Horseshoes
The horaeshoe was of old held to hn of special service as gocurity against the attacks oí' ovil spirits. Tiie virtue may have been aseigned, perbaps, by the rule of contraríes, from it being a tliing incompatible "vvit'n ihe cloren foot of the evil oiie, or fi'om the rude resemblance Wfeich the horseshoe Dears to the rays of glory, which in ancient pictures are made to sufvound the heads of saints and angels, or, finally, from sonio noiion of iU purity acquired through passing tlie lire. This latter ïiipposition receives sonio countenance from the method resorted to for the euro of horses that had bocome vicious or afllicted by any distenijter that the village farriery did not uuderstand ; suoh discase was invariably aitiibutetl to witchcraft, and the mode of cure secms to irnply Lhe belief that the imperfect purifieation by tiro of tlie slioes wliich (lie animal woro had aiforded uu inlet to malevoleat inri n - enees. Accortiingly tiie liorse vyas led into the smithy, 'tlie dooi1 closud and barred, the siioes werc taken affaoii placed in tho lire, and the witch or ■warlock was speeaily uuder the neecssity of removing tlie spell onder which tlie animal snllered. Over theentninco of many pretentioua places of business in out citíes can be seeii the horseshoe. Sailors are, for tho most part, caread to have a horseshoe naiied to the niizzemuast or somewhere on deck near midships. for the protection of tho vcssol. The Chinese have tUeir tombs built in the sliape of tlie horseshoe, ■which custom is very curious, as it inay bo fairly regarUed as a brauoü of the superstitiou loag prevaleut auiun ourselves.
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Old News
Ann Arbor Argus