Some Superstitions

lü Siciiy it I devontl beiieved thát á acürpioíi Ineidsed lü a bottie or lü sume sítuatlon froni whleh tt cannot escape w 111 sting ltsalf to duath. The beaver hunters of the early daya of thls country believed that the ae verity of the coming winter waa indlcatod by the thlckness of the beaver huts. In Holland and Belglum to kill a stork is consldered one of the greateat misfortunes that can happen to a man. 111 fortune is certaln to follow him through Ufe. In some southern localitles the colored people believe that if a crow croaks an odd number of times foul weather will follow lf even, the day will bc line. Many of the Eaat Indiana, partlcularly among the Hindoos of south India, believe that monkeys can speak, but will not do so for fear they will be put to work. In the Ural mountalns the peaaantry believe that lf a wolf sees a man before the man sees the wolf, the man will be struck dumb and remain so as long aa the wolf ltvea. In many countrles there Is a superstltion that when ants are unusually active, running to and fro about thelr nests, foul weather Is sure to oceur in a very short time. Several anclent authors nárrate the superatltion common in both Greece and Rome that the basllisk can throw lts polson to a considerable dlstance, and thus slay its victlm. In England and Scotland milkmaids bel leve that if they forget to waah their hands after milking their coura wlll go dry. This superstition is dlligently fostered by the owners of the cows. There is a superatition among many colored people In the south that to meet a frog is a lucky incident, lndlcatlng that the one thus favored Ib about to recelve money from sorae unexpectec quarter. In parts of Austria and Italy there is a superstition that the human saliva Is a cure for bllndness. The Idea probably orlglnated in the mlraculous healing of a blind man recorded in one o; the gospels.