Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-08-04
DO YOU BEND,
KNEE TO BAAL?
Great Many People Are Filled
With Foolish Super
stition
BY RODOTHY DIX.


next me. The conversation began in
fun, but proceeded more seriously and
presently I began to be rather horrf-
fed to discover how often l bent the
knee to Baal.
1--WE confessed my superstitions."
l said to him. They are probably
the result of some strong suggestions
1 received in childhood; but never
theless, having a thorough belief in
the law of cause and effect, l can't
quite see how things can just casu-
ally happen of themselves, without
any reason for their happening as
they do. l admit that 1 will avoid
walking under a ladder or crossing
funeral or sitting thirteen at a table;
but while l am making this conces-
sion to my fears, for that is what 1t
really amounts to, my Unborn curio-
sity prompts me to ask myself why
these things should be looked upon
as omens of bad luck" or why to
see the moon over your right shoul-
der. or to have black cat cross your
path, is a sure sign of good luck"
The man to whom 1 spoke looked
shocked. He is an animated treas
ure house of superstitions, and 1t
savors of blasphemy to him to criti-
else or question them. Not satisfied
with those of tradition, he has his
own private brand. For the wealth
of the Indies he would not lay his
hat on the bed or dream of going up
stairs without counting the steps, or
fail to crack the egg shells after
he has finished his eggs at breakfast,
or spill the salt without throwing a
pinch of 1T over his shoulder and NUT
tering some sort of abracadabra, or
of putting on his stockings and shoes
until he is fully dressed.
On one occasion when he solemnly
warned me against these things and
l said that some of them were new
to me, he replied that he had tried
their power. Since that unfortunate
conversation 1 have never laid my
hat on the bed or omitted any of
the other ceremonies without a qualm.
Others to whom he impaired the same
have likewise succumbed.
And there you are.
That is probably the way all these
superstitions have started. The rec
ipe for them seems to be-a coinci-
dence-the black cat appearing at the
moment of some agreeable happen.
Ing, or the moon shining over the
wrong shoulder as a misfortune oc-
curs-the believer who connects the
two events and the credulous listener.
That poor witch-ridden man to
whom had been talking is fruitful
source for a swarm of new omens of
evil. And beside that, he is known
as one of the unluckiest men alive
and has chronic liver trouble.
Now. when you come to think of
it. why should he have pitched upon
such a list of harmless acts,as being
unlucky? Why, on the contrary, if
the question is to come up at ALL
shouldn't it be the most fortunate
thing in the world to put your hat on
the bed?
Across the table from US was sit
ting one of the luckiest women l
know and after dinner L sat down
beside her with the intention of find
ing out whether she cherished any
superstitions.
She is one of those rare people who
never have an "alibi," to borrow an
expression from baseball English. So
far as 1 can recall she never made
an excuse for anything she did or
left undone. The world luck" good
or bad. has no place in her vocabu-
larry. She takes everything as it
comes, passes it along. and bids it
God-speed as it goes.
Martha" l asked casually, "at
what stage of your dressing do you
put on your stockings and your
shoes?"
THE very first thing" she answered
promptly, and then, looking up at me
over her knitting with a twinkle in
her eye: What is this? An essay
on the Manners of Martha?"
Not exactly although 1 am much
obliged for the suggestion. 1 think
I'll use it some time. But at present
L am more interested in MartHas
Methods. And why do you always
put your shoes and stockings on
frst?"
80 as to begin the day shod with
edly. 4
"Punning is a dreadful habit"
said reprovingly.
"Oh. forgive me. 1t just popped in
to my head and had to pop out again.
Honestly, l newer gave a thought to
why put on my stockings and shoes
first. l suppose 1 can then throw on
a dressing gown and feel fully equip
ped for the next thing that may turn
up, from an alarm of fire to bringing
in the milk.
"Is that the only reason?" I thought
began to see a deep significance in
little things.
II told you 1 never thought about
it before. I'm sure it must be for
oilo lSeSoli' luouBH' LOU Iell-Or,
well, you have a sense of prepared
ness. You can walk about attending
to the other details. booted and spur
red, don't you seer
Perfectly" 1 replied. Nov tell me
something else. Do you count the
steps when you go upstairs?"
Mercy, mol! Martha exclaimed.
I'm far too busy planning what l
shall do when l get to the top. You
know, l always like to keep one step
ahead. and to do that, you can't
bother with the ones you've taken,
can your?
"Of course. you can't" agreed.
only that's the thing most of us do.
We're always looking backward, for
getting what happened to Lots wife.
It's habit with you never to look
behind"
rs it?" she asked. 'I never thought
about that either. But now you men
tion it, why should L? We all know
what's back of US; it's the thing that
lies around the next turn in the road
that's really interesting"
Il wonder" l went on. '1f you look
far enough ahead, let us say, to avoid
walking under a ladder or crossing a
funeral?"
"Ifdon't remember ever doing So"
she answered a little apologetically,
but to tell you the truth, whenever
I'm out I'm, of course. going some
where, and I'm so much interested in
getting there that 1 don't stop to
think about ladders and funerals"
But don't you believe in luck,
Martha?"
"Ah, you're trying to ind out
whether l have any superstitions or
not, aren't your she laughed. well.
you know just as much about it as