Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-01-13
EVERYBODY is
SUPERSHTIOUS
Condolences That Seem to Warrant
the Belief In Signs and Omens .....


Clarion. famous French actress,
attributed her ills arising from pre-
mature senility to the influence Of
the griefs and distresses with which
she had been constantly overwhelmed
year after year on the stage.
The infirmities of the elder Booth
and the insanity and death of John
Mccullough are aScribed to similar
causes. Thomas Keene, the trage
dian, a vigorous man of highly sensi-
tive temperament, died when compara-
lively a young man, and there are
many who aScribe his passing to over
taxation of his strength, the direct
result of the intensity with which he
simulated human passion and emo
tionS upon the stage.
Shakespeare and Cervantes. the two
great dramatic poets of Europe. both
died on the same day of the same
year. April 23, 1916. Shakespeare,
like Raphael and Sabieski, died on the
anniversary of his birth. Plato and
King Attalus also died on their BIRTH
days, while Pompey, according 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
LOnuOn on SI. loUO, WneH
65 years old. His age, curiously
enough, was precisely five times thir-
teen years. George Washington and
Patrick Henry both died in 1899.
The almost simultaneous birth and
death of illustrious persons in SINH
lar fields of activity strikes many
persons as being peculiar, to say the
least. Charles Dickens, the English
novelist, and Alexander Dumas, the
great French romancist. both died in
1870. John Adams, the colossus Of
the American Revolution, who pre-
dicted that the Fourth of July would
be celebrated by successive genera
tions OF Americans as a great anni-
versay festival, expired on that day
in 1926, just fifty years after he had
affixed his signature to the Declara-
ton of Independence. Thomas Jeffer-
so nalso 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. Darlington Macaulay, his English
contemporary. were both born in 1900
Mrs. Harriet Beecher Stowe, author
of Uncle Toms Cabin" and Charles
Dickens. whose novels continue to
lead in popularity, were born in 1872
Hogg and Burns. the Scotch poets.
were born on January %, and Pope
and Voltaire, both died on May so,
the first at Twickenham, in 1744, the
other at Chatenai, near Paris, thirty
four years later. Rubens, the most
eminent artist Of the French school
of painters, also died on May 80,
1910. Charles TX, of France, who
gave the signal which made the dark
est rays in the history of that coun-
try. died of remorse in his chateau
near Paris on May 80. 1874.
One finds it easy to accept the prin-
ciples of reincarnation of spirit when
one considers that Sir John Van
Brugh, an eminent English architect.
was born in the year of Mansard's
death, in 1866. Just 100 years later
brunner architects, who gained fame.
The great composers, Gluck and
Jomelli, were born in 1714. 1t is,
perhaps, remarkable that William
Won Wallace and Won Winter both
musicians of a high order of merit,
should have been born in 1854, and
that both died in 1925. Forstner and
Gessner, two eminent naturalists. were
born in 1929, and after lives of USE
fulness both died in 1925. Schubert
and LIE Conte, musical composers,
died in 1860. Benjamin Rush and
Granville Sharp. philanthropists, died
almost simultaneously in 1913. Adam
son and Daubertson. the naturalists,
died the same year in which their IL
lustriouS follower, Milne Edwards,
was born, 1900. Arago was born in
the year of Leo Ximene's death, 1886.
Lalande. Maskelyne and Rittenhouse,
all distinguished astronomers, were
born in 1882. Sir Isaac Newton was
born in 1912, the year in which Cali
leo, the astronomer died.
The thirteen" superstition has a
strong hold upon most people, as has
been shown time and time again.
Few persons can be induced to occu-
py Room No. 13 in a hotel or lodging
house, and houses numbered thir-
teen are said to be "hoodooed." Only
when no other berth can be procur-
ed will the average actor accept Berth
No. Is in a sleeping car. and it is
almost certain that his night on the
cars will be sleepless.
The figure thirteen plays an i'm
uortant part in history. Henry II.
of France was born at st. Germaine
on March 13, 1918, and on the same
day in 1547 he ascended the throne
on the death of his father, Francis
I. Thirteen years later. on June 90,
the kings right eye was pierced by
a lance in the hands of Count de
Montgomery in a tournament. Thir-
teen 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 II. of England lasted
thirteen years, as also did the reignS
of Henry ". William III. Queen
Anne and George /.
remarkable set of circumstances
applying to the thirteen" supersti-
ton was revealed several years ago by
the death of a woman in a western
city. She was born on the 18th day
of the month, was married on the
18th, had 13 children, every one of
whom was born on the 18th day Of
the month. lost three fingers in an ac-
cident on the 18th, and finally died
on the 18th, at the age Of 65 years,
her life span numbering five times
thirteen years. Four of her chill
dren died on the 18th, one being
burned to death in Room No. 13 Of
a hotel situated in Thirteenth street.
Strangely enough. this woman's hus-
band died on the 18th after thirteen
days illness.
This "thlrteen' superstition Is anal-
ogous to the Friday superstition. Fri.
day is hangman's day the world over,
and until recent years sailors could
not be induced 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 hu-
manity than any other day of the
week. Columbus sailed from Palos
on his voyage of discovery on a Fri
day and he sighted land, after a mu-
tinOus voyage. on the same day Of the
week Some of the largest enter
prises in the world were conceived
on a Friday. so that. after all. the
superstition commonly attached to
the day seems to fall flat.-New York
Herald.