Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-08-20
.AMULETs WORN BY WOMEN.
Many odd Articles Serve as Mascota or Luck TaIfsmans with
 tke Fair Sex.

That many women habftua1ly wear amulets to bring good luck is well known to the bathhouse keepers, to whom patrons turn over their valuabies before taking dip.
 According to these authorities, says Che New York Sun, the belief in charms is widespread Stones and mits of met als stamped with quaint markings, lit tie strips of sheepskin or leather bear ing couplet or the symbol of a heavenly body are deposited along with money and keys and other valuabfes, to say nothing of rabbits feet, four -leafed clo-, yer, wishbones and other witcheries in one guise or another.
 And the wearing of these averters Of evil is not confined to any one class or nationality. The wellto- woman and the we'll instructed is as apt to have the quaint goods upon her as the untutored.
 More mascots in the form of orna-f ments, gems and precious metals are being mounted by the jewellers all theI time, and more symbolsof occult meaning are ordered by customers to be set in, such shape and fashion that they can be worn handiiy. The summer girl has her prized piece of jade or magic moon, stone locked on bracelet that cannot slip over her hand and be washed oil by the waves, as a ring might be.
 This sort of bangle charm is worn openly, even boastfuffy, as betokenfng careful and cautious young person, but dozens of charms are worn secret ly within the waist front unsuspected, until injury or accident betrays their. presence.
 The use of charms and amufets has been stimulated lately by the interest taken in psychological topics and the fad for consulting fortune teElers and clair voyants.
 tI'ye got a mole directly on the back of my neck, an omen of successful for tune, but also threatening sudden acci- dent of one sort or another" said 8 girl student the other day, as she fingered the charm that hung at her wrist This is an old Persian stone celebrated as potent in averting evil and impartng security and self-possesion to the wearer The symbols upon 1t all have their meaning got it from the pro- lessor who read nay character through three different mediums, and observed this menace of sudden disaster daTken- ing what was otherwise most anspi- cious fortune"
 It is held that persons born under the two extremes of planetary influence are most addicted to carrying mascots. Those born under the gloomy spell of Saturn wear charms to neutralize the malignity that ever threatens to en- compass them, and those born under the benefcent influences of Jupiter and Venus carry amuEe&s to insure theircon- tinued run of good fortune.
 The Italians of both high and low de- gree are inveterate believers in the em- cacy of charms to ward of evil and in vite good. The old spell of the medieval mysteries still holds them in thralL People of Spanish and Austrian de- scent are likewise given to charm wear ing Many Americans have of late caught the infection, purchasing birth stones and ancient tadismans with ayidi- ty, and paying more and more attsn- ton to personal char acterist1csand their meanings as demonstrated by students of the occult Even the department stores now sell charms.