The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-11-05
SuDerstitiOns of
Famous People.
Each Has Some Unlucky Omen, be it FRI
day or Other Sign; and Each an
Omen of Good Luck.

II IL all very well for US 10 laugh at
superstitions. to brand them as relics Of
barbarism. absurd in the light Of present.
day civilization. and yet it cannot be
denied that there are comparatively rev
people who are not possessed OF childish
dependence upon some favorite sign or a
ridiculous dread OF some I'll omen. or
course It must be admitted that supersh-
ton Is one of the traits that have been
handed down to US from a time so far In
the past that II loses itself in the age OF
fable.
When the world was young. so young
that mythology was the only science, man
was beset by demons and, In fear or them,
evolved strange schemes In the hope that
they might enable him to escape the
clutches of his enemies Of the air. AS
the world grew older and wiser the de-
mons retreated into space and ignorance
gave place 10 knowledge but in spite or
this the superstitions remained so firmly
fixed I'm the human mind that they are
sometimes almost as strong to-day as
they ever have been
Practical men do not like TO admit TINS
IL makes the world seem so ridiculous
and yet II IS unquestiOnably true that
many of the wisest greatest and bright
est men that have ever lived have order
ed their lives with due regard 10 some OF
the most absurd Of superstiuons. Inc
man who carries n horse chestnut IN MS
rocket TO ward off rheumatism and the
woman who insists that the wearing OF
costly diamonds in her ears Is the only
remedy for sore eyes are most amusing
hut their ideas are no more rnreason-
able than are some of the pet hobbies or
men and woman whose positions IN the
world are such as 90 entitle them TO con-
siderable respect.
BISMARCK AND NUMBER THREE
Bismarck. for instance, was certainly
one of the great men OF the century
and yet IN one respect at least he was
extremely superstitious. He had the
greatest veneratiOn for the number three
and carried this ndea to such an extreme
that he divided his labors as well as
his pleasures into three parts. Every
thing he did was in some manner mace
10 associate itself with the number three
and, whether this had anything to do
with IL or not the sO-called lucky nu-
neral certainly played an important part
in his life.
During his career he served three mas
tiers. fought IN three wars signed three
treaties Of peace and formed the triple
alliance. Personally he bore three names
and bore three titles. The armorial bear
ing Of his family was divided into three
parts During his career as A general
he had three horses killed under him and
he was the father OF three children.
IN is not every man who can see his
favorite superstition work so systemati-
cally throughout his entire life and yet
any man who IS IN the slightest degree
superstitious dslikes 10 have anything In.
terfere with this hobby. one OF the most
common Of superstitions is the BELIEF
I'm lucky or unlucky days To President
Mckinley Friday is a day to be dreaded
and he carries his superstition 10 an eX-
cess. He absolutely refuses 20 make any
public engagements for that day and has
been known to have postponed the sign
ing Of public documents for no other
reasons
The Emperor Of Germany has the same
dread OF Friday and when any engage
ments have been fixed for that day he al
ways insists upon their postponement. On
one occasion tho staff, forgetting the SUI
perstition OF the Emperor. arranged for
"a review TO take place on Friday. Kaiser
william not thinking OF the day. agreed
and it was not until a few hours before
the review that he bethoueht himself
what day IL was Immediately he sent
for members of the staff and the review
was postponed until another day.
on the other hand. Edison, the Invent
or. regards Friday as the most lucky day
I'm the week While many have found
the sixth day OF the week a day of Ill
omen his experience has been 10 the con-
trary Many OF his most successful in
ventions. including the photograph, were
completed on Friday and he has often
postponed the final tests Of inventions
upon which he has worked until that
day. confident that he would thus be able
TO carry them out successfully.
Strange as IL may seem 10 many per-