Daily Kennebec journal., 1911-01-05
Everybody Is Superstitious
REMARKABLE CONDOLENCES WARRANT THE E.



ing to overlaxation of his strength, the
direct result of the intensity with which
| he simulated human passion and emo
tons upon the stage.
Shakespeare and Cervantes, the two
great dramatic poets of Europe, both died
| on the same day of the same year, April
| % 1916. Shakespeare. like Raphael and
| Sobieslii, died OH the anniversary Of his
| birth. Plato ard King Attius also died
| on their birthdays, while Pompey, ac-
| cordinS to Plutarch, was murdered "A few
hours after celebrating the anniversary
| of his birth. James Barry, whose epic
paintings and Attic conceptions made
| him famous. died on his birthday in Lon
| don on February 22 1906, when Go years
old His age, curiously enough, was pre-
cisely five times Is years George Wash
neton and Patrick Henry both died in
i 17g9
| The almost simultaneous birth and
| d. dth of illustrious persons in similar
hedA of activity strikes many persons as
being peculiar To say the least. Charles
| Dickens. the English novelist. and Alex
! auder Dumas. the great French roman
cist, both died in 1870. John Adams, the
| colossus of tmerican Revolution, who
predicted that the Fourth of July would
be celebrated by successive generations
| of Americans as a great anniversary
] festival, expired on that day in 1896. just
% years after he had affixed his signature
to the Declaration Of independence.
| Thomas jefferson also died ON that day,
within a few minutes of the hour when
Adams passed away. On the same day.
four years LATER. James Monroe. the fifth
President of the United States, passed to
his rest.
George bancroft, the historian. and T.
Babington Maeaulay. his English con
temporary were both born in 1900. Mrs.
! Harriet Beechcr stowe, author of "Uncle
| Toms cabin" and Charles Dickens,
whose novels continue to lead in popu-
larity. were born in 1872. Hogg and
Burns. the Scotch poets were born on
January y, ana Pope and Noltaire. hoth
died May 30 the first at Twickenham,
| in l744. the other at Chatenai, near Paris,
"a years later Rubens, the most emil
nent artist OF the Flemish school of paint
| ers. also died May 80 1910 Charles IN,
| of France. who gave the signal which
made the darkest days in the history Of
| that country, died of remorse in his cha
team near Paris on May 80, 1574.
! one finds it easy to accept the prnc-
pies of reinearnation of spirit when one
considers that Sir John Van Brush, an
| eminent English architect. was born in
the year of Mansard's DEATH in ltG6.
Just 1G0 years later was born Sir J. Wy
attvile and Wenbrunner, architects. who
gained fame. The great composers,
Giuek and Jomelli. We're born in 11l+. II
| is. perhaps, remarkable that William
Won Wallace and Won Winter, both musi
clans of 4 nigh order of merit, should
! have been born in l75i. and that both
! died in lS3i. Forstner and Gessner, two
eminent naturalists, were born in la2a.
| and after lives of usefulness both died in
| 1s25. Schubert and LIE Conte. musical
| composers, died in 1860. Benjamin Rush
| and Granville Sharp, philanthropists,
died almost simultaneously in 1873. Adam
son and Daubertson, the naturalists, died
the same year in which their llustrious
follower. Edwards was born 1890.
Afaeo was born in the year of Leo Ni-
menes death. 17S6. Lalande Maskelyne
and Rittenhouse. all distinguished
tronomers, were born in 1872. Sir Isaac
Newton was born in 1852. the year in
| which Calico, the astronomer. died.
| The thirteen" superstition has strong
hold upon most people. as has been
| shown tine and time again. Few per-
sons can be induced to occupy Room No.
| Is in hotel or lodging house. and houses
| numbered l3 are said TO be "hoodooed.
only when no other berth can be pro-
cured will the average actor accept Berth
No. l3 in a sleeping car. and It is almost
certain that his night on the cars will be
| sleepless
The figure 13 plays an important part
in history. Henry@II OF France was born
at st. Germaine on March 13, 1918 and on
the same day in 1541 he ascended the
throne on the death of his father, Fran
els j. Thirteen years later. on June %,
the Kings right eye was pierced by a
lance in the hands of Count de Mont
gomery in tournament. Thirteen days
| later the King died of the injury, and it
! Is peculiar that the days of his illness
| should correspond with the number of
| years he reigned. The reign of William
H. of England lasted 13 years. as also did
the reigns of Henry ". William III,
| Queen Anne and George T.
| remarkable set of circun stances an
| plying to the thirteen" superstition was
reNeaied several years ago by the death
| or woman In Western city. She was
born on the 18th of the month. WAS mar
ried on the 18th, had IS children. every
4 one of whom was born on the 18th day
| or the month, lost three fingers in an
| accioeht on the 18th, and finally died on
the loth' al the age of 65 years, her life
span numbering five times IS years. Four
of her children died on the 18th. one be-
ing burned to death in Room No 13 of a
MOTEL situated in Thirteenth street
strangely enough. this womans husband
died on the 18th after 13 days illness.
This thirteen" superstition is analo-
sous to the Friday superstition Friday
Is hangman's day the world over, and un-
til recent years sailors could not be in
duced to begin a voyage on that day, nor
were ships begun or launched on that
day History proves that Friday is no
more fatal to humanity than any other
day of the week. Columbus sailed from
! Palos on his voyage of discovery on a
Friday and he sighted land, after mu-
tinous voyage on the same day of the
week. Some of the largest enterprises in