290 The Book of Cats. 



In Ireland, the following cure for warts Is 

 practised by even the most intelligent classes : — 

 " Take a small stone, less than a boy's marble for 

 each wart, and tie them in a clean linen bag, and 

 throw it out on the highway. Then find out a 

 stone in some field or ditch with a hollow in which 

 rain or dew may have lodged (such stones are easily 

 found in rural districts), and wash the warts seven 

 times therein, and after this operation, whoever 

 picks up the bag of stones will have a transfer of 

 the warts." 



Here again is a little bit of Devonshire Folk-lore 

 which has its believers : — " When you see the new 

 moon in the new year, take your stocking off from 

 one foot, and run to the next stile ; when you get 

 there, between the great toe and the next, you 

 will find a hair which will be the colour of your 

 lover's." This must be rare sport while there is 

 snow on the ground. 



There is also a vulgar superstition to the effect 

 that a Cat left in the room with a dead body will 

 fly at and disfigure the face of the corpse. Some 

 of my readers may remember the old man's death 

 in '' Bleak House," and how the Cat was carefully 

 shut out of the room where the body lay. From 

 what I recollect, Cats are not great favourites of 



