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swelling. In Thiselton Dyer's " Folk Lore," and Napier's " Folk 

 Lore of the West of Scotland," the custom is referred to. The 

 plate of salt was intended for the sin-eaters, who came and devoured 

 the contents with incantations, and thus relieved the spirits 

 clogged with earthly frailties, and kept them from hovering 

 too closely near their friends and relatives. Pennant mentions 

 the custom, suggesting that the salt was an emblem of the 

 incorruptible spirit and the earth of the body. When the sin- 

 eater arrived, Napier mentions two plates — one of salt and 

 one of bread — which required to be devoured. A shepherd 

 in Tynron told mc that he recollected seeing perforated stones, 

 or stones nearly perforated, from the channel of the stream, 

 attached to a rowan tree near a house at the head of the Kinnel, 

 and that he understood both stones and rowan tree were looked 

 upon as likely to scare away evil intiuences. At or near Flcuch- 

 larg, in the adjoining parish of Glencairn, might have been seen a 

 hole in the wall of the byre, letting out a rope, so that if the evil 

 spirits got in they could get out more readily by the hole. I 

 understand that when I was carried to church for baptism, the 

 young Avoman who carried me bore a piece of bread and cheese in 

 her pocket, presenting it to the first person she met, who was 

 expected to bless mc. Baptism being private in Tynron, I have 

 nothing of this kind to record. The beggars' benison, however, 

 was of such esteem in the eyes of an old woman in Tynron that it 

 secured a night's lodging for many a tramp. Silver is lucky. A 

 father gave a lucky shilling to his daughter at her marriage. 

 Crooked sixpences are worn at the watch chain, so that you may 

 have silver when you first see the new moon. Turn your apron 

 three times and look at the new moon, wishing for a present, and a 

 present will arrive to you ere it wane away. One person, trying 

 the experiment, received in a present a pair of curtains, a dozen 

 eggs, and a hen. If you see the plough coming towards you for 

 the first time of the new year, it augurs well, but if you observe 

 it going away it is unlucky. It bodes ill to turn when you are 

 setting out on a journey. It is better for you should the day be a 

 wet one. Great care should be taken not to burn hair or nails. 

 It is unlucky to pare your nails on Sunday, but if you pare them 



Ion Saturday, expect to see your sweetheart to-morrow. Tuesday 

 and Friday evenings are the orthodox evenings for courting, but it 

 is not well to marry either on Thursday or Saturday, while most 

 Scotch marriages are performed on Friday. Mr M'Caw, our 

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