The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-11-25
UNDER a LADDERp NEVER.
Test Shows 366 Out of 500 People
Are Superstitious.
lChicago Tribune.l
To pass under a ladder is bad luck

tCQlcaSO 1TdDuQe.1
To pass under a ladder is bad luck
OF 500 persons observed recently who
had the opportunity of passing under
around il, 366 seemed to believe the
omen They sidestepped-
A thirty-foot ladder stood against the
wall Of a building in a busy street. It
covered three fourths of the sidewalk
and left the rest clear. AS stated, the
majority lodged it.
If the figures hold good as the basis
for an estimate, more than half the
people IN Chicago are SuperStitiOus or
have some lingering remnants of dread
OF i'll omens. The 500 who refused TO
provoke the fates by passing under the
ladder probably would throw salt over
their shoulder if they upset it on the
table, and they probably would ex-
pect the worst if they broke a looking
glass
The ladder had scarcely been lifted
into position before a beggar on
crutches came hobbling along the
street. He was almost under the lad
der before he raised his eyes from the
ground and saw it. He heSitated
moment and then said:
What's the use2 I've reached the
lirnit anyway" And he went under.
me next was a colored man. He
SHE'D at the ladder fifty feet away.
mot for me-" he laughed. mot on
your life. They amt been coming right
an don't calculate to make 'em
WOrser."
In his anxiety to avoid the bad
omen he left that side of the street
entirely and crossed over to the other
Then he shook his fist at the ladder
and went on
He was succeeded by a business man
without giving it a bit of attention. A
young woman in a tailor made dress
and Louis XIV shoes-the ones with the
heels-came along She glanced at her
reflection in the windows-it was worth
looking at-and then saw the ladder.
She looked up to see what was doing
above. and. finding nothing, went
under without seeming to reflect that
any number of ominous things might
be threatening her because of that act.
In the crowd that followed these
came the superstitious and those who
did not fear omens. a number of COL
ored people were among the 500 that
were observed. Not one would take
chances. They did not all consider il
necessary to cross the street, but they
baked the ladder and walked near the
curbstone to avoid it.
OF the people who paid no attention
to be oblivious to the fact that a lad
der was standing three-fourths across
the sidewalk. If they happened TO be
walking outside it they kept on their
way. If they happened to be walk
ing close to the wall they kept their
place.
1t was the effort of the superstitious
to avoid it which afforded the ludi-
crous features OF the scene. Some
=
they saw it. They would promptly
back pedal and get out of danger
Then they sidestepped and looked at
the ladder, a maneuver which was fol-
lowed by a change in course so as to
make a circle around the base.
One of the superstitious was indig-
nant. He almost ran into the ladder,
seeming to be near-sighted. He SHE'D
like a yearling colt and backed away
to safety. Then he adjusted his glass
es and looked up to see what was
being done. Not finding any one on
the top rung he looked around to see
who was responsible for the ladden
being there and in that he was unsuc-
cessful.
What's this ladder doing here, any
way?" he asked. No one answered and
he looked wrathfully around and re-
marked that it was an outrage" 81
harm?"
II nearly went UNI nearly ran into
it. That's what's the matter"
Suppose you had gone under it,
what then?"
my dear SIR said the man, ct
have never met with an accident in
my life. / never walked under lad
der. I never broke a looking glass
never spilled salt without throwing
some over my shoulder. [ never looked
at the new moon over my left Shout
der. 1 avoid stepping on cracks in the
sidewalk I never saw a white horse
without looking for red-headed girl.
I have a home of my own and $4,000
in the bank. I never have any bad
luck, and I can inform you that
don't intend to take any chances now
at my time of life"
While the superstitious citizen was
talking, a half-dozen pedestrians had
come along and SHE'D at the ladder.
When the count of 500 had been made
it was found that 3e6 had avoided the
bad omen.