Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-08

more less In their daily conduct by PEE
culiar pet superstitions.
After William X. Vanderbilt has made
bet at the race track he cndeavors to shun
all his friends and acquaintances. for he
feels certain that II any one speaks to him.
and he therefore has To break silence be-
fore the race has been won. he will be num-
bered among the losers.
Mr. Vanderbilt Acknowledged this weak
ness once on the first day OF a meet at the
Morris Park race track. now given over
10 automobile meets. After the second
race. MIR. Vanderbilt walked over TO tho
cub house, and a friend asked him:
Did you win. Vanderbilt
No. was the reply; that chap who
talked 10 me during the race cost me $500
had 500 on that to horse. but never
can win when any one talks to me-
For weeks after that Mr.. Vanderbilt's
friends having entered into the conspiracy.
made point of talking with him when
ever they saw him placing a bet and as
a result he lost a good many hundred dol
lar bills, 800 being much he
wagers on even the biggest races
Russell Sage has been known to rOfuco
l" transact business with any man who "
preceded into his office by buzzing fly.
One day broker. who had done business
with Mr. Sage for number OF years
dumfounded to be told In the curtest man
ner possible by the noted fnancier that
they could transact no business that day.
and not until a week later did he learn tho
reason for this unusual conduct. After
that the broker always took good care to
see that no flies were with him when he
went into Mr.. Sage's presence.
Under no circumstances would Jay Gould
use an elevator. he had a superstitious
dread of 1t. Exhibited States Senator
Chandler counts white horses for luck UNI
II! he reaches the number thirty nine when
he begins over again.
Many persons have a superstitious pref
erence for entering a room certain way.
The prosaic DIR. Johnson always counted
his steps before entering any place, as
to arrange that his right foot should Al
ways precede his left; or, again. touched
every post which he passed along a certain
route, fearing that. II he missed one. some
misfortune would befall him
Some years ago United Service. In tbs
course of rather exhaustive investigation,
found that many OF the worlds famous
fighters have been enthralled more or less
completely al times by supersttions pecu-
liar TO each Of them.
1t is well known that Napoleon had On
abiding faith in his star. and on numerous
occasions he gave evidence of the hold thi,
superstition had on him. Whenever he
dreamed of crcckery General Grant fell
sure that some good fortune would surely
soon befall him. and the night before ma
received his commission colonel Of ar.
Illinois regiment he dreamed of field filled
with beautiful china He Immediately In
formed his wife that prosperity was about
to dawn upon their fortunes.
The great Nelson carried the landluober :
and while the Victory was his flagship a
horseshoe was kept nailed TO the mizzen-
mast.
Lord Wolseley has acknowledged over ms
own signature: II not only believe in many
superstitions, but / hug them with the
warmest affection. / believe in ghosts and
amulets. | have worn out the rims OF sew
eral hats since I have been in Dublin
through my salutations of single magpies'
Bismarck Exceedingly Superstitious.
Bismarck's superstitions were of more
common mold. He had a strong aversion 10
the number thirteen and to Friday. on
which day he would do nothing that no
considered important. When General
Boyer, Bazaine's envoy, arrived at the Ger
man headquarters at Versailles on Friday.
October l. Bismarck would not him un-
til the next day pleading his superstition.
Some years later. when he was talking
about one of the few defeats which the
Germans suffered In the war with France.
he said: II beg you to observe, gentlemen
that that happened on Friday"
The late James G. Blaine was ruled by
a superstition which kept him from turning
back to his house to get something that lie
had forgotten This Is said to be the rea-
son why messages were continually travel
ing between his home In Washington and
his desk in the Capitol. and later In the
State Department
For an Irishman. and an Irish leader At
that, the great Parnell had a peculiar SUI
perstition. He held that green was an ex-
ceedingly unlucky color. and IT has been
said by those who knew him well that
1.-The sight of green banners at the political
meetings he addressed often unneryei
him"