The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1877-01-04

kill cricket. The flying of ravens
over house foreshadows death. 1t
is unlucky to kill robins, martins, swal-
lows, wrens, lady-bugs, sparrows, or |
titnoase, and persons doing so will in
fallibly, in the course of the year, break
a bone or meet with some other dread
full misfortune. 1t presages good luck
to have martins or other swallows build
their nests in the caves of q house, or
in the chimney. Birds fighting against
each other are ominous of war. The
swallow is classical bird of omen.
Swallows alighted upon Pyrrhus's tents,
and on the masts of Marc Antony's
ships, and the soothsayers prognosti-
Gated the death of the former at Argos,
and of the latter in Egypt. They fol-
lowed King Cyrus into Scythia, where
he died; and the Chaldean astrologers
foretold Alexander's death from the
number of ravens that followed him in
to Babylon.
If a hare or SOW cross ones path it's
a sign of very ill-luck, and many have
been known to turn back from their
journeys, no matter how important, if
either of these animals are met with;
but if it be wolf, the omen is consid-
cred a good one. Meeting with a
weasel is unlucky, as also meeting with
an ill-faVored man or woman, a rough
footed hen, shag-haired dog, or a
black cat.
The owl is reckoned q most abomina-
bic and unlucky bird, and its awaking
is an omen of the approach of some
dire calamity. The ancients thought
the screech of the own messenger of
death. The croaking of ravens fore
tells death. The woodpecker's cry de-
notes rain. When buzzards or kites fly
high, the weather will be warm. Some
persons forete1l the duration of their
lives by the cuckoo. The chattering of
magpie denotes the approach Of
guests. To see one is unlucky; to see
two denotes marriage or merriment; to
see three, a successful journey; four,
good news, and five, unexpected good
luck. The battle between the French
and English, in the time of Charles
VIII of France, was forshadowed by
skirmish between magpies and jack
DAVIS. If the cock crows or goes to
roost at unusual hours, or if the chick
ems come late from their roosts in the
morning, it presages foul weather. 1t
is ominOus for man in love to get the
Emery thought (the bone next the
breast of a fowl. The growing OF a
cock is a lucky omen; Themistocles
was assured of victory over Xerxes in
this manner, and ever after used cock
on his ensign.
dirt bodies luck" is Scottish
proverb. Many housewives refuse to
brush away cobwebs, or kill spiders, as
, they deem it unlucky to do either. 9th
ers imagine they are about to receive
money if spider fallupOn their clothes.
The insect known to entomologists as
the Scarabgus gaHatus puIsator, is COM
monty called the death-watch, and its
ticking is generally believed to prognos-
ticate death.
, Corpse-candles are phantasmic ap-
pearaDces seen in the air, and by their
light and size foreshow the age of the
person about to die; they are also call
sd fetch-ights, or dead mans candles.
There is a curious superstition among
sailors, that no person in q ship must
cut his hair or pare his nails, except in
a storm. 1t is regarded as ominous to
whistle on board, to carry corpse, to
lose water-bucket or mop, to drown
a cat, or to go to sea on any day but
, Sunday. When porpoises chase one
another they expect storm; and when
: they see Davy Jones perched on the
rigging, they look out for shipwreck
r or other disaster. i.
, Weather omens are very numerous.
The turning of a cows tail, the creak-
: ing of signs, frogs croaking, swallows
| flying low, hogs running home, oxen
licking themselves against the hair,
swine carrying bottles of hay or straw
. to any place and hiding them, the
| bleating of sheep, and the shaking and
: futtering Of fowls wings. are all said
: to prognosticate bad weather. Thunder
/ in the morning is believed to signify
t wind; at noon, rain; and at night, a
tempest.
Stumbling in going down stairs, or
| going out in the morning, is very un-
lucky. 1t is sign of i'll luck to lay
l ones knife and fork crosswise; for
= sweethearts to interchange knives, as
} it will cut away their love; to present
l any body with knife, scissors, razor
| or any sharp instrument. To avoid i'll
7 consequence, a pin, a farthing or some
7 t1ifing recompense must be given ia
{ return. To find knife or razor is un
: lucky. That it is i'll luck to find money,
and worse to keep it, may seem para
: doxical to many. 1t is nothing to lose
a garter. 1t is good luck to find four
, Ieaved grass, piece of iron, an old
; horseshoe.
Moles are indicative of good or bad
| fortune according to their position on
: the body. A mole against the heart
denotes .wickedness, on the abdomen,
} a glutton; on the knee, wealthy wife !;
} on the nose. a traveller; on the throat,
: riches; on the lower jaw of woman,
sorrow and pain; in the middle of the
: forehead, a discourteous and cruel
mind; on the right side of the forehead,
| command, esteem and honor; on the
left, near hair, misery on the left, near
middle of forehead, prosecutions from
, superior; on the lip, great eater and
very amorous; on the chin, riches; on
the ear, riches and respect; on the
/ right breast, poverty; near the bottom