Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1884-08-15
North Countrie" Superstitiors.
Medora ClarE:in Chicago Gu. rent.


"North Countrie" superstitions.
Medora ClarEin Chicago Gu rent
There are many superstitions in Eng
land, especially in the northern part.
which have'not obtained largely in this
country. The observance of holidays
is regarded with an amount OF awe and
superstitious Importance which would
seem childish and absurd to most
Americans, from whom. as u class, rev.
erence for cid: customs seem to be fast
falling away.
New Years day i'll the north Of Eng
land is especially favored by tho super
stitious as the time when gods of fate.
need the most Precipitation to insure their
smiling indulgence for the ensuing year.
It is deemed. most disastrous to the
happiness Of 8 house hold tc have
it's threshold first crossed on:
that day by any female. A woman. is
sure to bring death. Anyone having
red hair, cross eyes, bow legs (and there
are many of these in the north, bumped:
back. idiocy orany brain trouble, brings.
calamity Of some sort, and if the manned
one be q female as we'll, she bodies i'll
ness, death and perhaps financial diff
culties To avert any such carastIo-
phe, boys in full possession OF all fac
y1lties, straight-eyed, strong limbed,
with hair not verging OF the ''.ritian"
in brightness of hue, go about, just as
the bell tolls the. hour of midnight, and
rap at the door tits considered heresy
not to- let them in. When the door is
open, they Cross the threshold and re-
cite the following rhyme:
We've come to wish yon Happy New Year,
pocket full OF money and cellar full of beer
Al apple and a pear, plum and q cherry,
For making of good ale for to make man merry.
God bless the mister of this house, the ,rissls
also,
Likewise The little children that round the
board 60.
We come not to Your house TO- beg or to borrow
We como good folks, to drive away sorrow.
They expect pennies, which they re-
ceive with quick, jerky bow, and start
off again for the other houses on the
street. The little boys who 60 about
thus are called waits" and arc the
most heartily welcomed guests Of the
whole year. A Yorkshire woman Of
considerable intelligence told me, with
every appearance Of credulity, Of the
sudden death Of her son which was oc-
casioned by the ill-omened entrance on
New Years morning of aneighbor's girl,
who had rushed in preoipitatcly before
the "waits, to summon aid to her dy-
ingmother. '"The girl wasn't to blame,
poor thing" she added, with great mag
nanimity; "she Little thought what sor~
row she was pouring on to our house,
but Our George Frederick Arthur lay
cold in his coffin before the next July
came in"
In some parts Of Lancashire and Lin
colnshire the same omens apply to
Christmas morning.
On Shrove Tuesday the cooking and
eating Of pancakes insures full larder
the coming year, and If on the same day
the children play almost continuously
at battledore and shuttlecock the gem
eral prosperity Of the family is hoped
to be secured. Youths and maidens
play as well, and even adults may Join
in the innocent amusement of this one
day of the year.
The superstition that it is unlucky to
go under leaning ladder" originated
in Yorkshire, as did also the idea that
"whoever reads epitaphs loses his MEM
Dry"
One day in the nburbs Of Manchester
/ was walking with a young lady when
we heard a dog bark in not far dis
tant kennel.
"How dismalIy that soundsr' 7 said.
"Wait q moment and / will put
stop to it," said the fair Lancashire lass,
and bending down she unbuttoned her
low walking shoe, and taking it off spit
in it, then slipping it on again We re-
surned our walk while she laughed mer-
rily at my anlazement. II
"What does that dc? "-I asked. + T..
"'Why, don't YOU see, he hasatts
growled since T did it.? Any dog will
Stop at once if you spit in your shoe. .s
For some reason, Or for no reasan at
all. the dog ceased to make day hideous
with his uncanny noises, at leas. until
we were out OF hearing.
On Guy Fawkes day, III Noseinber,
g. "guy" is constructed frf,m straw and
rags, wearing a mask faces. 5ald Is
burned In the streets totinsnm pleasant
dreams to the people of She different
neighborhoods, while atgreat exhibition
OF fireworks is kept up ssatil very late,
very much after Tie manner Of our
Fourth Of July celebrations.
Whole chapters Of tlBe superstitions
might berecsrdeii sSNe OF them ntter-
u senseless, others having q slight foun-
dation in some dgH1,y realized scientific.
fact 81 4 . .s85. a. 5 s.s
Henry e. Dc x,ala aoal i,