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Show M CURSE THAT WAS EFFECTIVE, H tLafcadlo Hearn Tells 8tory of Japs- B note Superstition. H In ono of his recent stories Lafcadlo H Hearn deala with a singular suporstl- H Hon In Japan. A woman had, accord H - tag to a vory common custom In Ja- H pan, given her mirror to go Into tho H molting pot to muko a boll for a Bud- H tthlst temple. After Bho had given H It sho remomberod that It had been H tier mother's and hor grandmother's, M and that It must havo reflected a good 1 many happy smiles. So sho regretted H giving It Sho longed for tho chance M of stealing It back, but It never came. Aa tho mirror was given grudgingly H tt would not molt. Sho was sure that H everybody must know who had done M Buch a dreadful thing as to grudgo n H gift to a tomplc, so sho drownod her- M self, leaving a farewell lottor contain H Ing thoso words: "Whor I am dead, H It will not bo dlfllcult to vnoU tho mlr- H ror and to cast tho boll. Hut, to tho B ponton who breaks that boll by ring- H Ing it, groat wealth will bo taken by H tho ghost of mo." This was a magnl. M, flcontly effectlvo curse, because ovory. H body trlod to ring tho bell till it should H break. Tho priests were driven to B tho vorgo of madness by the ringing M " and throw It into a swamp, so that M nobody could ring it any more. |