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Transactions. 39 
stition, and the devices resorted to by love-sick swains and 
languishing maidens desirous of ascertaining their lot in the 
marriage: state: are almost bewildering in their variety. We 
content ourselves with noficing a few of the more important. A 
rite rarely neglected at this propitious season was the dipping of 
the sark sleeve in water where three laird’s lands met. The 
garment was then taken home and hung over the back of a chair to 
dry, due care being exercised to place it in such a position that the 
maiden could have it constantly under view during the night; for 
should marriage be her lot in life the husband she was to get would 
enter the apartment and turn the garment. A story still lingers 
in the district of a much-respected doctor’s: wife who. successfully 
practised the rite when a young and unasked maiden. She had 
retired. to rest at the usual hour, but was too anxious as to the 
result of her experiment tosleep. Close upon the stroke of twelve 
aman she had never seen before silently entered the room, turned 
the “ sark,” and then, as if to leave some tangible: proof of his 
visit, deliberately stuck a pen-knife through the sleeve of the 
garment. The man she saw on that Hallowe'en night was: the 
man she afterwards. married, and. to her dying day she possessed 
an unwavering faith in the genuineness. of the visit. 
We may mention in this. connection a peculiar practice long 
common in the district on the Ist.of May. Some time during the 
day, maidens curious in matters matrimonial pulled nine stalks 
of yarrow ‘‘to dream on.” These were placed beneath the pillow 
for three successive nights, and if the spell succeeded, the maiden’s 
future husband either appeared in person or had his name 
mysteriously announced to her ina dream. Tibby B told me 
that long before she saw her man she dreamed about him on the 
yarrow, and saw him as plain as she ever saw him in after life. 
“T was lying in the turnip field,” she said, “when he came to me 
and said, ‘ My lass, ye’d better gie me ye’re hoe an’ I'll help ye a ~ 
bit.’ I answered, quite careless like, ‘Ye may hae’t’;. sae he 
took it, and after workin’ a bit and talkin’ a bit he left me, an’ it 
was in that very way and wi’ thae words on his lips Rab C 
courted me for his wife.” 
Another popular method of love-divination was. to pare a turnip 
round and round without breaking, and then to hang the long 
spiral peeling over the doorway ; the name of the first person who 
afterwards entered being supposed to correspond with that of the 
