Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-12-27

servant breaks piece of crockery she must
Immediately and willfuIly break another
piece in order to destroy the spell. When
the housewife drops her dishcloth she will
surely have company that day, and the
same rule applies if she drop fork and
the tines hold it to the floor, but in this case
the visitor will be a gentleman. should
she, without premeditation, place either
two knives, fork or spoons at one plate or
give two spoons with one cup or bowl, the
person receiving them will be married
within a wear. Place the wishbone of q
fowl over door and the first one who en-
ters under the bone will be the first in the
house to be married.
1t is held by superstitious people that II
spotted or white cat cross your path you
cannot have years of pleasure. A black
cat following you indicates good luck, and
coming to your store or house indicates
wealth and plenty. To kill Q cat is the
worst i'll luck and brings seven years OF
trouble
To meet red-haired person on first get
ting up indicates dull day in business, and
if such one crosses your door on New
Years Day you will have an unlucky year.
While making trade if cross-eyed per-
son looks at you it indicates that the bar
gain will be improbable. To hear cricket
chirp is good luck, and it is always vel
come sound under the hearthstone OF tie
farmers house.
A bird flying in the window indicates
failure in business, so that in panicky times
the poor birds are very weary. Every
horseshoe found in the roadway should be
placed over the door of the house, because
it brings the best of prosperity and keeps
witches and the devil out. A streak OF
profit is coming when you find many, be-
cause it denotes good fortune.
The Kissing Representations.
If your nose itches you will be kissed,
cursed or vexed. If a horse stumbles
while being rode to the race do not bet on
him. If you fall when going upstairs you
will have trouble or lose some lady friend.
If your lips tickle you will be kissed by
stranger.
The Hebrews have custom of breaking
crystal at wedding to scatter brightness
upon the happy pair, and they, in common
with people of other races, throw rice after
the newly-wedded couple when they leave
the house TO bring them good fortune.
When dog howls at night it is sign Of
death to one who may be sick in your house.
Should white cat come to your door there
will be death in your family. Upset the
salt at table and you will quarrel with your
host. Two chairs facing each other indi-
cate hasty visit from some one with good
news.
To get rid of wart you must steal Q
piece of meat from the butchers block, rub
it on the wart, bury it, and when the meat
rots the wart Will disappear-sure cure.
When your left hand itches you will get
money. If your right itches, you will shake
hands with a stranger.
The Empress Josephine was said to have
been q clairvoyant Napoleon constantly
consulted his ''book of fate," and placed
implicit faith in astrologers, soothsayers,
fortune tellers and other frauds. Josephine
was said to have presaged Napoleon's de-
feat at Waterloo because of the breaking of
vase.
One Sign of Disaster.
A toad on the doorstep is a certain sign
that the house is under evil influence, and
some disaster must necessarily follow. The
toad must be killed to avoid sorrow. In
'sMuch Ado About Nothing" Benedik says:
"Hang me in bottle, like o cat, and shoot
at me-" This has reference to the prevail
ing idea that a cat was an unlucky animal
There was prevalent custom in Shakes
peare's time of placing cat in q bottle
with lot of SCOT and hanging it on line,
and the person who succeeded in beating
out the bottom as he ran under it and es-
capped being marked by the contents was
the hero of the sport.
Every profession, trade and occupation
has its folklore. Even the farmer who
studies the actions of animals will tell you
what they portend concerning the weather.
and in many cases sensibly, too, for they
build their homes and lay in their food
through instinct given by Divine Provi-
dence with reference to the coming winter;
they house themselves before a coming
storm; their coats are heavy or light as the
winter shall be severe or otherwise, and
they often give the farmer who watches
them valuable indication concerning his
crops.