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Show SAILOR 8IGNS AND TOKENS. , Many Otrange Superitltlen 6f Thbib 'Who Roam th Ocean. Tliero Is- a general liloa that tho .sailor Inborn under more than the onn it Hiipprmillon popular tradition hssIkiis to each Individual. J. I). J. Kollpy, althouRh he declares that ."(his" ure no moio KupeisiltloiiB than any of their equals in tralnlnic and opiortiinlUeK, cites In "The Ship's Company" many of the signs and tokens tok-ens in which those "who go down to the sea in ships" put their faith In the past superstition was a part .of cvfry ship; it enteVad into Its keel, climbed to its flags, ran at its launching, launch-ing, controlled Its crew and cargo, evoked portents and governed its Venturis Ven-turis and arrivals. A bit of stolen wood was always mortised into the keel to nitflfe a ship tall fast. A sliver sli-ver coin was placed in the mainmast step to insure lucky ventures. The modern christening -by the wine bottle arose from the. ancient libations poured pour-ed on th deck by priests. Ship bells are bless and to thls.day if a mistake mis-take Is made In striking one it is Immediately Im-mediately struck backward to break' the spell The belief In the desertion of a sinking ship by rats is founded on reason, for rats like to be dry footed foot-ed and when a vessel Is unsafe It becomes be-comes leaky under deck and too wet for the creature's comfort. Youth' Companion. |