Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1906-02-03
MISFORTUNE MET
BY SUPERSTITION
Belief Of Bad Luck On
Friday Causes Loss
Of Feet
GREGORY WALKS FOR 50
YEARS ON WOODEN FEET
TOURIST FROM COLORADO TELLS
INTERESTING STORY OF Accl.
DENT OF BoYHooD
DAYS.

As result. indirectly, of the old sup
erstition concerning the bad luck Of
beginning a thing on Friday, S. Greg
DRY, one of the tourists lately arrived
at the Young hotel. has walked for 50
years on artificial feet. So accustomed
has he become, however, to this un.
natural condition that an observer can
scarcely detect anything unusual in his
manner of walking around.
Mr.. Gregory is a business man Of
Trinidad. Colorado, and has become so
favorably impressed with Honolulu that
he Is seriously thinking of making some
investments in real estate here. He Is
e talkative, entertaining gentleman and
discusses the loss of his feet as cheer
fully as though II were not much OF a
misfortune, after all. He readily con.
sented to talk of the matter for publ
cation.
When a boy Mr.. Gregory lived on Il
farm. He did not like that calling and
concluded to learn the trade of cutting
stone. He had finished his apprentice.
ship at the age OF is years, and had OBJ.
tanned steady job at his trade Cir.
CumstanCes were such that he would
most conveniently begin his perma.
nent employment on Friday, but this
was considered by him, as by people
generally, as being a very unluCky
thing to do, so he postponed II until
the following Monday
Mr.. Gregory had been so accustomed
to work every day except Sunday that
the enforced idleness OF the Friday
which he had deemed to be so unlucky
was wOrrisome TO him Thus when he
met a farmer who wanted a man to
help him thresh grain on Saturday, he
offered his services, which were readily
accepted.
Saturday, and not Friday, proved to
be day of ill.luCk for Mr. Gregory.
While helping feed the grain into the
machine he stepped onto the platform
In front of the buzzing teeth, and, ac.
Cidentally slipping, both feet were car
rled into the thresher. A doctor was
Immediately called, and after looking
at the mangled limbs, he told the boys
folks that he could not live many hours s..
But he went to work, nevertheless, to
remove the feet. cutting the left leg of
half way between the foot and the
knee, and removing all OF the right
foot, with the exception Of a portion OF
the heel, which has since proved to be
an inconvenience. After a time the
boy rallied and became healthy and
strong, with the exception of the loss
he had suffered.
Artificial limbs were provided for
the unfortunate young man, and with
some difficulty he learned to use them.
He Is now 90 years of age, and he
walked the deck OF the Sierra on her
recent stormy trip from San Francisco
almost as conveniently as the younger
passengers whose limbs were sound.
In spite of his early misfortune, Mr..
Gregory has spent an active and modeT.
ately successful life. His son, the only
near relative still living, is a success.
full Colorado banker, and as the father
Is thus almost alone in the world he is
planning to retire from business soon
and devote the remainder of his life TO
rest and recreation.
This Honolulu country is Just the
kind OF place have been looking fot
for long time, but | do not expect
TO remain here more than a few weeks
this time" said Mr.. Gregory.
Il have travelled through the South.
ern States in search OF warm climate
to my liking, but | have never before
been perfectly suited. When | went
to Mobile, Ice froze on the water while
| was there, and felt colder than do
in Colorado, so | left that place In a
hurry. like Havana quite well, but It
is not as good as this place. Los An.
geles is quite nice, too, but the climate
does not suit me like 1t does here in Ho,
nolulu, tell you this place is all right
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