Trnnsactions. 41 



when the aukl farmer makes his " New Year morning salutation 

 to his mare Maggie," he says : 



When thou was coru't, and I was mellow, 

 We took the road aye like a swallow. 

 At broozes thou had ne'er a fellow 



For pith and speed ; 

 But every tail thou pay't them hollow, 



Whei-e'er thou gae'd. 



At my grandfather's marriage, which was attended 1 ly a hundred 

 people all mounted, the racing was also on horseback, for landlord 

 Smith, of the old Oak Inn, fell from his horse and was nearly 

 killed, much to the distress of my grandparents, who interpreted 

 his mishap as an omen of misfortune to themselves. It was long 

 customary in Glencairn, and we believe the custom prevailed in 

 other districts of the country, for an elder sister to dance in her 

 stocking soles at the marriage of a younger one. We have also 

 a belief that a sister acting as bridesmaid on three separate 

 occasions, thereby sacrifices her own chances of marriage. With 

 the groomsman or "best man" superstition has been less exacting, 

 and, so long as lie gives a liberal " ba' " to the children, he may 

 officiate as often as he chooses. The marriage ceremony over, and 

 the rice or old shoes thrown after the newly-married pair for 

 " luck," it might be expected that now, at all events, there would 

 be an end to superstition ; but this was by no means the case. 

 The entrance into the new home was quite as much beset with 

 ordinance as the leaving of the old one, and the " young folks " 

 had no sooner arrived at their destination than the new-made 

 wife was presented with a pair of tongs, as symbolical of her 

 duties, while over the heads of husband and svife, as they entered, 

 bread and cheese were broken in token of welcome and blessing. 

 It was an established belief that salt should be tiiken into a new- 

 house before " kennelin," that is, fire, and down to a recent date 

 this practice was religiously observed throughout, at least, the 

 south of Scotland. Burns, we are told, countenanced the rite 

 when he took up house at Ellisland, more, we suppose, from 

 sympathy with national custom than from belief in its virtues. 



Close upon the marriage came " the kirkin','' an important 

 ceremony, which usually took place on the fii-st Sabbath after the 

 nuptials. Neither the best man's nor the bridesmaid's duties 

 were supposed to be complete ujitil this ceremony had been per- 



6 



