican Nahaus who were employed in
the preparation of salt were wont 10 dance
a yearly festival in honor Of the goddess
of salt, Hulxtocihnatl, whose brothers, the
rain gods, II Is said, as the result Of
quarrel, drove her into the sea, where she
substance.
II Is a time -honored custom in eastern
countries to place salt before strangers as
token and pledge OF friendship and good
will
Homer called salt divine.
Influences over Evil.
As indicating the superstitious reverence
with which salt Is regarded in the east.
may be cited the story of a noted robber
in Persia, who had entered the palace Of
a prince and was about TO depart with
his spoil when he stumbled over an object
which his sense of taste revealed to be a
lump of salt. Having thus involuntarily
partaken OF a pledge OF hospi ality be-
meath another mans roof, he dared not
violate II and left his plumber behind him.
Evil spirits, It is said, cannot bear salt,
and Horst tells this story A German
peasant and his wife. who was a witch,
were invited to supper by the devil one
evening. All the dishes lacked seasoning,
and the peasant, in spite Of his wife's re-
rnonstrances, kept asking for salt and
when, after a while, II was brought, he
remarked with fervor: Thank God here
Is salt at lastw whereupon the whole scene
vanished.
In Hungary salt is sometimes sprinkleJ
on the threshold Of a new house to keep
away witches.
The expression ito salt an invoice" sig