The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-05-02
ODD NOTIONS
Of the Superstiticns in Various ooun.
tries of the World.

CLOS Angeles Times.)
one OF the superstitions prevalent
among the housemaids of France is
that to kin a spider is unlucBy. and so
tney stu5loUsly avoid sweeping out the
eo0Webs whenever they can well do 50.
SlameSe people have a superstitious
dislike for odd numbers and always
contrive to have an even number Of
rooms and doors.
There was superstition among the
ancient Romans that Ii was unfOrtuu-
ate Tor a person starting on a journey
10 meet q frog in the road, while many
OF our southern negroes consider such
an occurrence good luck, believing as
they do that the one thus favored viii
soon receive money from an uneN-
pected source
II IS commonly believed among the
peasants IN the Ural mountains that
Tor q wolf to see a man before the
man sees the animal is an omen that
ne viii be struck dumb" and remain
IN that condition as long as the wolf
lives.
In Holland and Belgium il is believed
that III luck ia sure To follow that
person ali his life who accidentally OF
otherwise kills a stork.
In Iyrol the rose Is believed to be q
sleep producer" ana rose leaves are
thrown into the fire for good luck" In
france and Italy il is believed that the
maiden who buTies a drop Of her blood
under rose bush viii be rewarded
with a rose-tinted, joyful life there
after The rose was an emblem of inn
mortality among the Syrians, and the
Chinese planted it over their graves.
In many parts of Europe it is con-
sdered unIucky for a hare to cross the
road IN front OF a traveller. while it is
an actors superstition that If a bare's
loot IS once used in a successful piece
IL viii always bring good luck TO the
player thereafter wearing it.
The following are a few Japanese
superstitions: A room should never be
swept after the departure Of an inmate
Tor fear Of sweeping out the luck At a
marriage ceremony neither bride nor
groom wears purple-cOlOTed clothing
lest their marriage soon dissolve. pur-
ple being color most liable to fade
IL cup of medicine las upset by accl-
dent during d persons sickness fl is
sure sign he will recover. Finger
nails must not be cut before starting
on journey, or disgrace viii fan upon
the person at his destination; neither
should they be cut at night lest cats
claws grow out. Children who throw
the parings Of the nails into the fire
happening to them. If a piece should
fail into the fire while cutting the per-
son viii soon die.
1t was a belief among the Egyptians
that the third finger Of the left hand
was connected with the heart by means
OF slender nerve. From that belief
came the custom Of wearing the we'd
ding ring on that finger.
In early times il was considered that
bad luck would come TO any person
who neglected TO either burn or bury
the pariHgs of the finger nails. Among
the Hebrews it was the custom TO pare
nails on a Friday, and the operation
had to be conducted in a certain man
ner. The little finger on the left hand
had first to be operated on, then the
middle finger, followed by the fourth
finger. thumb and fOrefinger The nail
Of the middle finger Of the right hand
had next to be cut; then came the
thumb and fOrefnger. The nail Of the
middle finger Of the right hand had
next to be cut; then came the thumb,
then the fOrefnger, and afterward the
fourth and little finger. If there was
any deviation from this method III luck
was sure 20 come
Scotch and English milkmasds believe
their COWS viii go dry if they forget
to wash their hands after milking.