The Lancaster news. (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, March 07, 1908, Page 7, Image 7
r Cat Saperstitioi.
Began in Egypt and Has
Persisted Till Present Day
Of all the domesticated animal
companions of man there
attaches to the cat alone an air
of mystery. This is doubtless
due to the animal's weird-lnok.
ing eyes, its peculiar habits,
stealthy movements, night prowling
and its strange vocal accomplishments,
ranging from soft
musical "mewing" to the "wailing
shriek" described by Poe,
"half of horror and half of
triumph ; such as might have
arisen only out of hell, conjointly
from the throats of the
damned in their agony, and of
the demons that exult in the
damnation."
Upon this atmosphere of mystery
which attaches to the cat
and the widespread belief that
the animal exercises a mysterious
influence over the lives and destinies
of human beings, the poet
Poe founded his grewsome tale,
"The Black Oat."
These curious beliefs and superstitions
attaching to the cat
existed in very early times, says
the Boston Herald. In ancient
Egypt the cat was sacred to the
(goddess Isis and was held in the
highest reverence. Temples
were erected in its houor and
sacrifices and devotions offered
up to it.
When the family cat of an
Egyptian family died the members
of the household were required
to shave off their eyebrows.
In iho city of Cairo there was
within very recent years an institution
for the care of destitute
cats.
In Massachusetts it "brings
good luck" to throw a dead cat
over the left shoulder and turn
around twice, savs a aatr? of t.h?
Kansas City Star.
In Alabama the spirit of an
old maid alter death takes possession
of some black cat. In
the same State to cut off the end
of a black cat's tail and bury it
under the doorstep is to keep
sickness out of the family.
The belief that it is bad luck
to kill a cat is general, and in
Pennsylvania and Iowa is found
the superstition that if a farmer
^ kill a cat some of his stock will
die.
The black cat also makes"good
medicine." Here are some spe
cimens of "cat cure" lore:
The blood of a cat will cure a
spavined horse.
Blood from the tip of the tail
of a black cat without a single
white hair will cure a sty.
Apply the freshly removed
skin of cat as a remedy for shingles.
The heart of a black cat, applied
as noon as killed, will stop
bleeding from a wound.
The skin of a black cat worn in
uuc o uiUwiiiuK, win uuro rjieuuiH
tUm,
Here are a few specimens of
the omens which are associated
with the feline ;
If you dream of a cat it signifies
that you have an enemy.
In Canada, Michigan and Eastern
Kansas a cat of three colors
brings luck, and in the lastnamed
place is regarded as a protection
aguiust fir^s.
A "smutty"-nosed ca* brings
wealth to its owner.
"Up in Maine" \\ me ns poverty
to own a while cat.
A spotted cat coming to your
house is r? lucky omen.
A double-pawed cat foretells
good lu"k.
i mo possession 01 a oiacK cat
or a black and white one bring*
sickness to the family.
If a cat runs across your p?.ih
r you will bo iisapp huted ii you
do not immediately turn back.
That you will break friend
ship with a person to whom you
nive a cat is believed in Mew
tingland.
THE LANO^
In Ohio, if a neighbor's cat ?
come listening around you may
know that the neighbors are gos
siping about you.
In Massachusetts a cat putting
its paw over its head means company.
And when the cat licks
its paws that also means company,
and the company will come
from the direction to which its I
tail points. .
In Labrador it, means visitors
when the cat scratches the door
poBt.
When the cat washes its face
it is a sign of visitors in Massa- j
chusetts, New York, Pennsylvania
and Ohio.
In Eastern Kansas it is a fa v
orable omen when the cat sits
before the fire and washes its I
face.
After washing its face visitors
will come from the direction iti
which the cat looks.
If a cat washes its face in the ;
presence of several persons the
first it looks at will be the first
to get married, and will be tte
first of those present to die.
it a cai washing its face be- '
tore a fire pause in its ablu
tions aud look directly at any
one, that one will receive a let
ter, is a Kansas belief, as also is
the superstition that if the cat
follows one who is leaving home
it presages harm. Also, that it is
unlucky to move into a house
where former oocupauts have [
left their cats and dogs.
In some localities it i s bad
luck notto moye the cat wheuj the
family moves; in other localities
it is allni omen to move the cat.
The cat also runs a weather
bureau:
A cat "bawling" is a sign of
rain in Newfoundland.
A cat eating grass indicates
rain in Maine, Michigan and
Massachusetts.
If a cat's fur shines and looks
glossy, next day will be pleasant.
In Alabama a cat washing its
face means rain. In New England
this statement is limited to
ablutions on the part of the cat ,
before breakfast or in the parlor. (
The direction from which the j
Oftf.'a n'?U7 mnvoo , n uiauliinn it.
vi*v u jy> ?? ill" ? VI" *U IUdicates
direction from which the
storm will come.
In Central Maine it will storm (
soon if you see the cat looking
out of a window.
In Kansas it means a change
of weather when the cat plays 1
and (risks about in the house.
And in New York a storm is
looked for when an old cat frisks
through the house at night.
When a cat is sharpenitig its
claws the way its tail points indicates
the direction of the wind
next day, is a Maine supersti
tion.
When the cat turns its back
to the stove it means cold weather.
If the cat lies withjtheback of its
head turned downward, it means
a storm. When the cat hold*
its nose up in the air it signifies
rain
That putting a coal-black cat
under a bushel measure when it
is raining will make the riin
atop is a belief entertained in
Maryland.
It is ajgoneral belief that a cat
never should be left alone with
a sleeping child, as the cat "may
suck the child's breath."
In Ohio it, found the belief
that playing with a cat will raako
a child stupid.
'Ihe following was found with
in the shadow of the State Univei*idty
at Eawrence, Kan :
"Never taLe a cat near a dead
po":on, leefc the cat t;?ke tho soul
of the dead."
Tho cat and the dog are hereditary
enemies because the cat
or.ce stole the right of the dog.
Grease a cat's foot and it will
stay at your house.
The belief is genera! that cats
can't smell when their whiskers
are cut. off.
In New England it ia regarded I
LSTER NEWS, MARCH 7, 1908.
I JUST
OUR !
/
c
i Wfll
i s|
|| and low ci
Paten
liij Gun IV
ijraroo,
1 3.50
| J Willian
7 ^ . . . ., l~7~
as ungate to nave a cat in tiie An
room (luring a thunder storm.
In Maine it is belived that in ^
the tip of every cat's t ail are
three hair9 of the devil?which
accounts tor the cat's disposition wh?
to prowl. tial 1
. ? . was
How's This . .
teril
We offer one hundred dollar* reward fo
any case of catarrh that cannot bo cured by I wo
Halt's Catarrh Cure.
F. J. Cheny a Co., Toledo, O. (Jliai
We the undersigned have known F. J. and
Cheny for the last 15 years, and believe
him perfocUy honorable in all business wer(
transactions and tlnancially able to carry
out any obligations made by his Arm.
Wfti.niso Kinman a Marvin, buih
Wholesale druggists, Toledo, O.
Hall's CatArrh Cure is taken internally and
acts directly on the blood and mucous to tl
surfaces of the nysteu). Send for testiiuo- .
nials free. Sold by Druggists, 75c. per hot- t?,,r
tl?. own
Take HaM's Family Pills for constipation.
cent
RECEIVES
SPRING LINE OF
LK-OVEI
HOES
its in the new styles
t Leathers, Tans,
letal, Glaze, Kan.
. . Etc.
PRICE
*?
4.00 5.0C
is-Hughes 0
e that Keeps Everything
a Man Wears.
mm'Wsmmmm
other Barn Burned in A. Formi
Mecklenburg. House in
larlotte Observer March 5: es on Fir
barn of Mr. J. It. Walker, Itock Hill
is among the'most substan- blaze was
?? front roof of
citizens of upper Providence, jj ^ Dunla
burned to the ground yes- nue Tuesday
ay morning about 3 o'clock. company rofl
its assistance
mules, lour head of cattle, a ,j10 bjaZe w
nity of corn and provender fore it did ai
a valuable two-horse wagon ^ aI
) consumed in the flames. ' *'
cause of the
re was no insurance on the
ding ami the value of the .. T . ....
" Mr. John Kiln
Is destroyed equals the Iohs have boon ->. iii
XT . bladder bills t'oi
ieir owner. No tracks were give better satist
,<1 neiir the building, but the J2???*tbli'
er 111 ink8 the fire was of ill- ^faction in ever;
,, . . myself with tine
liary origin. KiBu.
7
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sr Lancastrian's
i Rock Hill Catche.
llerald : A small
discovered on the
the residence of M..
ip on Oakland ave
morning. The tire
poned prcmply, bat
> was not needed as
as extinguished beay
considerable daKirk
from a chimney
to have been the
fire.
i. of Vining, Ia., says "I
ng DeWilt s Kidne y ami
r about a year and they
action than any pill I ever
a dozen people hero who
and they give perfect suty
case. I have used tlo-m
results." Sold by all drng