Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1920-01-08
CLING TO BELIEFS
Few People Today Are Without
Pet Superstitions.
Although Not Carried to Extremes
That Have Marred the Pages of
History in the Past, They
Are Still With Us.

We constantly hear it said that "this
Is the twentieth century; superstition
and all that sort of thing died out long
ago" Yet there is hardly person ih.
the country without his pet belief
that misfortune follows STOPPING over
a baby or spilling salt, or that black
cat brings good luck, for example.
Hence too. the univ ersal practice Of
wearing mascots ''for luck"
These. however, are not very sell
Ous beliefs. being. merely personal fadS.
Superstition of Il deeper rooted and
more unpleasant type is still common
in the more backward rural areas,
however. Only few weeks ago an
old dame in the Fen country was boy
cotted by the whole countryside be-
cause she had the reputation of being
witch and of throwing spells over
peoples children, stock and crops. No
one would 90 near her or let her have
food or clothing, and she nearly
starved to death.
The cold. legal atmosphere of the
courts would be thought unfav0rnble
to belief in witchcraft and yet farm
er-by no means III ignorant mnil--
stood up the other day in Norfolk
court and Informed the beach that
someone had bewitched his cows. He
cured the evil spell by thrusting red
hot poker into his churn, when the
evil spirit vanished in Il bright tn'l".
Years ago any old crone who WAS
cross grained with the neighbors strNd
good chance OF being tried (And
bnrnD for witchcraft, and cases are
even known where animals were sol
kemnly brought into court and tried on
la similar charge.
A tough old cock at Basle, in Swift
erland. was accused of laying eggs
most serious offensp, as such ores
were used only for making witches
ointment. The unhappy bird was hailed
before the justices, and one of the
asgs produced as proof of guilt. In
he face of such evidence the ROSTERS
ase was hopeless. He was convicted
l md he and his miraculous eggs sol
mnly burnt. at the stake in the town
quare.
A SOW and six young pigs were hc-
cused of witchcraft towards child,
and were brought. protesting loudly
before the "benk." Amid great senSa-
tion. the SOW was found guilty and
u,blicly executed hut the porkers
were acquitted on the ground OF ex-
trplpe youth. 40 late as TAO. cow
was accused of possessing devil,
and after long hearing, was found
guilty and condemned to death. "ltats
and mice and such small deer" have
been summoned on numerous orca-
sions hut almost invariably failed to
put in an appearance at court.
I'm the tiftennth century. the peas
ants or village in i've south of France
took lc"al proceedings against
plague of lOcuste which treSra"Sed
ON their fields and devOured their
crors. As the case was still being
fought nearly half century later, the
mo,lern gardener can sympathiZe with
The mlucky plaintiffs; but would prob
ably prefer tho more np-to-date appli-
cation of lime or mustard.
Another action was brought against
pest of locches Swarming in the
ponds and streams Of another country
district of France. The judge issued
a decree against the leeches trespass-
ing further on the disputed territor-
les. but history is silent as to whether
the Injunction was obeyed or ignored.
with resultant punishment for con-
temnt of court.
Animals have even been admitted as
witnesses in the courts. 1t used to he
considered no offenSe to kill burglar
irving to break into house. There
arose the difficulty that one man living
alone might ask another to his house,
and then murder him. pretending that
he was a rObber. To get over this, 1t
was decided that any domestic animal.
such as a cat or a dog, present at the
time might bear witness. If the ami
nal on being questioned, satisfied the
court that his master had acted in good
faith. the killing was held to be justi-
fed. There are not many Instances
of acquittal.