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somebody is praising, but if the left you are being reviled. A. 

 curly head is the sign of a quiet temper. The hair of the eyebrows 

 meeting above the nose signifies unsteadiness and love of change. 

 The howling of a dog at night is indicative of death. The burning 

 of withered grass on the moors in spring " cankers the air and 

 brings on rain." The clothes of dead men don't last long. A 

 whistling woman and a crowing hen are uncanny. An excellent 

 cure for warts is to rub them in the morning with your fasting 

 spittle. It is unlucky to turn either horse or vehicle widdershins 

 — that is, against the sun. It is dangerotis for future welfare to 

 pour out any liquid turning your hand backwards. When a 

 candle runs — that is, when a shaving descends down its stalk- — 

 look soon for the coffin of a friend. If a window blind fall of its own 

 accord, it is unlucky. Bees leaving a hive full of honey is a bad 

 omen. Bees are encouraged to settle when swarming by loud noises 

 and rattling of instruments. It is unlucky to spill salt at table or 

 to help another to it. Cast some salt over your left shoulder and 

 your mistake will be rectified. To drop your umbrella or walkiug- 

 stick shows tliat your mind is likely to give way. The cuckoo 

 remains until it gets an awn of barley into its throat. Tliirtecn at 

 table is unlucky — he who rises first runs most risk ; better, in such 

 a dilemma, all to rise at once. To dream of a wedding signifies a 

 corpse. The grandfather of a lady in Tynron dreamed he was at a 

 ball with his sister, who looked well, and was in a white dress. 

 She went out, saying to him, " You will not be long in following 

 me." She died in a short time, and he died soon afterwards. If 

 you dream on Sunday morning, you shall have a letter within a 

 week. One instance has reached me of a person .seeing another 

 sitting in a chair when the i)erson thus seen was not at all in the 

 room. Brewster accounts for similar visions by a diseased condi- 

 tion of the retina. Swallows building in your eaves is lucky. 

 Crickets leaving the house is a sign of death. The culm which 

 .iccumulates on the bars of a grate foretells a visitor. The bright 

 spark often seen on a candle declares, if it falls, a letter is posted 

 to you ; but if it sticks to the side of the candle, it denotes that it 

 is only on the way to be posted. Such are the greater j^art of my 

 gleanings of folk lore in Tynron and the neighbourhood. I fear 

 there is not much new in it ; but it may give you an idea of the 

 residuum of belief which still lingers on from the time which some 

 people have named " The Ages of Faith." 



