Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-08-09
Misesllansuus 8eadins.
MEXICAN oMENS.
Almost a Religion, Governing Every
Act of the People.

MEXICAN OMENS.
Almost a Religion, Governing Every
Act of the People.
Mexicans enjoy the well earned rep
utation Of being one Of the most su-
perstitious races Of the world. Super
stition exists wherever there Is a hui
man being, but Mexico seems to be
the place where all human supersti-
tions are centered. To such an extent
IL this true that superstition has be-
come kind of religion, governing ev-
cry act Of the people.
Take the average Mexican Of the
poorer classes. and you may hear from
his lips hair-raising stories Of ghosts
and fairies and devils. He will tell
you Of the rare qualities Of many ami
mails, plants and stones. Of the things
you can do and those you cannot on
certain days Of the week or the month
and finally, he will invite you to make
| the sign Of the cross to drive away
the devils and the ghosts that may
Ihave been attracted by the conversa-
tion you have had.
From their earliest childhood the
poems are taught to make the sign OF
the cross before going to sleep at 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 pointing
under their bed at night to bring hap
py dreams, and this will even enable
them to converse with the Virgin dur
ing their sleep.
| When dressing the right shoe (nev-
er the left) Is put on first. The but
tons of the suit are buttoned upward,
that is, starting with the lowest, and
ending at the top. This is to signify
that we are very low here In this
earthly planet but that during the day
we will try to go upward. Further
more, this practice-if faithfully and
constantly observed-will lead us very
high to heaven when we die. The con-
trary will take us down to inferno.
After one is ready to go out Of his
room one must always move the right
foot first. II 1t happens that you find
at the door of your house bunch OF
hair or hemp. 1t is 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 to the east, another to the west,
the third to the north and the last one
to the south. Then you have nothing to
fear from witches in the course or the
day. But at night when you retire
you must take two very fine sticks,
make a cross with them and nall 1t to
your door. No witches, ghosts or dew
lis will bother you thereafter.
If before taking breakfast you hap
pen to see a blackcat, three lame fell
lows on one and the same street or
corpse, 1t would be better for you to
go back home and stay in doors for the
day. because something wrong Is in
store for you.
Tuesday and Friday are. very bad
omen days, and there is a common
saying that means do not marry or
start on any business on Tuesday and
Friday"
| Black cats, spiders and owls are
very bad omen creatures. Never keep
a black cat at home, be sure to Kill
all spiders you see crawling about your
bed and always close tight your ears
when you hear an owlet hoot. Indians
abhor owls; they say: when an owlet
sings an Indian dies; 1t may be un-
true. yet 1t always happens"
| Butterflies are good or bad omens,
according to their color. White ones
bring happiness: yellow ones advise us
to maintain alive our hopes Of love OF
fortune and 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 In
dorsed with the power Of seeing ghosts,
devils and death. When you hear
your dog bowling 1t is proof that he Is
warning you against some evil event.
| olle lllHB VI dppdlCitiS ass
portance, but which brings fatal re-
suits, Is the lighting Of three cigars or
cigarettes on the same match. One Of
the three persons lighting the cigar
will die within the year.
Here we have a very safe means to
know whether you are going to die In
the course Of any given year. 1t cam
not be more simple. You get up early
on the morning Of January l and await
On the field for the sun to rise, you
looking westward. The minute the
sun rises you see your own shadow,
enormously enlarged; II it has a head
on you are sure to live through the
year, but If there is no head at all.
then you had better draw up your will.
Mexican Herald.
3sJ Tight shoes? Not nowadays"
said the shoemaker "The tight shoe