Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1840-07-03

that Saynt Johan was lan,crne Of lygh, 10 the
people The third tyre of bones betokcneth Johan's
"martyrdomc, for hys bones were brent" All which
"Brand speaks Of, as "a pleasant absurdity.'"
The superstitious ceremonies connected with the
eve and day Of ST. John, very numerous, relating
chiefly to love matters and promoni,ions Of the death
Of friends. In an old work called the Connosscur,
there is passage which incidentally alludes 10 sever.
al of these customs female speaker says, 81 and my
sisters tried the bumb cake together; you must know
two must make it, two bake it, two break it, and the
third put it under each of their pillows (but you must
not speak word all the tme) and then you will dream
Of the man youarc have. This did, and to be sure
did nothing all light but dream Mr.. Blossom The
same night exactly at twelve o'clock, sowed hemp.
seed in our back yard, an said to myself Hemp-sccd
l SOW hemp secd hoe and he that is my true love
come after me andmow.' Will you believe me, saw
him behind me as plain eyes could sec. After that
took a clean shirt, and wetted it, and turned it
wrong side out & hung it - the fire the back Of the
chair, and very likely my sweethc art woull have come
and turned it right again. flor heard his step) but
was frightened and could not help speaking, which
broke the charm Our maid Betty tells me that If l
20 backwards, without speaking word into the gar
den, and gather and keep it in clean sheet Of
paper without looking att till Christmas day, it will
be fresh as in June; and if then stick it in my bo
som he that is TO be my husband will come and take il
out. My own sister Hcty who died Just before
Christmas, stood in the church porch last mIsum.
mor eve to see all tina, were to die that year in oul
parish and she saw her own apparition."
| Tho plant whose mystic properties are most po-
tent in discovng the sincerity of lovers, is the st
Johns Wort, and is thus introduced in quaint LITTLE
poem from the Gcrman.
The young maid stole through the cottage door,
And bushcd as she sought the plant of power
| "Thou silver glow worm, oh lend me thy light,
! must gather the mystic ST. Johnswort to night
The wonderful herb whose leaf will decide
If the coming year shall make me u brider'
And the glow worm came
| With its silver frame,
| And sparkcd and shonc
| Through the night of ST. John,
And soon the young maid her love knot tied.
| With noisclcss tread
! To her chamber she sped,
Where the spectral moon her white beams shed,
| elbow here blow here, thou plant of power
To deck the young bride in her bridal bower"
But it droopei its head that plant of power,
And died the mute death of tho voicclcss flower
And whercd leaf, on the ground it lay,
More fit for burial than bridal day.
And when year was passed away
All pale on her bier the young maid lay,
| And the glow worm came
| With its silver frame,
| And sparked and shonc,
| Through the night of St. John,
And they closed the grave DER the maid cold clay.
In Hornes Every Day Book, a valuable dcpositor,
Of curious matters, from which these extracts are ia
ken, there are are descriptions Of many other obscrv
anccs peculiar to the day