Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1875-08-05
POrtents and Augnries.

fOTtentS ana AugNr1eS.
The number of trifling circumstances
held 10 presage coming good or evil is SO
large that ii would be impossible to collect
them all together; but before the ancient
faith in portents and auguries dies out en-
tirely it will be amusing to recall a few of
them, to which many people, especially in
the Old World, still pin their faith
If you sing before breakfast, you will
cry before supper. If you SILVER, some
one is walking over your future grave.
II you put button or hook into the wrong
hole while dressing In the morning, some
misfortune will occur during the day. If
the right ear tingles, youa being spoken
| well OF; if the lett ear some one is speak
ing i'll Of YOU If your nose itches, il is
sign that you will be crossed or veXcd or
kissed by fool.
The sudden loss of hair is a prognostic
OF the loss of children, health or property.
He who hears loud stroke upon a table
as if by wand or club, or three success
sive strokes, or the noise as of bullet
dropped upon the table, is doomed man
himself or will soon hear of the death of
a friend. Or if a man dream that his
| teeth fall out, he will hear the next day of
the death of a friend; while dream of
fire prognosticates sorrow and pain If
you dream of a wedding, you will hear of
a death. Ifyou dream of water, you will
hear of sickness. If persons hair burn
brightly when thrown into the fire, it is a
sign OF longevity; the Brighter the flame,
the longer the life On the other hand, if
il smolder away and refuse to burn, it is
| a sign OF approaching death.
1t is counted lucky to carry in the
pocket crooked sixpence or one with a
hole in it, or to inadvertently put on a
stocking inside out. If you sweep the
dust out of your house by the front-door
you sweep away the good fortune of your
family. 1t must be swept inward and car
ried out in a basket or shovel, and then no
harm will follow.
Ii on leaving your house you see black
snail, seize it bSldly by one of its horns
and throw it over your left shoulder; you
may thea go on your way prosperously;
but if you fling ii over your right shoulder
you will draw down i'll luck In leaving
your house, if you meet white horse, you
will be unlucky.
Turn the money in your pocket Gu the
first day of the new moon, and you will
always have plenty there Again, look at
the first new moon of the year through the
threads Of silk handkerchief that has
never been washed. AS many moons as
you see through the handkerchief 0he
threads multiplying the vision), so many
years will pass ere you are married. II
you stumble upstairs by accident you
will be married the same year; if you
snuff out the candle you certainly will.
If snake crosses the path, it will rain.
If glow-worms shine at night it will soon
rain. If you take violets or primroses to
house in less quantity than handful,
| all the owners young chickens or ducks
| will die. 1t is fortunate for housewife if
| a brood of chickens turn out all cock
| birds; very fortunate if her cabbages grow
| with double heads; also if she meet with
| goosebcrries, potatoes, or any fruit or
vegetable of an unusual size, or with peas
or beans more than the usual number in a
pod. A pod containing only one pea is
also equally suspicious. A spider de-
scending upon you from the roof is token
that you will soon have legacy from a
friend. Fuller, in his Worthless, refers to
our clothes, we used to say some money is
coming toward us. Those who initiate
the industry of that contemplate creature
may, w Nou DiNsSluS, weave lutlilSCI'cS
into wealth, and procure for themselves
plentiful estate" People with eyebrows
that meet are said to be especially lucky.
If two persons wash their hands together
in the same basin they will be sure TO fall
out before bedtime. In putting on new
coat, place some money at once in the
right-hand pocket This insures its be-
ing always full. But if by mistake you
put it in the lefthand pocket you will
never have a penny as long AS you wear
the coat. Splitting salt is always consid-
cred ominous of disaster.
1t is unlucky after one has started on a
journey to be recalled and told of some
thing previously forgotten; but the spell
may be broken by asking for meat and
drink and partaking of it, This done, the
journey may be resumed without fear.
The story is told of an old Yorkshireman
who, though anything but weak minded
man, would never turn back when he had
| once started on a journey. If anything
had been forgotten he would stand and
shout for 1t if near enough for his voice to
be heard, or else go on without the miss
ing article.
These superstitions, dying out before
the advance of general education, still re
| tain their hold among the ignorant Of all
| nations; and there are many even among
the well -educated classes in whom traces
Of them may yet be found. Many people
will not sit down with thirteen at table or
| begin journey on Friday.
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