Democratic Sentinel, Volume 17, Number 6, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 February 1893 — The Effects of Superstition. [ARTICLE]

The Effects of Superstition.

The Duchess of Ahgouleme, in the sixteenth century, on awakening one night was surprised by an extraordinary brightness which illuminated her room. At first she thought it was the Are, so she scolded her women for having made so large a one; they assured her, however, it was caused by the moon. The Duchess ordered her curtains to be undrawn, and discovered that what produced this unusual light was a meteor. “Ah!” exclaimed she, “this is a phenomenon which never appears to persons of common condition. Shut the window; it is a meteor which announces my departure. I must prepare for death. ” The following morning she sent for her lawyer and physicians, and made every arrangement for her approaching dissolution. The physicians assured her that her apprehensions were ill-founded and premature. “If I had not,” replied she, “seen the signal for death, I could believe what you say, for I do not feel myself exhausted or particularly ill.” On the third day after this event she expired —the victim of terror. Long after her day all appearances of the celestial bodies, not perfectly understood by the multitude, were supposed to indicate the death of sovereigns and distinguished persons, or revolutions in governments.