Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-08-11

Eorseshoes, but they must be shoes that
a horse has worn and dropped. Horse.
shoes were credited with keeping on
witches. In England you are likely to
see horseshoes tackled up on some part OF
all the houses on the streets. 1t Is re-
corded that the great Nelson hoisted a
horseshoe to the mast Of the Victory,
in the battle of the Nile. Generally the
horseshoe is tackled over the door. Some
times you find IT wrapped with ribbons
for a parlor ornament. We are hunting
good luck by the route Of the horseshoe
When we see a new moon we think OF
the weather as well as good luck One OF
our old colored servants once said to
me, Now, Miss Becky, don't you ever
look at the new moon, If you don't have
a thrip in your pocket. I allus rattle
NV KEYS in my pocket when i amt got
no money.
If the moon dips the water will spill
out, then If the ends Of the crescent are
both upward the moon will hold water
Again there is an old legend:
"All hail to the moon, all hill to thee,
I prithee, good moon, declare to me,
This night, who my future husband Will
be-"
In earlier days the SWANS and maids
were constantly singing odes to the
moon.
Did you ever hear the death watch"
which is only a bug, that taps his head
against the wood? When you near \
"tree-frog'' you are certain 1t is sign
of rain. If an owl perches on your roof
IL is a sign of death. In our refugee
home We had a lot of fatal sickness In
1S64-e5, I had q very sick child and the
house had no windowglass, only big
wooden shutters. While we were watch
ing beside the dear child, an owl came IN
at an open window and perched on
rafter.
stricken. "Oh, Miss Becky, little Willie
Is going to die" And when Willie died
the colored people were a unit In the
belief that the owl brought US the warn
ing. A looking glass fell at another
time and they foretold sad news, and as
a dear child also died soon after they
were more than ever convinced OF the
death warning. If shucks are thick on
corn II means a hard winter. II IL
rains every day in Old Christmas IL
means a wet crop year. II Is
dry Christmas look out for a drouth.
Seafaring people plead that the dying
will go out with the tide. Phantom
ships are talked about and greatly dread
ed. Addison, the great English writer
believed in witches. And English
Judges condemned many women 10
death as witches It was a Disgrace
to civilization, but Salem, Mass, had
regular witch burnings and quoted the
Bible, where 1t says: you shall not
suffer a witch to live" How many
thousand doubts and fears have The
story of the Witch Of Endor inspired.
And If Samuel could rise up. why should
not other spirits APPEAR
Fortune tellers flourish now. They
can see things in the settings or
teacup. They can read fate in the palm
of your hand. They can find lost things
and they can discover a stream under
ground by holding a willow wand In
their hands. Can 1t be wondered that
the colored race IS possessed with
belief In "cunjur bags?
Bibles are strewn broadcast over the
land. Sunday schools and churches have
many attendants, but all the same, su-
perstitions hold sway, where Ignorance
is the rule and people are seeking
sign"
Nobody, not even the cultured, are
particular to seat thirteen people at a
table You can look wise and feel
Obliged to make an excuse, but you
would have been happy If the number
Of guests were either twelve or fourteen.
II you could possibly count up the peo-
pie who do not choose to perambulate
after midnight in old graveyards you
would be astonished. All of US have
been tinctured with some variety of su-
perstition, and mind readers take ad.
vantage Of it.