Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1905-11-11

still ask the question, and one Won
fers If Pliny could collect so many
Ingenious replies as the ANA of the
twentieth century furnish.
In Cations liS3 edition of The
Golden Lcgcnde" is an account of Il
pcStilencc in Rome in the time of Greg
ory the Great, from which many died
suddenly. In this mamcrc. somctymc
snesying they dcyed. SO that when any
persone was herd SnrsyuG auOuc they
that We're by said to hymn. God hcIpc
You, or CrySt helpe. and yet yndurcth
the custoTe.' As Pope Gregory reign
ed in The sixth century rliny's query
far nntndatcS the explanation in The
Golden Legcndc."
Iii the BUDDHIST Scriptures, dating
at least 30 Il. c., 1t is related that
Buddha. when preaching one day to
his disciples, sneezed. whercupon all
exclaimed: May the Blessed Lord
live! May the welcome one live" thus
seriously interruptins the discourse
Buddha said, Tell me- when person
sneezes, If the bystandrr, say. May
you live, will he live the longer or
die the sooner for it "Crrtainly not,
lord So he forbade them to say it.
But the people took otfcnsc because the
priests did not thus salute them. and
BuGdha revoked his command.
The TnmudiC tradition is that the
custom dates from Jacob Before his
time man did not die of disease. but
when his appointed time was come he
snecZed once and WAS dead. Jacob pc
titioned for exemption from this law,
and his prayer was granted on condl-
ton that among all nations a snccze
should be hallowed by the words, "GOd
bless you"
The Greeks traced the custom back
to the myth of Promethcus. who made
an image of clay and wished to give 1t
life. From the sun he stole Il rcedful
of rays, and, Fastening back to his
statue. he placed the reed under its
nostrls, producing A sncczc Il phe-
nomenon we may ut any time produce
by standing in the sun. At this sign
Of life In his creation promethcuS ejac-
ulated n blessing and prayer for its
sneeze has been handed down through
all generations.
Also In the story of the Shunamite
child restored to lifc by the prophet
Elisha do we find the idea that this
COnvulsive effort of nature is the first
sign of life. The child SueeZcd seven
times. and the child opened his eyes"
f,l, 1T
born child is under the fairy spells un-
til 1t sne"ZeS Aristotle mentions the
practice of physicians who, when death
seems near. give medicines to induce
sneez'ng. hoping thereby to arouse the
failing faculties. Aristotle seems to
hay" given much attention to omcns
Of Sne"zlng. He says Il Snrczc ON the
right hand brings good fortune; on the
left hand ii betokcnS i'll.
In the Odyssey, when Penelope calls
on the absent Ulysses to punish wrong:
Telcmachus then sneezcd aloud
The smiling queen the happy omen bless
ed.
$50 may these impious fall by fate op-
pressed"
st. Augustine records that when the
ancients arose in the morning If they
snc"zcd while putting ON their shoes
they Immediately went back to bed
again i'll order to get up more aus
piciously and so escape miSfOrtumrS
likely to occur during the day. If
Hind0o SnceZeS while performing his
morning ablutonS in the Gangcs he
touches his forehead, nose, chin and
checks with the tips of his fingers and
recommcnces his prayers from the very
beginning. In illness sncczing is con
sidered good omen, a sign of return
ing health. Howell IN 1909 said, He
that hath SnceZed twice. turn him out
of the hospital" Among the nnccnts
If any one sneezed directly after din
ner n dish was brought back and tast-
ed to avert misfortune
The custom of SaIuting belongs to
every nation and cline In Ethiopia
when the king Sneezed those about
him saluted so loudly that they were
heard and echoed through the whole
city. In lJi2 De Soto had an inter
view In Florida with II caciQuc who
during conversation happened to
sneeZe. All his attendants bowed their
heads. opened and closed their arms
and saluted the prince with May the
sun guard you, shine ON YOU, defend
you, prosper YOU" and similar phrases
An Italian child's primer of 1908 says,
"Be!ng prompt in sauting any one
who may SneeZe and returning thanks
to any who on such an occasion may
have wished you WE'LL
An epigram in the Greek anthology
shows 1t was customary to say "GOd
bless you" The ancient Romans said
"Salve." The modern Roman Of the
lower class says, "Figli maSchi" (May
you have male childrem. The north
Germans say, Your good health" in
Vienna, God be with YOU" In Ireland
the peasant says, God bless your hon
or" Long life to your honor" The
Russian fors is ITO your good health"
or How do you do?" English folklore
is full of rhymes about SneeZing on
certain days. In Devonshlre they say:
s',eeze on Sunday morning fasting.
oull enjoy your own true love everlast-
ing.
This is but OLe Of the many that are
in use all over the land.
Fitting.
Miss Hairless You've seen that best
dress Of mine. Now. | want to get n