The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-09-27
FRIDAY UNPOPULAR DAY.
Superstition About 1t One of the
Oldest.
From the Baltimore Americna.


1t is at this season of the year that
one of the Oldest superstitions is par
ticularly in evidence. 1t is the time
for railway journeys, and especially on
the part of the "short-term vacation
lists" Those of Baltimores citizens
who are able TO spare only two or three
weeks from the cares of business in
which to build themselves up for the
ordeal of a long winter of hard work
in Baltimore are now both going and
coming. Many are just finishing up
their brief respite from the heat of
the city and are coming back refreshed
and invigorated, while others have
chosen this time at which to start off.
and SO railroad stations are busting
places and the trains are carrying big
loads.
This being the case, the idea that 1t
is unlucky to start on journey on
Friday is particularly dominant in the
minds of hundreds and hundreds of
level-headed Baltimoreans. Among all
the ideas and superstitions which make
people do things for which they can
give no logical reason, none is more
general or more powerful than this.
L
under mile of ladders all in a row.
and whom the breaking of looking
glass would affect only in a pecuniary
way would shudder at the idea of
starting on a journey on this day. They
believe that the train would most pro-
badly run off the track, or, failing
that, that they would miss all their
connections and be forced to spend
| many unnecessary hours on the road,
/ Ill L..s.- & IL, 1 Ill.,
in undertaking the journey on the for
hidden day. If the records were ex-
amined it would be found that there
have not been any more accidents on
| Friday than on any other day of the
week, but this would have little effect
on the superstitious traveller
Goes Back Many Centuries
How far back the superstition that
| Friday is unlucky dates is something
that can never be definitely ascertain
| ed, for one may go back for century
| after century and find the people of
the same opinion still. Friday derives
its name from Frigga, who, in the old
Morse mythology, was the wife of
! Odin. 1t has also been connected with
| Freyja, the goddess of love. Whether
this has anything to do with the idea
of ill-luck is an interesting matter for
speculation. Some people think that
love is unlucky, while others do not,
and there may be found plenty to argue
on either side of the question.
| The consensus of opinion, however
| among those who are wise in the origin
of beliefs and superstitions, seems to
be that the ill-luck of the day comes
| from the fact that on Friday was the
| Crucifixion, Good Friday being the
most solemn day in the whole of the
| Christian calendar, and so it happens
| that every Friday is a day of ill-omen,
| on which, according to some very in
telligent and enlightened people, none
but the most foolhardy will start on
journey or get married. In some
| localities various days are unlucky for
various things. but this one day is an
evil one for any enterprise whatever
Persistent Among Sailors.
The idea is particularly persistent
| among mariners, and not more so
among Spaniards and Italians than
among Bretons, Firms or Britons. In
fact, 1t is almost universal. Every sal
lor has goodly store of wonderful
tales, which he is ever ready to pour
into a sympathetic ear, of disasters
that have succeeded Friday sailing.
They never, however, take the trouble
to remember the greater number of
cases in which vessel that set sail
on Friday had beautiful voyage and
arrived at her destination with every
thing and everybody in a prosperous
condition. 1t is a fact, however, that
the lists of sailings from almost every
port is not so great on Friday as on
other days. There is a persistent le-
gend afloat among seamen, although it
cannot be pinned down to any parti-
cular locality or any decade, that there
was once ship, the keel of which
was laid on Friday, that. was launched
on Friday, was named the Friday and
put to sea on her maiden voyage on
Friday under the command of Cap
tain Friday. In vain, however did
Captain Friday try to break the
charm, if that were his object. for the
ship was never seen or heard of again.
Hnngman's Day.
The mariner might remember,
though, that Columbus set sail on Fri
day and discovered America on Friday.
Likewise did the Pilgrim Fathers set
foot on Plymouth Rock on Friday. In
deed, Friday has been a peculiarly for
tunate day in American history, for a
score or more of the most important
events, in our national life have taken
place on Friday, among which may be
mentioned the fact that Great Britain
acknowledged formerly the Independ-
| NitNN VI 'i'S SOAOiiiSo Oii Aileil utys IHOSe
who are believers. however may point
out that it was an unlucky day for
England.
Friday is often called "Hangman's
Day." and it is the truth that in this
state, as well as elsewhere. custom has
made 1t the day on which all execu-
tons are performed. There is no law
for this. but it is, nevertheless. al
ways the fatal day for those condemn
ed to die. Very few marriages are cele-
brated on that day. and the records of
the clerk of the Common Pleas Court
will show that the number of marriage