Charlevoix county herald., 1918-02-01
GOAT COUGHS AS
COLLINS ARE NIGH
SOUTHERN NEGROES STILL BE.
LlEvE IN sUPERsTITIoNs
keep Dat Rabbits Foot, Chile, or
He'll Git Ye," Says Black
Nanny.

Montgomery, Ala.-"Wha' dat NOV
in down dG' by yon graveyard? Dis
chile doan go dat way ef l hev ter
walk 70 miles ter git home. You uns
heah mel"
This from a stalwart young darby.
uttered in the early dusk OF u recent
evening, in the outskirts OF this city.
lent convincing proof that the gnostly
superstitions traditional among The ne
groes OF the South have not been
wiped out by the many changes that
have taken place in Dixieland since
the Civil War period.
or course, the blacks are not the
only people to-day who cherish their
fond superstitions. Who has not Ell
countered the gambler who will not
permit one 10 put foot on his CHAIR
A prominent business man here-a
white man-confesses that he always
wears garter of one color upon his
right leg and one of different color
upon the other Nearly every one has
some peculiar beliefs about Friday.
the number Is, ladders and many 9th
er warnings" handed down by the
New England forefathers.
The young darky's discontinue at
seeing something moving down by the
graveyard cannot be thought strange
or unusual when one considers that
from time immemorial the Southern
pickaninnies have been disciplined in
10 believing that all household trash
must be swept out OF the front door
after dark that they must never
walk a chair" while sitting in IL. II
they would escape "hants." To avoid
the evil spirits they should get UP and
move the chair TO where they want
II.
Watch out, chile, If you heah goat
cough" they were told. 1t is sign
that Old Rawhead and Bloody Bones
IL around. "Doan stop fob to inwosti'
gate emmy strange lights In a grave
yard OF in front of a church aftah
dark" the old black mammies often
say.
The most reliable safeguard against
ghosts, gobblins and "hants." as well
as a charm against the evil visitations
OF witches, according to the super
stitious negroes, Is the left hind
foot Of rabbit killed in graveyard
after midnight in the light OF full
moon. Such talisman could not be
bought from some owners with its
weight In gold.
1t is a common belief among the ne
groes that house cannot burn II sas-
safrass twigs are sprinkled on the
stovewood when the tire is made. One
of the most common representatives. of
misery in the leg" is a dime with
hole in it worn on the left leg just
above the ankle. This also cures rheu.
matism, say the darkies.
Another superstition, mostly among
young people, is, II one is lying down
and another steps over him he must,
by all means, retTace his steps. The
belief is that it checks ones growth.
Here are some remedies to destroy
Spirits" or ghosts" Old-timers used
to fire a silver bullet at the trouble
some specter or disturber. Old Aunt
Violet kept spooks away for many
years by burying a chicken eye, frog
leg and some dirt from q new grave
under the front steps OF her abode, re-
peating the operation as often as there
were any signs of the spook's re-
turn.
When one meets a liant" and 1t
comes Ip to you face to face the ghost
always blows its breath In your face,
first hot, then cold, In a case Like
this to avoid trouble all one has to do
is to tell the liant" your business and
1t will let you alone. Rough language
or threats are disastrous.
Opossum hunters had better be
careful that the dog did not once be-
long to dead man who died sinner.
for this dog will tree" spirits"
=. Loading the pillow" Is another dan
gerous operation. 1t consists in steal
ing the pillow on which one sleeps and
inserting "conjure bag" The VIC
tim suffers from head ailments and
often becomes insane.