The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1899-12-29

Tyrol is "Esrth, Bread and Rags" 1t
Is played with the greatest earnestness,
ard there is still widespread belief in
its lnfallibility.
Three inverted cups are placed on
the table, covering respectively little
earth, piece of bread and a few rags.
Each person selects one of the cups
Who chooses the first will be buried
within the year, who CHOOSES the sec
ond will not lack bread, who chooses
the third cup will be reduced to beg
gary.
But the most fertile of oracles is the
"lead casting" which is common to all
Germany. Melted lead is poured
through the door key into water, and
the predestined occupation of the pour
er, if man, or of her future husband,
if a girl is making the trial, is inferred
from the forms which the lead assumes.
If they resemble ropes, planes, lasts or
shears they denote ropemaker, car
penter, a shoemaker or tailor. Tur-
nips and carrots indicate farmer, ships
a sailor, and if picks, ,shovels, and sledge-
hammers appear there is a horror
stricken whisper: ooh, dear! he is 60
ing to be common laborer!' In some
places eggs are broken in water and
their forms interpreted in like man
ner. The lead gives other informa-
ton, too A number of little disks,
or "turnips," promise wealth, wagon
a journey, coffin death, and so forth.
Another game is ''throwing the
shoe" The girls seat themselves in a
broken circle, the part nearest the door
being left vacant. The Girl stands in
the centre with her back to the door
and throws her shoe backward over
her head. If it falls with the toe
pointing to the door she will leave her
fathers house within the year. And
if the shoe stands erect on the sole
everything will go well, but if it is in
verted, or lies on the side, the course
of true love will be exceedingly rough.
In the Harz and some other places
an appleskin thrown over the shoulder
forms the initial letter of the future
husbands name-a belief not confined
to Germany.
Bohemian girls arrive at the same
result by writing the alphabet on the
door and picking out letter while
blindfolded
The question Of marriage within the
year being settled, and the rank and
occupation of the husband having been
foretold by the lead casting, it becomes
of interest to know whether he will he
straight and handsome or ugly and mis-
shapen..
To decide this point the girl goes to
the wood-pile at night, between twelve
and one, and snatches a stick at ran
dom. Ifthe stick is long and straight
so will the husband be. If it is short
and thick, he is not likely to be either
giant or a living skeleton, and if it is
knotty and crooked he will in all prob
ability be afflicted with slight curva-
' turc of the spine.
Another way is to seize an armful of
wood and count the sticks. An even
number denotes good figure. an un-
| even number bad one. The same
conclusions are drawn from the count
of handful of corn.
And there are ways Of finding out
other things than those relating to mar
riage.
To ascertain whether any of the
family will die within the year, it is on
ly necessary to construct with the aid
of an old and hereditary thimble, lit
tie heap Of salt for each member He
is doomed whose heap mound falls
down on Christmas day.
An infallible method Of weather pre-
diction consists in the following out
twelve onions and filling them with salt
on Christmas eve.
Each onion is named for one of the
months of the coming year If the
contents of a particular bulb are found
in the condition of brine on the follow
ing morning, the corresponding month
will be wet. There seems to be good
deal Of room for the display of expert
knowledge in the selection of these oni-
ons.
But the crops do not depend entire
ly upon the rainfall, and their charac-
ter, it has been unanimously agreed, is
best determined in the following way:
A glass is filled to the brim with wine
ON Christmas eve. If it overfows dur
ing the night the harvest will be boun-
teous.
Many shrewd farmer has filled his
barns to bursting by taking very cold
wine and stirring the fire we'll before
going to bed.
So much depends on knowing tue
right way of doing things.-N. y.
Home Jnrna1
Tommy-Say, paw.
Mr.. Figg-Well?
"When they say anything is all off,
does it mean the same as all over?'
81 guess SO. Why?'
Il was just thinking when 4 man
l. i I