The Topeka state journal., 1911-05-15

derstand it,
There, my dear" said the lady
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. turning,
to the author mans wife with sus-
piciously animated friendliness, there
that reminds me. You remember the
day you stopped at my house on your
way to town and you told me you
had put your petticoat on wrongside
out and you simply couldn't bear to
change it for fear of i'll luck. and vet
you were afraid the tailor would see
it. Do you think he noticed it?''
The author mans wife turned a dull
red. mo, he didn't" she snapped
Come to thing of it, admitted the
FButterfly- Girl, kindly -cdrtailing the
laugh by her admission. Come to
think of it. 1 needn't have laughed at
Molly l don't mind spilling salt or
changing things that I put on wrong
side out. but I must say, I'm heart
broken if see the new moon over my
left shoulder
POOH" said the author man.
There's nothing in that. Why, just
last month l saw the new moon over
my left shoulder, through glass and
with not cent in my pocket, and 1
had three manuscripts accepted with
In the next week. No, take it from
me, that moon business is all nom
sense. But I'll tell you something that
isn't. 1 never yet had a story that I
began on Friday accepted. You can
pooh-hooh all you want, but that's
not superstition; that's real expert
ence"
The wants-to- be-cynic turned ap-
pealingly to the -who-aIways-
knows-somehow. Surely" he plead
ed, surely, you, the priestess of COM
| mon sense, will assure us that you al
least, are free from this maudlin, med
1eVal mania of superstition (The
wants to-be-cynic is crazy about al
liberation and looked proudly about
for someone to pat him on the back
after this effort)
We'll, 1 don't mind tipping ovel
salt, and L wouldn't keep anything or
and the only thing 1 notice about the
new moon is whether it's a wet or
dry one, and as for Friday, I've haC
some of the best luck 1 ever had OF
tnat day, but 1 must say that do no
IKE to sit down with thirteen at
table. | really think 1 have som,
justification in that, for i've known
two cases where the thirteenth person
died within a year.
''Old people?" inquired the cynfc
lady.
Lady, I'm disappointed in youi'' sale
the Wants-to-be-cynic. Does thi:
actually mean that I'm the only per
son in this crowd who is absolutely
Iree from superstition ?"
No, it doesn't" said the author
man dryly. mot by a good deal
That is, unless you've changed youl
mind about some things since 1 bunk.
ed with you about a month ago, ano
tyou took the head right off of your
scru bwoman ,for breaking your shaw.
ing mirror. You were most particular
TO say that the thing didn't cost much
and it wasn't the value you minded al
ALL but you didn't like the idea OF
| being saddled with bad luck for sever
years"
The wants-to-be-cynic turned three
wife had.
Dear me-" sighed Molly. when the
meeting had come back to compare.
tive order. I'VE must, be remark
aply foolish people-not one of u:
without superstition
NOT bit remarkable, Molly sai6
the lady-Who-always-k s-knows-Somehow
don't believe you'll find one persor
IN nVe hundred who hasn't at leas
one pet superstition. Maybe, som,
people won't like to acknowledge i
any better than some of us, but if yol
could live year with them you'd b,
sure to find it,
Whlch-aS you may have suspected
is my own opinion and my thesis.
Try 1t some time in a company O
real sensible people, and if you can ge
them to be honest, 1 don't beIiev,
you u md one but. though he laugh t,
scorn all other superstitions, has som,
pet one of his own tucked away
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