Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The Coos Bay times. (Marshfield, Or.) 1906-1957 | View Entire Issue (July 31, 1915)
I " tfSV ' i-io , G By Elsie Bndicott - ( 1) iS i1$i(M m MMs(W(W) I TMnTBBMMHMwHBfBWMBMMBBBMM TflS ! HISPER, arc you superstitious? You are not? You always sny that, possibly because It Ib a woman's way to deny that which oho Iiur the firmest belief In, or wlahcs tho mOBt tO POBHCSB. I III I You nro tho little nan who said you could llvo with love; you denlQd any doslro or Ill ation tOiWcd oven tho boat man in , world? you huvo denied many lgs you bellovod In! Then, when Ufiht faco to faco with I ho churgo, giggled merrily and admitted that rell perhaps, after all, you might 0 somo men, but cortalnly not nil d who oxptcts you to?) that you lid marry, provided tho right man ed you, and you havo to admit that i shudder when a black cat loaps oss your path, and you do not know you do it, but you cut your hair the first Friday of tho new moon, 1 actually noto results, for it makes ir hair grow. How your chooks o whon you break a mirror; how J you are to have monoy in your id when you first behold tho now jn! Men, wbuld you get married on thirteenth of tho month? Well, i might, for It Is a great tompta i to get married when you can, but ho marrlago had oven a llttlo rip of dlsturbanco upon tho sea of trlmonlal difficulties, you, dony t you dare, would say In moat ora--Uo terms, sadly and hopelessly, oil, you seo, I was waddod on Uio -toanth of tho month." "ho ono reason why many porsonn lm thoy aro imrauno from uupersli i Is duo to tho fact that In thin, ailngly, enlightened nge, wo are iposed to look upon everything of black cat and Salem witchcraft er as nothing: short of complete Ig unoe. However, olabbrato statls i provo that drinking at tho fount knowledge has no tendency what r to destroy old bollofa which, If soned out, would bo groundless, tiioso very ldoas, spooky, uncanny, h-destroylng or hopo building, o a way of thriving In each gen Uon. You can make a person laugh iny superstition except his own pet 'ho "dark ages" and tho twentieth tury have at least ono bond of ipathy, all are more or less su stltlous, yet denying it right along. n many colleges throughout tho d various mothods havo been adopt to aScortain whothor tho bright ids wjthln the temples of knowl o were dlsturlwd by these petty rs. Strange as It may soom, not yo'ung man or woman donled a U disregard for at loast one pet OD r HERB was plenty of tlmo to catch Uie seven-ten car, tho' even this was whol ly unnecessary. It was not really es sential that Kitty should start beforo seven-thirty. But tho young lady had her rea a for hurrying. She know that Idea Blxby would be along in his :hlne about seven-ten, on his way lis real estate office in tho city. Of rse, he would drive past tho houso ake her to tho Central Telephone Jon. But that slick little comblna i of business and pleasure was to it, unless Bho was mistaken! She'd w him! Just as ho should appear i his fine airs and his swell ma iq and his olivo branch of peace, (I cooly snub him, she would, 'd calmly turn her back and take 'hWatts Local. She'd turn him n right thero beforo all of Watts least all of it that was astir that ly in the morning and how she tied the whole suburb might bo out vitness his humiliation! Oh, the'd blml He'd see that he couldn't r her. for a side show to his main action, even it she was poor and lid own tho half of Watts. Huh! very superficial Judge of girls Id "see that Kitty Lurasden had on fighting mitts. Tho pink In her uks was not wholly of the sharp nlng air. And to aver that her -k eyes flashed fire is not wholly speak in metaphors. Every line, ryjmovement of her shapely little a bespoke fires within and dangers olqana 'outbursts. Possibly there e spots on the con that Is, the son Id,Mlllionaire Mollvllle Blxby, who d further down the peninsula, and se "son Walden carried Watts tnd n bis pocket Anyway, there e storms aud things brewing, and y was going to show this son that e'were no spots on her, and that couldn't carry her around in his Itjty reached the corner of San Joss me'and Pacific View street and "WWatts Local was In sight. And the little devils of pique and an- aui' Jealousy and general misery riot tn her consciousness as she 4 B tbe cold, damp air waiting for ' tmi , Said one small imp, awffi Clara Katz. Like as not omen. The hypotheslH that "If a dog howls It Is a sign of death In tho fam ily" In so old and so well cstabllehed as n fact In tho minds of somo per sons, that nothing short of death Itself would result In tho destruction of tho most absurd of all omens, for dogs havo howled over slnco ddgs were on tho markot. Thirteen clubs havo been estnblshed for ages, It buciiih, and no hostess will ingly will set thirteen persons at nor hoHpltablo biard. Tho thirteenth por roii will decline, tho sent, and laugh off his Bupcrfltlttous fears, yet It Is Bhown that ho docs not wish to bo tho unfortunate person to bo seated at the table. Tho harmless, or partially tamed do mestic cat, which purrs softly in ono's lap during the day, 1b loathed by many women If it prowls In tho sanctuary at night. Tho touch of a cat Is most dis agreeable to most persons. I, myself, cannot touch any animal without bo ing almost ovcrcomo by a very pecu liar sensation. I am not tho leant fearful of a cat, yet I cannot bring myself to touch oven tho moot play ful kitten. Tho world oxpoctB moro of the edu cated person than tho Ignorant, that Ir truo, but theso pet mental torments nro everywhere, and whllo accusing others of their pociillur bolicf, I con fess Hint I am exceedingly wary of 25, although for more than four years I drow a weekly salary of $2!, but 1 finally lost my position- on tho 25th of tho mouth. I consider It my "hoodoo" day, simply becaiiBO I have kept au ac count of tho many peculiar happenings which havo boon somewhat distressing and thoy all dalo to tho 25th, of cer tain months. I stop thoro, for It Is my mental gom of superstition. I do not bollovo In ghosts, spirit talks, getting out of bed with tho left foot flist or putting a garment on wrong sldo out. Ono time, possibly two years ago, I waB walking down the boulovard In tho city of St. Louis. My companion was a highly cultured young woman of thirty. Suddenly sho sprang ahead ot her, Bwoopcd to the pavement and aa suddenly leaped back, laughing as she held up a crooked, rusty hairpin. "A new beau" she cstatlcally exclaim ed. I was amazed, for It seemed bo Idlotlo, especially for her to do any thing bo silly. I noted Bho was look ing about hor, up and down and all around. I Inquired what sho was looking for and Bho said that It was necessary to hang tho hairpin on a nail or tho beau would not arrive. "Did you nevor obscrvo tho haliplns hanging on telegraph poles?" alio ask ed. I had to admit that I did not; but when sho hung hor pin upon a nail, It had four rusty companions! Wo then amused ourselves looking for hairpins ou telegraph poles, and I am most cer- Hum . -..... - And Kitty Was KKtattftv," then she'll sail in and try to catch him. She's wanted him over so long, you know." Clara was bookkeeper for Mr. Crier, who kept tho big gonoral Btoro in Watts and whose numerous chil dren overran Uio neighborhood. "What a blue Monday!" suggestod another little demon. Another called her at tention to tho foggy morning and the indications of rain. Still another pointed out tho blocks and blocks of cheap llttlo shacks that made up Watts llttlo homes bought on tho "Dbllar-Down-DoIlur-a-Wook" plan nnd Uio general undeslrableness of tho suburb as a place of residence. An other But just then the Watts Local came in sight, and sure onough, there was Walden Blxby in his machine just be hind. But Kitty, with grim resolution, was ready, and Just as tho young real estate man's car reached tho cornor ready to swing west on Paclflo View street toward her houae, and he caught sight of her and stopped, sho wus calmly mounting the steps of tho Lo cal. Sho didn't look at him. But sho knew he was looking at hor, and ahe felt that tho conductor of tho I,ocal and several other Wattsltes woro en Joying his discomfiture. Ah, how sweet Is revenge! Did he think ho could speed his machine in open day light right on San Jose avenue Itself. In company with another woman, and not hear from her? Huh! But the sweetest revenge soon pails. And Kitty Lumsden had no sooner seated herself more or less uncom fortably In tho rigid car seat (she couldn't help comparing it with the luxury of Waldcn's tonneau) and ob served tho young man's machine bboot ahead of the electric car without his so much as glancing at the window the girl was looking out of, than her mood changed. No, sho didn't relent What else could she have done? He had. taken another woman riding without excuse or explanation, and this, in an engaged man, was unpar donable. No, she had to keep her self-respect And of course, all that was left now was to give him back his ring she was tempted to take off her glove and look at It dismiss him, and forget It all when she coulo. But In spite of her'the little devils came trooping in again and took pos session of her thoughts as the Watts Local rattled along, taking the dust ofWalden'B machine. They mali ciously reminded her of the many, tain I saw hundreds, bo it goes to show that more persons than this charming young woman believed In tho new beau when tho wlro hairpin wbb found. A straight wlro ha'rpln denoted a lover; a crooked one, a woman; a small pin, a child. After this Incident, I noticed many persons, from tlmo to time, picking up hair pins. Did I? Cortalnly, for I nm n woman. When I found a new pin, 1 met ii ftuo llttlo lawyer that neck, and ho was a grand rascal; tho pin 1 picked up on OUvo stroet was hung on a nail In a now building. A work man sang out to mo, "Hello llttlo girl, I'm single, will you tako mo7" I had the good grace to laugh, but I folt mighty foolish, and went my way In a hurry. It was tho lust pin I ever picked up from tho sidewalk. PoBsIbly thoro Is nothing which tnkeB a firmer grip upon womankind than that erroneous belief that Bomo departed soul, tho disembodied spirit that has escaped tho toil and turmoil of life, can como back to earth and communlcato with loved ones. Imagine, If you can, tho horror that n young rnothor experiences when sho "communicates" with tho Bplrlt of her beloved babo. Tho death was cruel enough, and It was hard to seo tho baby slip out of hor loving arms that ruddled tho llttlo body each night; and It was doubly hard to boo tho llt tlo form lowered Into tho tiny flowor volco speaking to tho bereft mother, lined grave, but Imagine Its lisping 0, that such bollof could bo forovor destroyed I If It wero possible for tho person to communlcato with loved ones, God In His infltilto wisdom would mako It possible for thoso persouB to noolho tho broken hearts of loved ones that mourn In the deepest of all hu man grlof. Novcr was a greater fako perpetrated on a sano and scnnlblo world ; and nothing In tho omen world has had a moro faithful audience. It Is such a temptation to go, oven though ono may go without belief, and return with a brnln of wonder. This fnko has been unearthed In many cities, and tho porpetrators havo been harshly dealt with by tho law; yet so cunning are tho workings of many, that their methods seem truly marvelous, nnd many of tho world's greatest scientists havo tried to dis cover iho peculiar theory of (heir trado, yet are balled at ovory turn. Not long ago a magazine, and a good one, too, had tho bad policy to publish a scries of articles to tho effect that there wore ghosts. A good ghost atory Is readable, and likable by a person whoso mind Is sufficiently well poised to bo a non-bcllovor, but bless hearts and spades, a bollcver will loso breath and cuddle all up In a tiny knot In bed, at the moro recollection of that story. I can recollect when I was a mcro Walden Blxby along that avenue. How proud sho had beon ot hor handsome, enterprising young "Dollar-Down-Dol-lar-a-Wcck" real estate man! Tho lit tle glooms and Imps of darkuoES re called to hor mind nil the plans bIio and Wnldon had discussed; ot Wal dcn's purposo to begin raising his real estate prlco; to put on building re strictions, and gradually to weed out the unsightly hovels; to bring in a better class of residents and to make of Watts something moro than tho joke it was. And then on tho hill overlooking the sea he was golug to build a bungalow, a fine one, which was to be their homo whon but that was all lu tho past, and Kitty slghod. Ho had taken. to running with other women, and this, of course, was tho limit. Good thing she found him out beforo Instead of after. Kitty was wisely glad when the dingy, dirty WnttB Local roachod the Central Telephono Station In tho city, nnd her hat and wrapB put carefully away in her lockor In the girl's rest room, she found herself boforo tho switchboard with tho car pads clamp ed over her ears. If there's anything that will effectually put the glooms tq rout It Is occupation. And certainly It would be a gloom wlUi praiseworthy persistence that could make any headway against the Innumerable culls claiming a telephone girl's attention. And bo In no time at all Kitty had dipped her volco Into tho dissolved sugar and was trilling sweetly Into the mouthpiece, "Number, please?" "Put In your nickel, please." "Line's busy," "Party doesn't answor," etc., Just bb though she was happy as a bird and no "other woman" had darkened her sky. And so her day would have passed If something hadn't happened. But suddenly her name and a familiar voice came Into her ear. "Hello, la that you, Kit!" she heard, and recog nized the voice of Clara Katz at Watts, The connection was lost on tho Instant, and In the interval Kitty wasn't certain that she wanted to talk with Claia. Ot course, Clara would want to pump her about her break with Walden. And then Clara got the line again, and Kitty heard. "Hello. Kit, I lost the line. Say, Kit, there's another fire down at Watts" and again somebody broke In But Kitty had beard enough An other fire down at Watts? Fire? The word struck terror to the girl's heart and drove everything else from her child that a neighbor woman had tho lack of good Benso to tell mo that If I wore mad tho devil would sit on tho footboard of my bed and somo night of course, when I loast expoctcd it, ho would got mo; however, If I wcro good, oboyed my mother and did ev erything according to what Bho paid, and what ovoryono oIbo Bald, u beau tiful angel Would Bit thoro and watch over mo In loving vigil throughout tho night. Ab I was not very good, ' liv ed In eternal torment expecting tho devil to get mo ovory night I was glad when footboards wont out ot style, for now I havo nono on my lowly couch whorcon his satanlc majesty may perch his unholy self. If ho gets mo, and ho mny, for added years nnd hard work havo not sub dued my fun-loving spirit nor npclls of spontaneous dovlltry, ho may claim his own and I will como Into my own hot estate, as hot as tho hinges there of. Tho lovo-lorn will flock to the for-tuno-tellcrs. I havo gone myself, but I cannot say they ever ImprcsBcd mo. I am something of a character reader myself, and can understand full woll how au Intuitive mind can road most persons, not all but a few. If tho reader Is clever, skillful, and sympa thetic, thoro Is ovory hopo of drawing from tho visitor sufficient material to work on. Still, I muBt confeso, thnt I havo been puzzled at somo clair voyants. I visited a renowned medium at ono tlmo and as Boon as I was Boat ed beforo hor, she called my name. It mado the hair raise straight up on my head. My name Ib anything but a com mon ono, and tho moro fact that sho called it was a shock. Sho followed by telling me I was a married woman. I nm single, but I permitted hor to nay hor Bay, and I Bald nothing to ouCour ago her on. Sho spoko of tho death of my child, tho unfaithfulness of my husband, a certain married man who figured scandalously in my life, and sho mado a furious attack upon my chastity, and saw beforo mo a great calamity, for I was standing on tho proclplco of great dangor. I wondered how on earth Bho could toll my name, nnd go so far astray on ovorythlng else, for I would almost commit mur der if anyone attacked tho honesty of my womanhood, and I was not en tangled In an affair do amour with any married man, and I never shall bo. Then I looked down nt my hand bag nnd saw cleverly carved across tho latch wns my nainol I paid hor my monoy and loft. At another time I went with a party of young persons nnd this woman was genuinely clover in charactor reading, although she understood tho trick of loading her subject on to rovoal cer tain Important features to work on. For cxnmplo, sho looked at mo and In terrogatively said: "You nro not niar- Glad mind telephone callB, the other wom an, even Waldon, Urol And her In valid mother wan confined in their llt tlo board cottage, and Bob wus away at school. And Watts was ono im mense flretrap, with no fire protec tion to speak of! Kitty, with quick presence of mind made the connection and called, "Flro double three," thus notifying tho city firo station. Then sho removed hor car pads and rushed from her switch board and Into the manager's office. It took but a moment to explain to Mr. Crosby the situation and to be re lieved from duty. And in another mo ment ICitty had seized hor hat and wraps In tho restroom, and was In tho street looking for tho Watts Local. Her heart sank as sho realized that her mother and all Watts might burn up long beforo that lumbering coach would roach the suburb. "Good morning, Kitty. Got light In. I know whoro you'ro going. Heard tho alarm you turned lu on iny Hue. Quick, thole's no time to lose!" Thero was Walden Blxby in his ma chine right by her Ride. Ho was half standing, and, holding tho car door open, was almost commanding her to enter. She obeyed. Thero wun no other choice. And in one brief Instant Kitty forgot the othor woman, forgot her personal pride, and the affront that bad been put upon hor, aud In a momeut Wal den had thrown his motor Into the high and was breaking tho speed laws in tho direction of Watts. They caught up with and raced Mo tor Fire Euglno No. 6. which, leaving a trail of burning cinders, was whizz ing through the air on its way to tho fire at Watts like a meteor trying to make up lost time. They overtook and passed an electric repair wagon, which In some way had gotten the start of them. The speeders going to the fire at Watts gathered numbers and excite ment as thoy went by the law of ac cretion. Motorcyclists, either through curiosity and the free-for-nll race, or having Interest at Watts, threw on speed, removed their mufflers, and added their smoke and their smells and their din to tho avalanche de scending upon Watts. Doctors with patients at Watts, bill collectors with accounts there, Idlers with no luisl ness at all there; evorybody in short, who could possibly get to Watta while the excitement was on, rushed pell mell In that direction. The streetcars rlcd, I soe." Nnturally I said I was not. Sho then told mo ot a light man, nlso ono medium dark, nnd Baw a wedding In tho distance. Sho Baw more than I did, for nt that particu lar reading tho only man who wns In my llfo was a married man, my man ager, and I niontatly called him "Sit ting Dull," bo I was quite certain her predictions wcro meaningless. Of course, llko others, sho said I soon nhould hear of a death, n wedding, a great Biirprlso and I would bo 111. I think sho predicted ptoninlno poison ing An I wns boarding ut tho tlmo, I believed her. for I had enjoyed ev erything elso lu tho various boarding hoUBoa, and wan not going to miss any thing my money could procure; but I never had It. Whllo this nrtlclo was to deal with women and their pot superstltlonB, It goes without Baying that they nro not nlone In their mcntul happiness or misery, for mon aro nB prono to super stition ns tho sparks tly upward. There Ib tho farmer who studies the fat-faced moon of his Dutch almanac. He has n deep-rooted belief In his brain pan that If ho plants beans In a certain period of tho moon that those beans will not climb tho polo; and If ho happens to plant them at tho prop er period, why thoao benns excel tho mythological story of Jack tho Olant ktllcr. Ho claims that If cucumbers nro planted when tho signs are "twins" that thero will bo a donblo crop of cucumbers. Women plnnt flower seeds when tho signs show tho woman holding the bunch of flowers In her hand. That Ib tho sign of Virgo, tho bowelB. Most all old-fashioned mothers weaned their babies whon the "signs" wero below tho heart. Tho modern mother weans her baby at tho start and allows It to yell Its lungs out or dies. It Is up to tho nurse, tho cow and tho pacifier to do what mother used to do. It Is not known what elfin It Is that mado most present-day mothers withdraw tho natural feast from her babo, but put it down as a sign that something caused a dls turbanco In Nature's own dining room. Somo men wero undoubtedly born or weaned whon tho signs wero In Pisces, tho feet, for thoy nro nnturnl born klckern. I once worked In an office whore I am quite certain tho man was born or weaned under this sign, for there Is no record on earth, or above tho earth, or oven below It when that man smiled. Ho was mar ried when tho signs wero in tho heart, I dare say, for novcr did a man live who bo heartily regrottcd that early morning frolic nt Dan Cupid's altar. Tho devout Catholic makes tho sign or tho cross. It Is a pretty custom and thoro aro many occasions for It. He crosses himself as ho passes the holly golug that way filled up. Teamsters Invited podostrlano to got lu, nnd whipped up their tcamB; tramps stole rldcB; small boys on ponies rodo doublo, treble, and quadruple, and bl cyllBts carao down tho plko In platoons, companies, and regiments. If moro numbera nnd thunderous nolao could put out tho flro, Watta waB al ready saved. But whon Engluo No. 6, spitting flro nnd snorting vapors, reached Watts, with Waldon and Kitty JtiBt behind, they found tho place Immersed lu its usual slumberous calm. The dogs still snapped lazily at fleas on tho doorsteps, and tho foreign children still cluttered tho strcots and alloys Tho smoke that Walden and ICitty had Been watched apprehensively as they flew along was only a Portuguese woman burning trash In her back yard. It was evident there was no flro at WattB, and tho only excitement nt all was what the Invaders had brought with them. Engine No. C circled around, stopped In -front of Crier's storo, and began to roar like n lion seeking some Are It might destroy, while Waldon and Kit ty brought their machine to a stop and looked wonderlngly at each othor. Aud as tho rest of tho excitement hunters began to arrive and gather around nnd occupy Bpaco, WattB wokoup. The dogs stopped snapping nt Ileus and barked furiously The children camo from all directions and got In the way, and people began to come out of the doors and peer from windows. Kitty got out of tho machlno and hurried Into Crier's store. Sho met Clara Katz, and each girl's face mir rored the astonishment pictured In the other, "Clara, what on earth?" began Kitty. "Whore's tho fire?" "Tho Are?" repeated Clara, "What flie? I never said thero was a fire." "You said" but Kitty was Inter rupted by a shriek of laughter, aB Clara fell into a chair and doubled up like a clasp knife. "I said I said." cried Clara between gasps "I never said I told youthat there was an other" Clara put hor lips to Kitty's ear "another Crier down at Watts Mrs, Crier's got a new baby" And again Clara fell into the chair while Kitty stood as though petrified, look ing at Clara and helpleBBly listening to the mob outside Clara was equal to the emergency, and the word soon spread. The fire men swore, and then laughed and got temple; tho sign of tho cross Is mado nt tho festive or humble board, nnd It Is sympolic of what Is pure, holy, eternal In the Christian sense. In Itself It Is nothing, yot beautifully significant of what Is good. After tho awakening of a misty nnd dreamy exlstonco of spiritual bodlos, thought waves, astral figures and oth er pocutlar Ideas ot an oxUtcnco not Been with tho naked cyo, many learned persons delved na deeply as possible into tho now conditions. It Is not based bo much on superstition ns a theory that there Is a fluid of Influ ence which each ienrncd person may uso to his advantage. It crapracos ev erything pertaining to thought wuves, wlrolcas telegraphy, etc. As yet bo ponderous Is Its purport that not many persons havo adopted It lu tho com mercial world aa a means of making a living. It Ib confined nlmont whol ly to societies and "circles." Perhaps thoro Is no placo where the belief In tho uncanny Is so curetully nourished as right upon tho American plnyboards where we might nnturnlly look for its complcto elimination, espe cially among persona of rnro talent and highly developed Intellectual at tainments. May things nro considered hnrblng crs of good luck. Moat all actors and nctresflcs rotuln some nrtlclo of cloth ing they woro upon tho night of their crowning success In tho play-world. Their bad omenB nro bo numerous that, at first glanco of the entlro list, ono Ib Inclined to wonder whether thoy believe In anything real. Thoy avoid certain yellow Bhadcs, which thoy con Bldor caBts certain evil Bpclls. Tho cat that follows them ns n mascot Is beloved nnd potted bo long as tho fe llncshlp member of tho troupo does not Bcurry across . tho Btnge. That, alono, Is troublo without anything else to Bupport tho bolicf. What a man ager won't do, nnd what ho will do to tho poraon who whistles in the thentor Ib most Interesting, for It brings troublo as surely as tho crowing of tho chantlcleor brings company If ho crows lu tho kitchen door. An actor who has boon on tho stago long enough to acquaint himself with certain superstitions will never, nevor go on the stage whoro thoro Is tho pic ture of an ostrich. Teafowl feathers aro considered or worse than 111 omens, and ono famous actress posi tively refused to toko the lending part In a play whore the stage settings wero a wonderful development cicat ed wholly In lights and gauzes ot these brilliant tints; nor would Bho adopt tho attire. Consternation rolgnod supreme, tho play went on, and, ns tho good actress now sayb, " I know It, I know It," for tho play wbb ii com plete failure It Ib considered fortunate for a man By Annette Angert away as soon as posalble. Tho crowd shouted and roared, and thon lingered to shout and rour some moro. But aft er a while tho mob and tho fun molted away, and then lKtty ventured out to find Walden waiting and smiling. "It'B all right, Kitty," Waldou said. "Mlstakos will happon. I mado a mis take, too. I ought to have told you that It was my cousin, MIbb Glbbs, who was In tho machluo with mo yesterday. She's a trained nurse. It wns an emorgency call, you know," and Wal den blushed. "Let's go for a spin." And Kitty was only too glad. &DayWJ&theKMr- TOP crying. Jennie. You and Bobbloare to go In tho Jitney and bo sure to wait outsldo the gate where It says, "Tickets." No! we won't get lost, Hold on to Bobbin nnd don't lot blm fall out. Oood-by. Now, MUly and Hazel, como on, here is a car. Stop fussing, Millie, wo nro all crowded, Well, I should think a big man of his size would know enough not to push nnd step all over a llttlo girl's new shoes. Yob, Blr, I was Bpeaklng about you, sir. You've made my llttlo Bister hero cry. Oh, yes, sir -thank you, Hlr Hush Mill, see, tho kind man la giving you a dime to spend at the fair. TbankB awfully, mister Mill, see the nice fat woman, she says you may sit on hor lap Thank you, ma'am, you're very good. Hero we aro at the fair grounds, that's it. Jump, Hazel, Well, now where Is Jennie and Bobble? Oh, there they nre, and Jennie bawling al ready. HubIi, kid. we're not lost 1 wish you were not such a crybaby Yes, sir, three tickets children un der ten get In free, today don't they? Come on, now. No, we're not going to sit on the grandstand. Ma said It would cost too much and you would want to be moving 'round ull the time, anyway. Yes, Jen, you can bo a snake charmer when you grow up. No, not now. Yes, Mill, go ahead and have your fortune told, If you want to. Wo will wait horo ut the corner of the grandstand,' No, wo are not going to eat now, but you may each have a glass of pink to enter tho houso first on tho New Year. Tho "Open Houso" wan said to bo adopted by mothers with eligi ble dnughtors to Interest men lu call ing ou Now Yenr'R Day. No doubt many pretty romances havo been en acted ns fair lips sipped tho Now Yeur's beverages, and merry eyca laughed across tho punch bowl, but history does not record anything un UBiial when a woman was tho first caller. Tho countless festivities occasioned at Hallow E'en arc not without nomo hidden belief that tho myBtlc charms and fun-provoking amusements aro not a wee bit truthful. Happy, Indeed, Is tho girl who flndB tho ring, for woll she knowB It fortollB her coming: mar riage. In foreign ccuntrlos whoro malO' birth Is bo Important nnd the nppear nnco of a llttlo girl bo sadly deplored, there Is any amount of witchcraft practiced in hopo that the llttlo child will bo a son. Even among royalty tho omono havo boon cast, maglcionn havo beon paid enormous sums to mako certain the sex of a child. It is considered mont fortunate whon an heir Is born to any kingdom. In the professional world aro many peculiar beliefs, some too absurd to chronicle, others as reasonablo nanny., If nny arc to bo considered within Uioi bounds of good sense or judgment Wo havo long wondered why It warn that presentiments have, at times, como true. Whatever It Is or la not. yet wo all know of persons who havo. had prcsontliuzntB and they actual lr occurred. In tho occult world they doscrlbo It as tho snapping of tho chaln between two harmonious bodies Many women havo awakened from, their slumber conscious of tho fact that somo great dangor had befallen their husbands. If wo aro to bellevo theso stories, thoy aro often founded upon facts. Dreams aro cither most delightful, or else they produce profound gloom, and many persons aro morbid as Ions as tho dream remains lu mind. So suro aro somo dreamers that what they dream means Bomcthlng signifi cant In tho occurrences of the day that they keep a book of dreams that they may Interpret thorn as soon ns thoy awnkc. It keeps thorn in a continual state of worry or thoy enjoy a hilari ous condition of mind which fortolls coming happiness which may or may not occur. Taking It all In all Americans aro suporstltloun. and If you have read this nrtlclo from start to finish and feol that absolutely nothing haa touch ed your llfo, then you aro a non-be-llover; If however, you smllo n bit, nnd ndmlt to yourself that you aro guilty you nro lu tho samo row wlUi wo women nnd our hairpin beaux. (jM lemonade and the balloon! It l rls- Ing. Yob, yes, It is golug to heaven, Jen. Yes. thero Is a man in it You. will soe him In a minute. Look! No that Isn't a sunshado, tbnt's a para chute. We will walk ovor horo a llttlo and watch that olegant young lady in pink, ride tho tight ropo on her bicycle, Ain't she splendid? Well, Mill, what did tho old woman, say? Oh, woll, that's vory fine, but don't bellevo all you hear. Told you, your narao, did Bho? Pity you dldnJfc) know that already. Yes, got one if you want to, Ilerey now Jeu, you can't havo any mustards ou yours. Millie, tell the man not toj put any inustaru on Jennies, fto thanks, bring mo a ham sandwich. Oh, thoro goes tho woman, that's! dangorous business. Oh I goo, did you, soe? I,ook, she'a all right now turnod n somersault In tho air in an auto! Oh, gee I Where Is Bobble? Oh, what shall wai do? Stop orylng, Jon. Millie, you go down Fakers' row and I'll go this way. Como back to tho coruor of tho grand- stand. What shall wo do, If bo la, lost? Oh, what will ma say? 8tor crying. Jon, Mlllio! Millie! Hero ho, Ib. Robert Edward Bobbins! Whoro. have you beon? You bad boy, answer mo at onro. Didn't I tell you to keep away from the wild man? Walt till you got home. Just wait. Now, while I go up on the ferrla wheel with Hazel, Millie will tako you in to see the mermaid that lived 40 days undor water and whose hair la sea-weed. Hush, Hazel, you said you wanted to go. Two tickets Hop In, bIb. This Ib awful! 0 hush up, we're all right Now see, wo are coming down all right Well. Mill, how did you llko tho mermaid' Now wo are going home You shall each havo a balloon and a bag of pea nuts. Bobble, what are you doing? Oh, so you have given your nickel to the monkey becaima he cried. Woll. It didn't do him any good, you see. The man that keeps him has got It now and whero are you going to get your pea nuts? Hush now, don't cry. Jon, give your little brother some of your pea nuts. Millie, you take care of Hazel, Bobble and Jennlo, don't let go my hnnd No, wo can't stay to seo the airship go up It Ib growing dark and there Is such a mob. Wo must go early to avoid tho .rush Como on. H