The Washington times., 1907-03-17
SUPERSTITIONS
OF HEEICANS
Queer Things That Poems
Are Taught to Do or
to Avoid.

he4hB, |Gt Mexico seems 70 be the place
where ali human superstitions are cen
tered. To such an extent is this tr1e
that superstition has become almost a
kind Of religion, governing every act Of
the people.
rake the average Mexican Of the
poorer classes and you may hear from
mis- lips hair-raising stories Of ghosts
and fairies and devils. He will tell you
ot the rare qualities Of many animals.
plants and stones. OF the things you
can do and those you cannot do on GER
tain days OF the week or the month.
and finally. he will invite YOU 10 make
the sign Of the cross 20 drive away the
devils and the ghosts that may have
been attracted by the conversation you
have had
From their earliest childhood the
poems are taught 70 make the sign Of
the cross before going TO sleep al night
and before touching the floor with their
toes in the morning. Maidens. until
they become brides. are urged by their
mothers to put their shoes point against
point under their bed at night to bring
happy dreams. and will even enable
them to converse with the Virgin dur
ing their sleep.
When dressing the right shoe never
the lefD is put on first The buttons
OF the suit are buttoned upward. that is.
starting with the lowest and ending
at the top This is 10 signify that we
are very low here in this earthly planet.
but that during the day we Will try %
90 upward Furthermore, this practice
If faithfully and constantly observed.
viii lead US very high 10 heaven when
we die. The contrary VIII take US down
20 Inferno
After one IS ready 20 20 out OF his
room. one must always move the right
foot FIRST II it happens that you find
at -he door OF your house bunch of
hair or hemp. IL is a proof that witch
Is after you with some Ill purpose. and
YOU must at once bring some salt and
throw four handfuls as far as you can,
one 10 the east. another TO the west, the
third 20 the north. and the last 20 the
south Then YOU have nothing TO fear
FROM witches in the course Of the day
But at night, when you retire, you must
take two very fine sticks. make a cross
with them and nail It 70 your door.
No witches. ghosts. or devils will bother
you thereafter.
II before taking breakfast you happen
20 see a black cat three lame fellows on
one and the same street OF a corpse. II
would be better for you to 20 back home
and stay indoors for the day. becaUss
something wrong is in store for you.
If, on the contrary. You meet n hump
back. it would be good for you 10 snake
hands with him. pat his hump. and give
him some money, II ne is a beggar; that
viii bring you good luck Humpbacks
are exceptionally good omens for those
who buy lottery tickets II you buy one.
do not see its number until you have
rubbed il against somebody's hump;
then You are sure 10 win a prize.
Numbers :. 10, and = are lucky; ;. 3.
and Al are Unlucky. No. IS especially Is
one that never fails 10 bring trouble so
never live in a house or room numbered
Is. be very careful when you ascend a
staircase with thirteen steps: never ride
on car No. I3. and under no circum-
stances eat. drink. or wear anything
that has cost YOU thirteen cents or dol
lars. or that you have bought on the
thirteenth OF the month.
Tuesday and Friday are very bad
omen days, and there is a common say
ing that means do not marry or start
on any business on Tuesday or Friday"
Black cats. spiders. and owls are very
bad omen creatures Never keep a black
cat at home, be sure 20 Kill all spiders
you see crawling about your bed. and
always close tight your ears when YOU
hear an owIet hoot. Indians abhor
owlcts. they say When an owIet sinEs
an Indian dies. il may be untrue. vet il
always happens"
Butterflies are good or bad omen. ac-
cordiuS TO their color White ones bring
happiness. yellow ones advise rs 10
maintain alive our hopes OF love and
fortune. aud black ones announce that
death is stalking around US or our rel
atives
The dog is the greatest friend Of man.
no doubt about that. as he Is endowed
with the power Of seeing ghosts, devils
and death When You hear your dog
bowling. 1t is proof that he is warn
ing YOU against some evil event.
One thing Of apparently small import
ance- but which brings fatal results. is
the lighting Of three cigars OF cigarettes
on the same match. One Of the three
persons lighting their cigars will die
within the year
Here We have very safe means to
know whether we are going to die in
the course Of any given year. It cannot
be more simple You get up very. early
in the morning of January l and await
On the field for the sun 10 rise. you
looking westward The minute the sun
rises you see your own shadow. enor-
moUsly enlarged; II Il has a head on YOU
are sure TO live through the year. but II
there is 10 head at all. then YOU had
better draw UP your viii
For love charms women use among
others, the lOadstone. II a woman sus-
poets that her husband IS in love with
another woman or that he is willing 10
desert her. let her carry a small load
stone sewn 20 her corset, the husband
VIII become more loving than ever
man proves to be a bad husband
and his wife wants to get rid Of him.
the only way TO accomplish this IS to
make him die, because divorce does not
exist in Mexico. But for this women do
not appeal to knives, revOlvers Jr drugs.
but 20 other means. The one most in
vogue IS 10 have a ribbon blessed by a
priest. on behalf Of the SAINT whose
name her husband bears; with this rib
bon the man is measured when asleep
The ribbon Is cut and next morning a
mass is ordered in honor OF the mans
saint : name: when the priest is giving
the final blessing. the ribbon is burned
and the poor husband dies within
month from an unknown disease.
hn n-a ~