The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-11-17
VICTIMS OF A HooDoo HAT.
Such Things Seem Remarkably queer,
But They Do Happen

Such Things Seem Remarkably queer
But They Do Happen.
speaking of luck" said a New Or
leans insurance man, after somebody
in the crowd had told a story about
hoodocs II had a queer experience re-
gently with a straw hat. / bought II
one evening on my way home and mad
walked hardly two blocks after putting
n IN when a piece of lumber fell off a
scaffolding under which I was passing
and struck me on the shoulder. 1t
knocked me over and as | fell my new
hat flew off and landed in the gutter l
was pretty badly bruised, and the hat
was 60 soiled that l sent it next morn
ing TO the cleaners. | was laid up Tor
three days by the accident, and, Just as
I was leaving the house for the frst
time q messenger boy came to the
door with the hat 1 put it on and
started for the office but as | was eros
sing Carondelet street I missed my
footing and fell into a partly dug con-
duit trench A sprained ankle was the
net result of that mishap, and when
came home in q cab my wife held up
her hands in holy horror.
ct believe that's an unlucky hat!'
she declared, looking around, woman
like for handy scape-goat; every
time YOU wear it you get hurtn My
brother-in-law, JIM was in the house
at the time. and he laughed heartily.
Give it to me- he said, and I'll break
the charm All right said l. and he
carried it off. Early next moPing his
servant girl brought it back neatly
wrapped up in tissue. Mist Jim says
he amt got no further use for this yere
hat she announced. He done put it
on las night an err hack run into him
an like ter bust him open. 1t was a
fact. He had colided with a cab in
front of the theatres and was badly
hurt OF course that clinched the sim
lister reputation of the hat, and, to sat-
sfy my wife, I gave it to Aunt Man
DIV our cook, and told her to throw it
into the trash barrel.
Now comes the really queer part of
the story Two or three days after
ward a boy came to the house about
dusk with a message from the police
headquarters saying that Pete, faith
full old darky who looks after our horse
and buggy had been arrested for fight
ing. I knew him to be very peace
able old fellow, so [ hurried down to in
vestigate, and found him sitting in a
cell with his head swathed in cory
bandages. 1t seemed that he had been
set upon by a couple of darby roughs
and severely beaten before the officer
arrived and put all hands under arrest.
/ offered myself as his surety, and in a
few moments he was released. i done
got err mighty bad crack on TIL head
he said in telling about the fracas, but
I wouldn't keer if that trif1in' niger
hadn't spilled my new hat AS he
spoke he held I'D the wreck by the
brinl and something about it struck me
as being familiar Where did that hat
come from?' I asked with sudden
misgiving Aunt Mandy give it to
me, he replied. I snatched it out of
his hand and kicked 1t into a sewer
opening Pete said I, solemnly, you'd
better thank the Lord that you're
alive
"The hoodoo hat hasn't been heard
from since, and I trust sincerely l have
put a period to its mission of crime."--
New orleans Times-Democrat.