The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-10-19
PREsENTMENTs OF GREAT MEN.
Superstition Is Not Confined to Seamen
or Persons of Weak Minds.
United Service Magazin

AitS OcINlCe NldBdZlne.
1t is a mistake to imagine that superstition
is a weakness confined TO seamen or persons of
feeble and uncultured minds. Men possessing
the strongest intellects have been swayed by al
most childish credulityl with regard to the super
natural. The great Napoleon was a firm be-
anxiously awaiting news from Egypt. he heard
that a Nile boat had run ashore and that the
crew had been put to death. This boat bore the
name Of L'Italie. Napoleon was much con-
eerned when he heard this last piece OF news.
annexing Italy to France were to be shattered.
Nothing would induce him to believe the con-
trary. MY p~resentiments never deceive me-
he said: "all is ruined; 1 am satisfied that my
conquest Is lost The presentiment in this case
said of Napoleon: he was all star and destiny"
Certain 1t is that Napoleon had faith in his star.
entire career. General Rapp. who for a long
period was Napoleon's aid-de-camp, refers to
had just returned rom the SIEGE @sn9 of Da Rapp
and, seeking Napoleon's presence, found him
gazing %intently through the window. his eyes
the Emperor noticed the presence of Rapp,
c Sasn; sdd sT1Sk s shs4es hi hIm 9b By The q :. he so <:
ing but the pale twinkling stars" replied the
Claimed the Emperor. e su.H | "is ia possible, fI,
that you do not see my star; the nery red one.
now. and. ah. how brilliant" Then. warming
up at the sight, he fairly shriel<ed as he cried
out; 1T has never abandoned me for a single
mands me to go forward; it is my sign of good
The Roman admiral, Appius Claudius. on be-
ing informed by the Augurs on the eve of an
eaf' ssId: " fhst , the Sacred dTIeS chickens fhin would not
them thrown overheard, after which he attacked
the Carthaginian fleet and received a terrible
The astute Bismarck was superstitious, the
number thirteen having a very deep meaning for
made the thirteenth. Count Bismarck BohIen
states that one day in 1870, at Rheims, when the
had tc be counterinanded, because otherw'ss
there would have been thirteen at table. Gen.
headquarters, at Versailles. on Ffiday. German oet' =
but Bismarck would not see him till the next
Importance on any Friday. much less on a FRI
day, the date of which conceded with the ami
was talking one day of a defeat the Germans
had experienced in the course OF the campaign
or 1870. Il beg you 10 observe, g~entlamen." he
said. that that happened on a Friday" Bis
marck did not believe in a lucky or an unlucky
fuenced by a mystic number.
The prosaic DIR. Johnson always counted his
that his right foot should always precede his
left: or. again. touching every post which he
missed one. some misfortune would befaIl him.
Lord Wolseley writes: II not only believe in
warmest affection. They link me. if not with a
spiritual world of which l know nothing. at
turesque past OF which history has told me
much. I believe in ghosts and in amulets: /
have been in Dublin through my salutations of
single magpies- That mystic bird abounds in
INAAl oha II III AON Ol dAN account
under a ladder, etc; in fact. l am prone to
adopt any superstition 1 am told OF which / find
others believe in"
TAe Shah of Persia is superstitious. He al
ways carries with him when he travels a circle
OF amber which is said to have fallen from
the wearer invulnerable; a casket OF gold which
makes him invisible at will. and a jeweled
star which is potent TO make conspirators in
stantly confess their crimes. is always worn
upon his person.
Abraham Lincoln. a few days before his death.
had a vivid dream. in which he beheld his own
impression upon him and he was rallied on ac-
Ulysses 5. Grant would not have been a mill
tary man had il not been that his rival for a
West Point ~cadetship had been found to have
six toes on each foot instead OF fve. General
I Grant was a firm believer in dreams. and 70
eood luck. The night before he r r8eGwed 10y py
appointment as colonel OF the Illinois regiment
he dreamed of being in a field filled with beau
tiful china. He Immediately informed his wife
that prosperity was about TO dawn upon their
fortunes.
his flagship praying for divine aid previous 10
passing the forts at Mobile bay, distinctly
heard a voice saying: Keep on. keep on
mizzenmast OF his flagship Victory.
Regarding celebrated statesmen and their SUI
perstitions, IL Is said that Secretary Carlisle
would begin no new thing on Friday. Secretary
Blaine would never turn back. to enter his house.
thing. Secretary Folger all his life believed
that there was a charm for him in the number
three snch hsrssh eaSsa ia oomInate
Thaddeus Stevens believed that there was luck
In picking up pins. He never passed one. IL he
saw 1t. without picking It up. getting the point
before him. Senator Chandler counts white
horses for luck. He counts every one that he
sees until he reaches thirty-nine, and then he
begins over again. Senator Sherman would not
extend his left hand I'm greeting or receive one
as unlucky II the first person ne met on emerg.
ing from his house was q woman, and would
return for q fresh start.