Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1906-12-14
SOME URA SAYINGS.

There Are Many OF Them I'm Which
Belief Can still Be Found.
While signs and sayings are not so
rife as they once We're in the New En-
gland country, they are still extant to
n considerable degree among the old
people, and perhaps still more so among
the children. This sort of thing al
ways has appealed to the Imagination
Of the child, and very likely always
will. Clifton Johnson tells in the New
England Magazine a number Of bits Of
superstitious lore which he gathered
from an elderly farmer Familiarity
known IS "Gramp," diminutive for
grandpa" Their first experience to-
gether, with the witchhazel crotch,
seeking for water, did not prove to be
successful, for although the crotch,
which the old farmer held firmly in
both hands, with the extremity point
ing vertically in the air, tipped strong
~ downward when over a certain spot,
subsequent digging failed to disclose
any water. The farmers faith in the
method, however, was not in any way
dissipated.
Another superstition in which the
farmer placed implicit confidence was
that storms always clear eff at 0 in
the morning, at noon, at 3 o'clock in
the afternoon, at sunset, at midnight,
Dr. at sunrise. Mr.. johnson feels, how
ever, that it would be n very ingenious
storm which could clear off at Il time
sufficiently removed from the times
,1x,o1 not IN hn acciOnn1 to w ~
them by the weatherwise. It is also
believed that the weather on any given
day will be as it is between IL and 2
In the morning. A cold snap can be de-
pended upon If the dog comes into the
house and puts his head under the mat.
If the wind dies down at sunset It will
blow again the next day. One of the
popular feminine beliefs is that if a
pin is held between the teeth while
| peeling onions it will prevent the tears
| coming. Rats can be driven out Of a
| house by catching one, tarring and
| feathering it and turning it loose.
A simple cure for hiccoughs is for
| the afflicted one to see how near to-
| gether he can hold his little fingers
| without their touching. Toothache may
be prevented by cutting a little from
each toe and finger nail, wrapping the
| cuttings in white paper or birch bark
| and putting them in a hole bored in a
| pine tree. "Close the hole by plug
ging,' said the farmer, "and you won't
| have any trouble from aching teeth as
| long as you live Unfortunately this
| will not prevent the loss of teeth by
| decay. rheumatism can be cured by
| putting mustard III the shoes, and nose.
| bleed by putting a piece of paper under
| the tongue or a key on the back of the
| neck. a cure-all almost equal to some
| advertised remedies is water bottled
| at a spring on Easter morning before
| sunrise. Drink a little Of 1t if any.
| thing is the matter inside of you and
| if you have a sore spot rub it on out.
1 side" advised the old farmer. "You'll
| be surprised to see what it does 70,
you, no matter what disease you've
| got"
Unfortunate fishermen will do well
| to heed the admonition not to cut Q
] twig to string the fish on until the
I first is caught. If they do this they
j cannot hope to catch any fish. Garry
ing a cat across running water must be
Z especially guarded against. 1T WILL
announces aGramp,' ruin your life
You might just as we'll take n dose OF
deadly poison and be done with 1t