The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1903-11-13
AMULETs WORN BY WOMEN.
Many Odd Articles Serve as NascOts
or Luck TaIismans with
the Fair Sex.

That many women habitually wear
amulets to bring good luck is well
known to the bathhouse keepers, to
whom patrons turn over their valuables
before taking dip.
According to these authorities, says
The New York Sun, the belief in charms
is widespread. Stones and mits of met
ais stamped with quaint markings, lit
tie strips of sheepskin or leather bean
ing couplet or the symbol of heavenly
body are deposited along with money
and keys and other valuables, 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 well-to-do 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-
ments, gems and precious metals are
being mounted by the jewelers. all the
time, and more symbols of occult meaning
are ordered by customers to be set in
such shape and fashion that they can
be worn handily. The summer girl has
her priced piece of jade or magic moon
stone locked on bracelet that cannot
slip over her hand and be washed of
by the waves, as a ring might be.
This sort of bangle charm is worn
openly, even boastfully, as betokening
a careful and cautious young person,
but dozens of charms are worn secret
ly within the waist front unsupported
until injury or accident betrays their
| presence.
The use of charms and amulets has
been stimulated lately by the interest
taken in psychological topics and the fad
for consulting fortune tellers and clair
voyants.
1--WE got mole directly on the back
of my neck, an omen of successful for
tune but also threatening sudden acct
dent of one sort or another said 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 imparting
security and self-possesion to the
wearer The symbols upon it all have
their meaning. l got it from the pro-
| fessor who read my character through
three different mediums. and observed
this menace of sudden disaster darken-
| ing what was otherwise most auspi-
cious fortune"
| 1t 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 amulets to insure their con-
tinued run of good fortune.
The Italians of both high and low de-
gree are inveterate believers in the eff
cacy of charms to ward off 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 talismans with avidi-
ty, and paying more and more atten-
tion to personal characteristics and their
meanings as demonstrated by students
of the occult Even the department
| stores now sell charms