The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1907-03-01
SEED HAS Been
SOWN IN Us ALL
People Still More or Less
Thrall to the Mystic
Beliefs.
EVERYONE BELIEVES
TN CERTAIN 0MENS
Taint Runs in Veins of All,
and Cannot BE
Eradicated.

rabbit, killed at midnight in the dark
of the moon on the grave OF murderer
! by red headed, cross-eyed negro, ae
! the recipe calls for, but L do know
/ without it, The only day l left II al
home since I got it my horse threw
me and I was laid mp with broken
coIlarbonc for two weeks, Why, they
say it s superstition that makes me al
WAYS have my meat killed in the light
of the moon. but / honestly believe
that meat killed any other time shrinks
soap. Nv wife never has her soap
made in the dark of the moon, and she
has old Mary watch carefully to see
that il isn't stirred the wrong way.
Our family has always adhered TO the
custom of planting beans on Good FRI
day. q custom that came over With our
forefathers from England, | believe.
dou't know its. origin, but We always
plant that day.
We driftcd into long discussion Of
present day superstitions, concluding
that after all we hadn { come far from
the oldtme traditions and beliefs or
our less enlightened ancestors who
dreaded black cats because they might
be witches. who saw winding sheets in
candle drippings, and journeys IN cof-
cling TO our superstitions because they
are sort Of luxury, and not because
we really haven t the strength to shake
them off Some one has sand that we
like old, picturesque beliefs and Gus
toms quite as much as we do old china,
old books, old pictures, and old cary
mgs.
1t hasn & been century ago since
rural dwcllcrs in North Carolina were
surreptitiously placing Bibles under the
heads Of their sleeping children to
charm away the same witches that
dwellers in old Salem and Boston had
tried and burned hundred years be-
fore when caught in human shape.
am not superstitious at all. ] am really
too enlightened, some charming house
with smile, Hbut [ do hate to cross
a funeral procession on the street or
begin a Journey on Friday Many
women will never start the making of
dress on Friday. and If a spark from
the fire should burn a hole in the gar
ment while it is being made it is con
sidercd sure sign that the wcarer will
die before the garment wears out. To
turn back for a forgotten article after
sign, unless one sits down r minute in
the parlor to avert evil. To turn back
twice is good luck.
Sing before breakfast and you will
weep before dark, runs another old say
ing, and some country folk believe that
he who cuts his nails on Sunday will
suffer much shame aud modification be-
fore the day is over. To put a stock
ing on wrong side out when dressing in
the morning is very bad luck, unless the
wearer Will sit down at the exact noon
hour and turn the unconscious tool of
destiny. True, this performance might
be embarrassing, but it must be done
to change the luck, In some communi-
ties custom brought from the old
world requires a member of q house
where death hns come 10 20 out and
whisper the news 10 the bees in the hive
and beg them TO stay, else they Will
depart.
Thirteen will always be hoodoo
number II has survived centuries of
reform and progress. dating back. it is
said, to the Lord S supper, when Judas
betrayed his Master. Men IRE even
more uneasy over this number than
women. often refusing 10 sit at a table
where there are thirteen, and declining
point blank 10 occupy rooms in hotel
that bear the cabalistic sign. This SUI
perstition is so general that up-to o.datc
hotels and steamers have no rooms mum.
bered thirteen,
Whatever YOU do, If sou are taking 2
sea voyage, don e dare to whistle I'M.
less therc is A great calm at seq. Whis.
Ting VIII bring wind, so the seamen
say lhey may graciously permit YOU
TO whistle bit If the boat is becalmed
but Just try 1t when there is a wind
The skipper may sternly advise YOU TO
cut II out unless yon want TO bring
a gale, Sailors are said to be the most
supersiitious OF all people. and it is
rooted Objection 10 having preacher
among the passengers or corpse
brought aboard, lust what disaster Inc
SKY pilot or corpse NAV bring is
not known. Let them see the rats leav
ing ship and there will be an imme.
dlate exodus on the part of the sailors
Tor that means the ship will sink and
mat every member Of The crew will be
a candidate for Devy Jones s locker
Gamblers are said To be next to sail
ors in belief in the occu,t, and stamo
folks arc third in line. Once n scene.
shifter was called in to SIT nj the table
~ one of Drew S plays, when Mt tbc
last minute the number Of characters
was discovered to be thirteen. An nm
breila must not be opened on the stage:
cross'eyed person in the front row is
considered to queer play; and almost
every actor and actress will observe
certain rules of their own in going on
and OF the stage. Almost everv actor
mas a personal superstition that to any
one else would be amusing, 1t is told
or Lawrence Barrett that before he
would play certain roles he always
carefully ate the exact half Of a nie.
That Mccullough would ALWAYS make
change IN his cast before piay was
allowed to go on, if he happened 10 see
me moon over his left shoulder, as he
came down to the theater; while For