Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-12-14
FRIDAY, THIRTEENTH,
WILSON'S LUCKY DAY
Dates Entered Into Many of the
Events of Presidents
Affairs.

Friday the thirteenth has no terrors for
President Wilson and the fact that he ar
rived in France on that supposedly Ill
fated day bothers him not whit. In
fact he considers "l3'' his lucky number
1t will be recalled that on Friday,
September l3, 1912, while Mr.. Wilson
was travelling from New York to Sea
Girt, N. J., just preceding his election, he
sat in chair l3 in the parlor car. Some one
called his attention to the fact and he re-
Piled:
Thirteen is my lucky number
usually get seat l3 or room IL wherever
go. The number l3 has run through my
life constantly. When ! was in my
thirteenth year as professor at Princeton
was elected the thirteenth president Of
the University There are just 13 letters IN
my name I'm not afraid of l3"
Thirteen played prominent part IN the
inaugural plans of 1913. Thirteen gov
ernors were in line, militia of Il States
were represented along with II educational
institutions. The Princeton students
Travelled to the ceremony IN two trains OF
- coaches each
When Miss Jessie W Wilson and
Francis g. Sayrcs were married at the
White House, it. was the thirteenth we'd
ding in that historic building, and the
names of both bride and bridegroom con
tanned 13 letters each.
Some davs are born distinguished, some
achieve distinction, and some have dis
tinction thrust upon EN-. Tradition and
the superstition of mankind in general
have made the name Of Friday, the 18th, a
hy-word down the centuries
It IS the Alpha and Omega, the BE-
ginning and the end, the sum total, the
quintessence, the last word, the ne plus
ultra Of everything which stands for bad
luck, misfortune, the Iinx, nemesis, oc-
cult evil, calamity, disaster, hardship,
catastrophe, or anything else which the
fevercd and fervid Imagination Of tradi-
tion-ridden, Custorn-cursed minds can
associate with this most Innocent-ap-
pearing dot on the calendar.
Someone threw a mug Of water out Of
an upstairs window, one day, several
hundred years ago, and hit q gl1y on the
ground, below the eye.
ftWhat day is today" queried the wet
one As he cut another notch on his knife
handle
1T is Friday, the 18th, someone re
sponded.
"This Is my bad luck" soliloquized
he Of the injured optic And sinoe that
time. through countless repetitlons, the
belief has become general that il the sixth
dav of the week and the 18th day Of the
month, by any chance meet and shake
hands, dire plot IS being cooked up for
the benefit of the human race in general
Dumb animals, not beng blessed with
imaginations, arc not aware that this day
Of the year is any different than any other
dav, so their dreams Of the night Of the
18th are as calm and peaceful az the even
ing meal permits. And they awake on the
morrow with a calm conscience and good
appetite.
Not 50 the more intellectual" owner,
and his intellectual family. These IN
happy beings, convinced of the potency
Of the spell cast over the world by Dad
Friday and his partner IN crime, Thur
Teen, they bow 70 custom and their own
fears and provide themselves with sundry
rabbits feet, horseshoes, pieces Of coal,
bats cars, copies Of the Congressional
Record, a picture Of the Kaiser, a Phlla-
delphia restaurant menu, or some other
charm potent enough TO insure safety
from attacks occult and sinister
Il thev see ladder leaning against The
wall, the example Of the priest and LevItf
comes 10 iUttE UliIlt1cs t1d lAftsN E1dS> -
on the other side Black cats are espeela
objects which they venerate and respect
on this day at least, and they would
rather kick live lion than one OF thes,
dusky puSsies
Couples inclined 10 matrImony, II they
lack capital or the necessary nerve
usually shun tho license bureau On a day
ruled by the unlucky combination, con
vinced that a license issued on such a day
is likely 10 prove passport TO the harbol
OF divorce and bankruptcy.
Persons blbulously inclined decide tc
skip the thirteenth drink, but have never
been known 70 keep track OF the process
sion further than the eighth. The guy that
gets stuck for the check is usually con
vinced that It Is his unlucky day, no ar.
gument needed
One of the strange manifestations Of
the obsession which controls the action:
Of those unhappy beings who fear tn,
conjunction OF tridaS and the 18th, l.
that they are seldom. II ever, open to ~
gument. As to statistics, 1t Is their middle
name
Their accounts of horrible example.
made of persons who refused - credit In,
power and supremacy Of these twin de
mons are more entertaining and blood
curdling than a whole city full Of ordinary
hair-ralslng MOVIES Philad> lphia Bulletin