Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1904-10-05

The Dutch farmers Of Rowan county
ora among North Cardinals most pros
porous AMI most interesting people,
They 1--we wei. save money and i'm
prove IN every way Thrift IS a ylr-
tue With them. They are great beliey
ers IN signs and old sayings They DO
things By the Yocn.
Before building a orm fence the
Dutch always watch tie moon. says
/ the Charlotte ~ Cl Observer. II must
be right go the fence viii sink into
he ground The bottom rail must be
pu, down when the little moon IS turn
ed ~, SO that 4, win not sink Into the
ground TO prove that this Is the right
sort Of doctrine let u person make mn
| experiment with two bricks. Put
down one while the little moon is up
and the other while II Is down, and 1t
VIII be noticed that the one laid when
the moon Was down viii 10 into the
ground ana that the other will remain
us left.
II one would cover his house well he
must make the boards when the little
moon Is turned down. That is easy.
The boards Will keep their shape II
rived then. But, on the other hand,
IL made while the little moon Is turn
ed up the boards Will cup up ut the
ends when exposed to the weather. |
have @ many q board turn up ut
the end. but never knew what did 1t
till now.
The moo must be right when a
Dutchman kills his hogs. II the hogs
| are killed when the little moon Is on
the decrease the meat will shrink. but
IL killed when the little moon Is on
the increase II will swell.
To have good turnlps n must plant
on %Isrnel's day4-that is, In August. II
| corn in planted when the little moon
points up the ears viii grow too near
| the top. The ear gets more nourish-
ment near The ground.
No work is done on Ascension day.
1t Is a day Of rest and pleasure, IL the
first visitor TO II home that day liz a
man all the eggs that are setting will
hatch ROSTERS; II a woman, pullets
VIII prevail. Therefore Il man Is an IN
welcome guest early In the morning on
Ascension day.
II Ii not right TO carry out the ashes
between Christmas and New Years
| day. That brings bid luck.
Ii a farmer puts out mannre or fer
| tiIizer when the little moon points mp
1t will stay, but IL the little moo
points down it win leach out.
There are a thousand and one Of
these signs and sayings If they could
be collected. Many of them are met In
other than Dutch communities.
Lived there n country boy In Meek
lenburg who did not know how to
treat his old hound for various short
comingsi II when you get a new dog
he win not stay with you cut the hair
tip Off his tail and bury i under the
front steps. and then he will abide
with you forever. Nobody can take
him from you. II you would have the
dog love you better than he could any
body else wear u bit of meat In the
heel Of your shoe a day and then give
It to the dog to eat. 1t is strange doe
trine, but true, for l have tried il.
Some folks find 1t better to measure a
dog with a stick ana bury It under the
steps than to nick the tail. Either way
will do.
1t so happens now and then that a
fine dog refuses to bark at the tree.
That sort of hunting IL unsatisfactory.
for most of the hunters time Is wasted
In hunting for the silent dog. That de
feet, however, is easily got rid Of. The
hunter goes to the woods and listens
for the s%queaking noise that Ii made
by the rubbing together Of two trees,
gathers the bark from she point OF
friction, makes a soup of 1t aud gives
II To the dog. II anything will help
him after he is grown that viii. But
II the puppy Is taken IN time there will
be no silent dog at the tree. As o
MS the puppy Is large enough to stand
the blow the hunter should burst a
green gourd over his head. That will
make Tree dogs barking dogs, But |
cannot refrain from giving n word OF
warning here. | hit one of my puppies
ttoo hard once and broke his head IN
stead of the gourd.
In certain sections Of the south Their,
In a saying that If you will rub q teeth
ing baby's gums with warm rabbit
brains the teeth win come through tbs
skin without difficulty. 1t was my
good fortune once 10 see the trick tried
one day | was travelling in the lower
part of Mecklenburg county when
/ saw two small boys running. carryin,
something. The youngsters We're re,
IN the face and hot. ] could see tina
they were bent on purpose. The large
: OF the two. a red topped boy. was II
the lead, He held In his hand some
thing that be seemed TO be jealous o
{ and was trying TO project.
What have you there, boyf' ! shout
cd.
rabbit brsins-hot rabbit brains,
was the quick reply.
'"What are Won poing 10 do wifi