Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-04-17


meat for that Is sign or eternity
and used by Gods command in all
sacraments," says Scot. In his "Dls-
covcries OF Witchcratt." And indeed.
salt no less tham IRE. was from the
very beginning OF time regarded as n
| slit from above. Homer calls Il Ill.
vine. The old Teutonic races consll
cred salt springs holy and worshlped
them; Tacitus tells OF a long ana de-
VaStating war waged owe rtho queit
lion Of lordshin over one. Logs were
soaked in water from these springs
and then set on fire, from which
small quantities Of salt were produc-
cd hut, of course. this was only far
inland since all salt comes originally
from the sea.
There is plenty Of evidence In Holy
Wri; for ceremonial uses of II. The
Mosaic law commands that Every
oDiatlon of thy meat Offering shalt
hou season thine offerings thou shalt
oner salt salt OF the covenant of thv
God TO be lacking from thy meat Of
ierlng; with all thine Offering. thou
shalt suffer salt" U-eviticus. IL. 49,
ana Ezekiel. in bitter reproach. cries
TO Jerusalem that "As for thy nativi-
| ~, in the day thou vast born :;
thou vast not washed in water TO sun.
PIE thee; thon vast not sailed AT all
nor swaddlcd at all xvi. -. Salt
| was. in fact. put into childs mouth
in baptism. and Il pinch OF II Is thrown
into holy water to keep the evil spirit
at bay.
symbol Of Immortality.
Some reason lies at the root OF all
this; salt cannot corrupt. ana has
therefore always been regarded as a
symbol of immortality. In ireland n
pewter plate of ii was placed on the
heart OF corpse till burial. and then
with Goals and holy water thrown in
to the grave. The superstitions con-
nected with 1t are legion. hut perhaps
The best known Is 10 the effect that it
Is Mnlucky to spill it. Some have
found an origin for this in Leonardo
Idi Vinci's famous last Supper" nj
Milan. where an overturned salt cellar
Is represented by The side of Judas,
tho traitor: but 1t Is in fact very
much more ancient superstition than
that.
The victims for Roman sacrifices
were led 10 death with salt upon their
heads. which should they shake II on.
was regarded as the very worst of
omens; and the idea was hoary even
! then. 1t Is scarcely surprising that Il
sui stance In itself regarded ~ divine
should presage disaster TO any being
careless enough 10 let it fall: and one
can picture stately rites of yore,
whore salt was carried as a holy relic
might be in Italy today, and where, on
any accident occurring 10 II. the most
terrible of heavenly rcvenges might
be expected 10 descend. II is not the
first lofty idea the true meaning of
which has shed itself in it's passage
through the ages Til now all that re-
mains TO us Is the mere ignoble sup.
erstition. Should any be so unrortu.
nate rs 10 drop or spill salt today he
is at once, we are advised. TO throw
pinch over his left shoulder three
times. saying Go TO the DEVIL" each
line.
Odd Customs In Wales.
In Wales. before any furniture ID
taken into a new house. Il is-or was
till recently-the custom TO throw
salt In at the door: and when child
for the first time leaves its mothers
house salt is put in its pockets: iii
both cases. the stun. of course. repre-
ISentlna' a charm to keep away all
~ tHtiT HGSJ
teeth were Instructed To wrap each In
scrap Of paper with some salt, and
fling IL in the fire: but the German
child. In somewhat different ritual.
was to take his into dark corner and
drop 1t there Whispering the while
Mouse, | give thee n tooth of bone.
Give me instead an iron one.
The suggestion OF the exchange he-
tokens the thrifty Teutonic mind, and
one hopes the mouse used all due in
fluence to fulfill his share of the CON
tract TO the confusion OF all dentists.
Salt was. OF course. an indispenaHp
bic ingredient OF all charms against
wltchcraft. The Scotch goodwifa
would throw some in the fire o. nights
and cry: Guide preserve s frae a.
skaith!" and many legend was bas-
ed on the story ofsthe unwilling ghost
at some witches Sabbath. who. trying
to make the best of the unholy repast.
asked for salt to season his meat. At
the bare mention OF the word with
screams the whole assembly melted
into air. even as II the sign of tho
cross had teen made or holy water
poured into their midst. And not on
ly in such spells as these must salt
be used: ii played its part in love
charms. too. and in IIenderson's Folk
Lore" we have n recipc for the use
of maidens who would call their err
ring lovers back to them They must
we read. for three consecutive Fri
dav nights throw 4 pinch OF salt into
the fire and chant The words:
II is moi this sale wash TO burn.
II is my lovers heart 10 turn
That he may neither rest nor hap
nv be
Until he comes ana e'peaks TO me.
AS to Uses of Salt.
AnronOs OF the witches BANQUET. II