Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-07-26

and beliefs of the simpler sort will be found
peculiar to the Scottish people themselves,
of which give q few examples. If you
first see the new moon with empty hands,
you will be unfortunate for a month to
come. If you see cow lick either of her
fore feet, you will Immediately hear of
death. Seeing 4 snail on bare ground is
bad omen; but to find one on the grass is
sign of plentiful year In RoXburshshire
those meeting black snails take them by
their horns and throw them over their left
shoulders, in order to go on their way pros
perouslv. The sudden loss of hair is prog
nostic of the loss of children, health or
property To dream of ones teeth falling
out, is certain sign of the death of a
friend. The shrinking Of meat in a pot
while cooking, pressages downfall IN life;
and should IL swell you will be prosperous.
1t is unlucky to be recalled, after having set
out on journey, to be told of something you
have forgotten; but you can destroy the
spell by at once partaking OF meat and
drink. When you first put on new coat
ii you will place money in the r'ght-hand
pocket you will not know want; but if by
mistake you place it in the left-hand pocket
you will be in need as long as that coat is
worn. To sweep house by night is the
greatest possible insult that can be offered
to the fairies and the spirits of the dead;
and TO sweep out the dust by the front door
is to drive away good fortune. A dock
leaf will cure nettle sting if you will in
cant
Nettle out, dock in;
Dock remove the nettle sting;
during the operation. Down about Yet
holm if any of the travelling thinkers or ped
dlers on setting out in the morning meet a
person whose face they do not like, they
turn back; for to have proceeded would
have given an unlucky day Highlanders
TO OF mid ipht Of A fpI1
style) battle in Lochmanur, Sutherland
shire, to cure themselves of bodily ailments,
repaying the Spirit of the lake in coin for
these benefits. Soap and salt are still
smeared over cows afflicted with the evil
eye" And Goals and salt must be tossed
into new house before taking possession
of it, TO
DRIVE OUT LINGERING EVIL SPIRITS.
The Scotch baby is the subject and object
of very many traditional superstitious safe
guards and ominous portents. If in prais-
ing the baby and calling it pretty, you do
not add Save it," your eye will take on
it, Save it'' wards away the ''evil eye"
1t is equally necessary, when praising your
neighbors cattle or fowls, to add, My eye
will not take on IT'D Babes are at the mer-
cies of the fairies before baptism. For
partial safeguard against their bewitch-
ment some article of clothing belonging TO
the child's father should always be thrown
over it. In border shires it is believed that
if a babe happens 10 be sitting on the floor
and any one should step over it, or walk en-
tirely around it, it will become a weakened
pigmy. If the babe takes spoon first in
its left, instead of its right hand, it will be
uniucky all its life. 1t is most unfortunate
for mother, after the birth of a babe, to
appear out of doors until she is ''churched."
The first babe baptized by minister after
his appointment to parish, receives the
,Npll
and female child are brought together for
baptism, the boy must be first baptized.
Otherwise he will go through life bare
faced, and the girl will be disfigured with
beard. During nursing, mothers wear
amuletS of blue wooden thread or cord
around their necks TO avert ephemeral
fevers from their babes These arc handed
down from mother to daughter, are greatlys
priced, and their efficacy is in proportion to
their antiquity. in the border country
cradle is never rocked, as it will bring dis
ease to a child. 1.-The luck o. the BARN is
curious outgrowth of tradition and Gus
tom. Whoever carries the babe to church
for baptism, must be provided with piece
OF cake. This is given to the first person
met, no matter whom: and if it be man it
is better ''lucll' for the child. All manner
of i'll comes upon whoever refuses, and
such refusal also BODIES i'll fortune TO the
child. But few months since the Scottish
newspapers took notice OF graceleSS lei
low who flung this luck-cake away, thus
throwing away with 1t
THE LUCK O. THE BARN.
In the matter of courtships and weddings
Scottish people preserve an extraordinary
number of peculiar customs and fanciful
superstitions. 1t is deemed uulucliy TO
alter the first width of au engagement ring.
Many troths have been broken as a result.
The giving of brooches and pins By lovers
is full of i'll consequences. No young man
or woman. in the tender relation, will take
a pin from the other, without returning the
same after use. Pins, needles, ETC., are all
emblematic OF the cessation of friendship
and affection. 1t is very fortunate for the
bride to wear some borrowed article of APP
parel at her wedding. If swine cross the
path of the bridal party before it, it is an
omen of the direst import; but il they
should cross its path behind the party, it
would be happy augury. A wedding after
sunset entails on the bride a joyless life,
the loss of children, and an early grave. In ]
the south of Scotland a rainy day for mar
rage is an unlucky one. The bride is then
called "a greetin' BRIDE" whereas, 'Blest
is the bride that the sun shines on" To
rub shoulders" with the bride IS sign of
speedy marriage; the first among the un-
married female friends who succeeds in do
and l have myself witnessed scram-
bles on the part of buxom Scotch
lasses for precedence quite closely
approaching fsticuffs. As newly married
wife first enters her new home some elderly
person must throw cake of shortbread
into the door before her. One securing a
piece of cheese cut with the brides own
hand before she has left the wedding feast |
is certain to be shortly happily married.