The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-06-08
French and English Girls Parting
Gifts Smack Of ldolatry and Wor-
ship Of Olden
Days.
HORSESHOE PLAYS PART
German Crown Prince Has One on
His Car-Joan Of Arc Gems
Sought by French
Soldiers.

That "the colonels lady and July
| O'Grady are sisters under their
skin" was an accepted fac. long be-
fore Kipling expressed it in rhyme,
but the modern girl of 1917 is also
a SISTER under her skin" to the
maids and matrons of 1900 B. c.,
to the savage women of Africa and
| the natives of the Philippines. She
is linked with the Hindu women OF
India and the peasants CT the middle
ages, for century by century in the
souls of every woman of every coun-
try there has been reincarnated a
strange superstition, belief in the
| power Of charms and jewels to cure.
The strings Of blue beads that the
modern girl dons to ward off bron-
chitis are merely new versions OF the
! strings Of blue beads worn in Egypt
1000 years before Christ to keep
! diseases of the chest at bay. The
tiny sealed bottle of mercury which
! she carries to ward off rheumatics
| had its prototype in bottles OF
strange elixir used in India thirty
centuries and more ago.
The women who don the electric
rings" that are supposed to have so
many curative virtues are emulating
(! the women Of the sixth century. VINO,
| during the reign of Marcellus Elm
piricus, wore rings made of rhinoc-
erous hide to ward off nervous de-
rangements.
And the mothers who, with abso-
lutte faith, put amber beads upon
their babies to keep them from
Group are following the same in
stinct as the African woman who
fastens brass rings or hoops OF bone
about the ankles and wrists of her
sick baby that the soul may not
take fight from the little body.
War Charms for Soldiers.
But it is not entirely the women
who cling to the belief in beads and
charms. for soldiers and sailors are
notoriously superstitious, not only
regarding cures, but prevention OF
hurts.
he crown prince Of Germany is
said to have horseshoe nailed 10
the door Of his war motor car, while
the soldiers of Wurtemburg pin their
faith to little bags of flower pollen,
which, they think, will ward on oul-
lets.
The Saxons sew into tn lining or
their waistcoats the wings of a, bat,
which. they believe, will make them
invincible; while Bavar.sns prick
their fingers and let few drops OF
blood fall on young tree which
thew say. insures them recovery
from any wound.
Old Rheumatism Beliefs.
It is when it comes to rheuma-
tism, however, that old supersutlons
come most definitely to the fore,
and there are scores OF cures ana
nreyentives which have come down
through the centuries. One or these
which the Belgians have introduced
70 the fighting men at the front IS
the wearing of strip or catskln
beneath the coat. According TO the
Belgians. this makes you immune
from both rheumatism and govt, and
with the trenches deep with mud ana
Scv water. the avearge soldier,
whether of France or England. Is
only too glad to take chance" on
any sort of preventive. and 1t Is SAID
that scores of domestic pussy cats
have been offered up as a sort OF
sacrifice to provide whole regiments
with the coveted strip Of fur. The
fad has spread to England, where
"catskin" bands are now sold; but
so far America has been content
with the theory that the wearing or
steel ring, or the carrying OF a
notato in the pocket, would keep or
The dread aching of joints and
muscles.
Joan of Arc Gems.
European soldiers who have been
farm hands also believe that wear
inc belt of acorns will keep them
from indigestion, no matter what
the fare at the front will be, and
wear the uncomfortable strings OF
them under their uniforms, while
MANY a sweetheart with all the faith
in the world, gives her soldier boy
a jacinth, that he may safely reach
his iourney's end and come home to
her again.
Amethysts and agates are, how
ever. the most popular with the girls
of both France and England. just
now, for they guarantee for those
who have faith in them a cessation
Of the pain OF parting with the
loved one, and sound sleep even in
"Zeppelin Weather. belief which
was equally prevalent in the time of
Jeanne dare, who was supposed to
possess magic rings With these gems
10 nrotect her in war and bring her
victory