The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-11-19
CREDILITY or GREAT MINDS.
Superstition by No Means confined 10 the
Ignorant.


II l. n mistake 10 ina cine that superstition
IL n Weakness confined to seanen or persons
oil feeble and uncultured minds Men pos
Sessing the strongest intcllects have been
swayed by almost childish credulty with
regard TO the supernatural The great Ma
poleon was firm believer in presentiments.
Once, when he was anxiously awaiting news
from Egypt lie heard that Nile boat had
run ashore and that the crew had been put
To death. 1his boat bore the name OF L'1talie
Napoleon was much concerned when he heard
this last lieC" of news He looked upon II as
an omen that his hopes of annexing Italy to
Franc" were To Toe shattered Nothing would
induce him TO believe the contrary. MY
pres"ntiments never deceive me. he said.
"all l. ruined. ! am satisfied that my conquest
Is lost The pres.ntiment in thi. case GER
family became true
famous writer has said OF Napoleon: He
was all star and destiny" Certain II Is that
Napoleon had IA ith in hi, star and II appeared
TO b" the ruling omen OF his entire career
Gen. Rapp. who for n long period was Ma
poleon's aide-de-camp. refers to the subject
In his interesting memoirs Rapp had Just
return ID from the Siege Of Dan2ig and seek
ing Napoleon's presence. found him gazing
intently through the window. his eyes fixed
upon the heavens II was some time before
the Emperor noticed the presence OF Rapp.
when. suddenly Selling him by the arm. he
exclaimed: Look there M there" Il see
nothing but tn pale Nv inkling stars. replied
tn astut" aide de-camp quietly What
exclaimed tn Emperor eXcitcly. lis il pos
sib'e that you do OF see my starr The fiery
red one. almost as large rs the moon? II i
before you now and. ah' how brilliant
Then warming up nj the sight. h. fairly
shrieked as he cried out: It has never aban-
great occasions. il commands me to 20 for.
Ward; " i.my sign OF good fortune. and where
Ia. Hpnir
being informed by the augurs on the eve
of az engagement that the sacred chicken.
and ordered them thrown overheard, after
which he attacked the Cartha einian fleet and
received a terrible thrashing
The astute Bismarck was superst tio,Is tho
number thirteen ha Wing very deep m, a ing
for lip. He would never sit down to table
marck Bohien states that one day in is7 pat n,
| Rheims. when the chancellor gave a dinner,
one Of the invitations had TO be counter
have been thirteen ht table. Gen Boyer.
| B17aine's envoy. arrived ~ TIE German head
quarters at Versailles on Friday, OCT /, bun
| saying that he would never do anything Of
imnortance on any Friday, much less on
anniversary of Horchklrk. Jena and Auer-
| stadt lie was talking one day of defeat
hsa IN NE Of
gentlemen, he said, that that hoppenod on
IridHy ,, Bsm4rGk did I'D, not bsIeye n
! his life was seriously Influenced by a mystic
| number,
his steps before entering any place, so as to
arrange that his right foot should, always
precede his left; or; again. touched every
fearing that, il h" missed one, some RMS mis..
fortune would bcfan lin. 0"'' P'"'' ms
Lord wolsolev, writes, Il not only believe
In many supcrstitions. but hug them with
WITH sriTlluai world ofwt !ch Erow moving.
uresSue past OF Which History las told me
much. I believe In ghosts and In amule's
have worn out The. rims OF several hats sirce
Of ugle magpies. That mystic bird ahounds
In Ireland: and would not on any account
walk under ladder, Hc. In fact, am ItPnc
] find others believe in "
The Shah of Pers, is supersti'Ious. He
circle OF amber which is sid 10 have fallen
from heaven in Mohammed's time and which
renders render the weSrer inyqlnGr1 bio cTskct o.
iewolled star which il potent TO mike con-
srirators instantly, confess their crimes is
ALWAYS worn upon his person.
Abraham lincoln, few days before his
death had vivid dream in which he bch,ld
his own body living in state The vision
was rallied on account of It by his wife.
Ulysses $ Grant would not have been Q
for a West Point cadctship had been found 10
have six toes on each foot instead of five. Gen
Grant was n ftrm believer IN dreams, ana To
dream of crockerv was sure to be- followed by |
good luck The night before he received his |
appointment as Colonel of the Illinois rcgl- !
men' no dreamed OF being in a field filed with |
beautiful china He immediately informed |
his wife that prosperity was about TO dawn
upon their fortunes
Admiral FnrraVut when Nv the masthead |
of his fla gship PRAYING for divine aid. pre- |
v'ous to passing The forts at Mobile Bay. dis |
tnctly heard n voice saying. Keep on, keep |
on Nelson always kept u hor'cshoe nailed |
TO the miz7cnmast OF his flagship Victory.
Regarding celebrated statesmen and their |
superst tions II j. said that Secretary Carlisle |
would begin no now thing on Friday Score |
tary Blame would never turn back 10 enter |
his house after leaving II in case he had for |
gotten anything Secretary Folger all his |
life believed that there Wa a charm for him |
In the number three "" laughed at u. but |
le' it dominate him. such hard headed |
old statesman as Thnddcu- stevens believed |
that there was luck IN picking M pins, He
never passed one, II he saw u, without pick
ing II up getting the point before him Scna-
tor Chandler counts white horses for luck |
He counts every one he secs until no reaches
thirty-nine and then he begins over again.
senator sherman would not extend his left
hand in crectinr or receiv" one extended to
him senator Edmunds regarded II n I'M
lucky II the first person he met on emerging
from his house was woman and would re-
turn for a fresh start