The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1900-09-06
CUBAN SUPERSTITIONS.
q WIDE VARIETY OF oMENs AND
CHARMS CHERISHED.


The Rain Water of May Relieved 10 Pos
sess Peculiarly beneficial OunIitIes-
Dirt Eaten ns Medicine - Moonlight
Bodies IlI-Number 10 Abhorred.
Dorothy Stanhopc writes as follows
20 the New York Times from Havana:
Just as Americans have superstitions
which are unknown among the people
If this island, so the Cubans have
many which are unknown among MS.
Among the educated people here these
lavc no more weight than among the
same class in the States. But among
The lower classes, there Is the greatest
Importance attached to them AS is
natural, most of the omcns are of sick
ness or health and their religion en-
bodies much of superstition also.
\ belief very prevalent among the
common people is that the rain water
If May has peculiarly beneficial quail
tiles which that of no other time pos
sesscs. Why the month of May Is
favored is not quite plain, although
the fact that during that month the
rainy season begins may have some
bearing on the matter. Certainly, If
its waters have any curative powers
every sick person in the island should
have been helped this year for the
rain fell in torrents during the greater
part of the month.
Another belief that has strong hold
IN the same class of people Is that GER
tain diseases can be cured by eating
dirt, and so when one of these diseases
manifests itself. the believer does not
consult n physician, but instead gath
ers up handful of dirt and eats it.
If any relief Is obtained it. must he
the result of faith cure, which the pa
lent Is unconsciously trying. Why al!
kinds Of germs are not taken In with
the dirt is Il mystery possibly they
are.
Still another means of relieving palu
in this instance hcadache-is Ivy
pressing Il leaf from tree against
each temple, and leaving it there for
some time. 1t does not seem nj all
necessary that the leaves should he
from any particular kind of tree or
shrub in order to effect a cure. 1t Is
not unusual to see poor people going
about with their forcheads SO adorned.
The moonlight seems particularly
Objectionable, and strangers are
warned not to go out in it with uncov-
cred head, and not to so out in it at
all, if it can be avoided. 1t is thought
that this Light brings many evil effects.
and not under any circumstances will
a Cuban sleep in its rays-he thinks
that, among other things, 1t will draw
his mouth to one side of his face. TO
be sure he has never seen any one
whom it has affected in this way. but
that does not Interfere with his belief.
He also thinks that the night air is
very injurious. and always closes his
room up tightly at night so that no
air may come in to work it's evil. Many
Americans followed this example
when they first came here. thinking
that, as the Cubans had lived here
so long, they knew the best way of liv-
ing in this climate. Now, however.
the majority of our fellow country
men throw their shutters wide open
whenever circumstances will permit,
and leave only the iron bars of the
window TO oppose the entrance of
fresh air. l%lny Cubans go about at
night with their handkerchiefs nj
mouth and nose to keep the air from
entering the lungs. Among some the
hp L. .,.it Il l.,
favor, and strangers are advised not
10 linger on the shore.
TO ward off sicknesses of various
kinds there are little siller or tin
images to wear suspended about the
neck as kind of charm. Images of
the same kind are offered as thanks
giving or prayer, ana so we find eases
in which are hundreds OF these little
trinkets, hands. feet arms. babies, etc
Few American babies wear bracelets
Mothers seldom think of such thing
as adding one of these to the dress
of child of few months, but the
poor people have grave fears for ANY
child that does not wear one during
the teething period. The child may
have little other clothing, probably
nothing but slip but invariably the
Cuban baby wears a bracelet on its
left arm, even if that bracelet be
nothing more than a bit of string
Speaking of babies. 1t is the universal
custom here to have the ears of baby
girls pierced at a very tender age
usually before they are two months
old. This is done among both rich
and poor, and seems quite necessary
Often poor mothers tie strings in the
ears of these baby girls for want OF
better earrings. Cubans. or at least
the poorer classes of Cubans, think
that every American baby whose ears
are not pierced must be boy.
The number thirteen is regarded as
unlucky here, but it is not referred to
as often as II Is among us. Friday
Is not thought an unlucky day. In,
deed, II Is rather the contrary for the
Cubans, since Columbus discovered
the West Indies on that day. Tuesday
Is supposed TO be a very unprOpltious
day of the week for starting Jour.
ney beginning piece of work or for
doing any of those things which In
other places are connected with Fri
day. The hooting of an owl is taken
as very bad sign The superstitious