Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-02-09

n T EW YORK CITY, Feb. Are you Su-
N perstitious? Do you experience a
you spill salt, or when black cat crosses
your path, or when Friday, the thirteenth,
comes around in the calendar? Do you carry
rabbits foot in your pocket, or wear
charm on your watch-fob? If so, you can
console yourself with the thought that your
secret weakness is shared by at least 95 per
cent of mankind, and probably more, includ-
ing the greatest modern scientists and intel
lectuals. In fact, according to the recent an
nouncement of a prominent psychologist,
there are only two kinds OF people: Those
who will admit they're superstitious, and
those who won't.
Not long ago, large New York depart
ment store, finding that new line of Orient
al jewelry had failed to make itself popular
with the feminine public, changed its ad-
vertisements to read: ''New lot of Chinese
lucky pieces that will charm away i'll for
tune" AS a result the next day, the aisles
around the jewelry counter were blocked
with mob of enthusiastic shoppers, eager
| to obtain the magic baubles. Furthermore,
the mob was not entirely feminine, but con-
tanned many men.
Other stores, witnessing the success of the
lucky line," have now taken it up, and in
single block Fifth avenue you can find
half dozen shops with conspicuous window
displays of lucky charms" The fashionable
leather and gift shops have them in ivory
an. amber and jade at very high prices;
while the drug stores have the near jade and
composition amber kind which lie on the
same counter and blend very nicely with the
toilet articles.
"The wearing of charms" one dealer says,
| "has become especially popular since the
war, when many soldiers ,.dopted the habit
c carrying lucky Enthusiastically trinkets
given them by their best girls-as a protec-
ton against the enemy's gas and bullets.
Well, many of them who wore the charms
came safely home, and you can't persuade
them to discard them.
SuperstitiOus AgnOstic
Il know man who has one of the bright
est min Is I've ever met. He's big engineer
18th big reputation, and he also has a
well-developed taste for books and pictures.
He's agnostic and he swears he doesn't
even believe in Fate, but he carries in his
pocket a little gold hand thai was presented
to him by an old woman near the front lines
IN France. He never goes anywhere without
it, although, he says, he doesn't exactly be-
lieve in it.
1.-THE old lady gave it to him just before
he took detail of engineers up to bridge a
stream. The enemy was waiting for them on
the other side, and every man felt sure that
the building of that bridge would be the last
work he would ever do. But just before they
reached the stream, thick fog descended
upon the place and completely hid them
from the enemy until the work was finished.
Every man returned safe ana sound. After
that, the chief engineer carefully treasured
his little gold hand"
The fact that superstition often has a
strong hold upon men of high degree of edu-
cation and intelligence definitely proved
some years ago by H. Arlington Bruce, who
conducted an Investigation of the prevalence
superstition among the teaching staff Of
! Harvard university. He himself was astonish-
ed by the results which showed he says, that
"a per cent of the faculty were either con-
sclously or unconsciously under sup erstitious
| influence.
Said one Harvard professor: Il must say
that 1 don't thiEl 1 should feel very COM
Portable if seated 13 at a meal, or living in
house numbered 49,"
Another confessed that he always picked
u pins when he found them lying on the
floor sidewalk. 1T seems to me-
| / said, that 1 do this automatically, but
| there may be superstitious remnant in it,
"My one superstitious practice, if you can
call it SUCH" wrote still another lis to knock
on wood after Boosting of my health or good
| fortune"
One instructor admitted that he had a GER
tain amount of f: it'll in the truth of the old
saying, Sing before breakfast, and you will
cry before night"
! Another said: II have an instructive dis
like of seeing the new moon over my left
| shoulder"
Early Impressions Responsible
Bruce thinks that the influence Of popular