Current Superstitions Part 24

Housekeepers will prefer paying a quarter's rent extra to going into a house on that day. It is, of course, most unlucky to be married on it.

Wednesday is the day considered most favorable for the purpose.

_Newfoundland._

618. If you cut your nails on Sunday, you'll do something you're ashamed of before the week is out.

_Maine._

619. If business is transacted on Sunday, you will lose by it on the coming week.

_New York._

620. Pancake Day is Shrove Tuesday. If you do not eat pancakes on that day, you will have no luck throughout the year. The hens won't lay, etc.

_Chestertown, Md._

621. When the two figures that tell one's age are alike, as 22, 33, etc., some great change in life is to be expected.

_Nashua, N.H._

DRESSING.

622. If you put on any garment wrong side out, as, for example, a pair of stockings, never change it, as to do so brings ill luck. This direction is intuitively followed by many people who are entirely free from conscious superst.i.tion.

_General in the United States._

623. If you put a garment on wrong side out, you mustn't speak of it, or you will have bad luck.

_Maine._

624. If you put a garment on wrong side out, or a hat on wrong end before, spit on it before turning, to prevent bad luck.

_Maine and Ohio._

625. If a garment is put on wrong side out, it is lucky, but unlucky to turn it.

_Prince Edward Island and Ma.s.sachusetts._

626. To clothe the left foot before the right one is a sign of misfortune.

_Ohio._

627. If you b.u.t.ton up your dress wrong, _i.e._, do not begin with the b.u.t.ton and b.u.t.ton-hole opposite each other, it means bad luck, or good luck if worn uneven until after sunset.

_Cape Breton._

628. The putting of the left shoe on the right foot, lacing it wrong, or losing a b.u.t.ton, are all bad signs.

_Alabama._

629. Walking across the room with one shoe off is a sign of ill luck.

_Alabama._

630. When putting on your shoes and stockings, if you complete dressing one foot before beginning to dress the other, it is a sign you will be disappointed.

_Northern Ohio._

HORSESHOES.

631. It is good luck to find a horseshoe.

_General in the United States and Canada._

632. The luck is especially good if the loop end is towards you, that is, if you meet it.

_Miramichi, N.B._

633. If you find horseshoes and pick them up, you will have a horse.

634. The more nails in the horseshoe, the more luck.

_Western Pennsylvania._

635. To find a horseshoe nail is good luck, especially if the head is towards you.

_Miramichi, N.B._

636. If horseshoes are put up over a house for luck, the points should not be placed downwards, or the luck will slip through.

PINS.

637. See a pin and pick it up, All the day you'll have good luck; See a pin and pa.s.s it by (or "let it lie"), All the day your luck will fly.

_Eastern Ma.s.sachusetts._

638. See a pin and pick it up, All the day you'll have good luck; See a pin and let it lie, Come to sorrow by and by.

_New York._

639. See a pin and pick it up for luck. If the head is towards you, the luck is slow in coming; if the point is towards you, the luck is quick and sharp.

_Boston, Ma.s.s._

640. If you see a pin crosswise, that is, across your path, it means a ride if you pick it up.

_Boston, Ma.s.s._

641. "I have known a young lady form a habit of stooping in consequence of keeping the eyes fixed on the ground, in the streets of New York city, in order not to miss the good fortune that might come of picking up a pin. The pin must be thrust into a tree or post, in order to keep the luck as long as it remains fast."

_New York, N.Y._

642. Find a pin and let it lie, You'll want a pin before you die.

_Alabama._

643. See a pin and let it lie, You'll want that pin before you die.

_Peabody, Ma.s.s._

SALT.

644. It is unlucky to pa.s.s salt across the table.

645. Spilling salt is unlucky; throw some over your left shoulder, or burn a pinch to avert ill luck.

_Northern Ohio._

646. It is bad luck to spill salt unless it is burned.

_Virginia._