The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-09-30

Assertions to the contrary notwith- standing, the large majority of people, regaI dless of class or creed. are more or less superstitious. While some loudly declare that superstition hath no terrors for them, 1t is safe bet | chat if put to the test that dread or the unknown, which seems to be the heritage of the human race the world over will crop out.
 I A few days ago Col Jimmy Ryan, well~known business man of the city, and Capt. Wiley Hernandez, popular passenger conductor, were discussing
 the subject of superstition, and as IS
 the way of all really good and true friends, Niffered materially on the matter under discussion
 Colonel Jimmy frankly admitted that he had his pet superstitlons, while the scion of the proud and naughty Castillian scoffed at the idea and boldly asserted "there was noth- ing to it." which brought forth me following story from the doughty colonel:
 some years ago there resided in the city of Nashville, well-knoWn char acter who rejoiced in the classic ap-
 pellation of Bad Eye" Riley He
 had the reputation of being thirty third degree hamburger of bad luck and it was said that no matter what ever he undertook or wherever ne
 went, i'll luck was sure to follow. AS class, glamblers are known to De superstitious to a degree, and II IS re-
 corded that should Bad Eye" Riley
 pass down a certain street of the above
 city the gamblers gave him a wide berth
 and cross their fingers to ward off the bad luck that was said to follow In ms
 wake. It is also recorded that the fner-
 chants along one of Riley's favorite
 promenades believed that he brought an
 evil influence on business so they
 clubbed together and paid Bad Eye
 s2 n day to keep off that particular street, an arrangement that is said 10 have suited him to a tee"
 .sThat's a very interesting story, wheth- CT true or not commented Captan WI ley but at that am sull surprised that a man of your intelligence and sound judgment should believe in signs and omens and such absurdltles. Regardless of your surprise SUI in- sist that almost every person mas hls pet superstition in some form or o'het' replied the colonel.
 During the day the two friends tooh a walk downtown and, While stroiuhs along Twentieth street, cfoss-eyed he- gro passed by. He accidently prushed against Captain Wiley, and, looking up with a grin, displayins, the whites q | his eyes, set of gleamins teeth anu deep blue gums, saying apoiogeticaily' !" Scuse me, sahn and passed on "Did you notice that nigger?' asked Wiley. Not particularly. what about him2 replied Jimmy.
 "He was as cross-eyed as a SheshHe feat and had blue gums.
 1 ..rhat still does not interest me. {, .pon't you know that a cross-eyed blue -gummed nigger will bring you the worst kind of bad luck, and 1 "Wait minute" Interrupted Jimmy with chuckle, didn't you assert 2 l few minutes ago that belief i'll such 1, things was absurdY
 Maybe l did. but didn't Include l cross-eyed Ethiopian in the list Why 1 inc smell cast on fellow by that nlg- 1 ger win bring him more bad luck than | to be screeched at by a graveyard moot owl at midnight and I must do some | thing to throw off his hoodoo. 1 Colonel Jimmy laughed and said the 1 only antidote he knew was to ma a white horse and pat him on the neeh | three times. Wiley jumped at this sug- l gestion ahd, in company with his friend, l started in quest of the y-backed eauine, which in these days of the morse Hess carriage are somewhat scarce I Looking down the vista or one ol the city's alleys, they saw in the distance a white animal hltched to a wagon, and started down the alley to put lhto ei ] feet the antidote suggested On reach. ing the animal, however. 1t was found
 to be mule, which Colonel Jimmy said