LOCAL SUPERSTITIONS. 95 
Legends. —A calf, with two heads, uttered the following words 
when it was born, and died immediately after: they relate to 
Fenwick Shield— 
Twice burnt, once sunk, 
And never more seen. 
The popular belief is that the house is sinking. Some years ago 
part of the kitchen fireplace is said to have sunk a few inches ; 
this I can easily believe, for on the south side of the house, there 
was a large decoy for wild fowl ; after the water was let off, and 
the land drained, it is very probable that the soil would settle 
down, and cause a shrink in the building. 
The Captain’s Walk is a foot path from the Heugh Bridge, 
going eastward along the Pontside ; a lady with a baby in her 
arms walks there and sings— 
Hush a bah, baby, 
Hush a bah bee, 
T’was Captain Walter 
That kill’d thou and me. 
St. Agnes’ Fast, Jan. 21.—To procure a sight of a future hus- 
band.—Eai nothing all day till going to bed, boil as many hard 
eggs as there are fasters, extract the yoke, fill the cavity with 
salt, eat the egg, shell and all, then walk backwards to bed, 
uttering this invocation to the Saint— 
Sweet St. Agnes work thy fast ; 
If ever I be to marry man, 
Or man be to marry me, 
I hope him this night to see. 
I add another receipt for the same object. Hat a raw red 
herring, bones and all. ‘There can be no doubt that dreams and 
visions will be the result. Men sometimes try this plan to see a 
future bride. 
The following story was told of J. P., who having fasted all 
day, eat one of these superstitious suppers. The first words he 
was heard to utter when he awoke were “ I'll never do it more, 
never.” He had dreamed that he had a grape (fork), and was 
employed digging up potatoes, and a huge black sow of tremen- 
dous size, was eating them up as fast as he could turn them up ; 
