Current Superstitions Part 28

742. If you go around the chimney without sitting down, you will bring company to that house.

_Guilford, Conn._

743. Company on Sunday means company all the week.

_New England._

744. If you have company on Monday, you will have company every day in the week.

_General in the United States._

745. If you drop the dish-cloth, it is a sign you will have company.

_General in the United States._

746. If you almost drop a dish-cloth and catch it before it falls, it is a sign of a visitor.

_Bathurst, N.B._

747. If you drop a dish-rag, some one is coming hungry.

_Alabama._

748. If the dish-cloth on falling to the floor spreads out, the visitor will be a lady; if it falls in a heap, it will be a gentleman.

_Cape Breton and Central Maine._

749. If you drop the tea-towel, it is a sign of company.

_Pennsylvania._

750. If you go in at one door and out at another, it is a sign of company.

_New York and Ohio._

751. Going out through one door of the house and in through another means a visit from agreeable company.

752. If you go in at one door and out of another of the house of a friend, a stranger will enter the house soon.

_Central New Hamps.h.i.+re._

753. If you go in at the back (or front) door of a house, and out at the front (or back) without sitting down, you will bring company.

_Guilford, Conn._

754. If you forget anything on your departure from a visit, you will go there again.

_Eastern Ma.s.sachusetts._

755. If the fork is dropped at the table, a man will call.

_Pennsylvania._

756. If you drop a fork, and it sticks in the floor and remains in a standing position, it is a sign that a gentleman will call; but if a knife, a lady will call.

_General in the United States._

757. Should you drop a knife or scissors so that they stick into the floor and stand up, it is a sign of company.

_New York._

758. The dropping of any sharp-pointed instrument which sticks up in the floor, such as a knife, a pair of scissors, etc., foretells company coming from the direction in which the article leans.

_Ma.s.sachusetts._

759. If the scissors drops there will be visitors; if the small blade sticks in the floor it will be children; if the large, adults.

_Nashua, N.H._

760. A needle dropping on the floor and sticking up means visitors.

_St. John, N.B._

761. If a knife be dropped at table, a woman will call.

_Pennsylvania._

762. If you drop a knife at table, a lady will come during the evening; if a fork, a gentleman is coming.

_Talladega, Ala._

763. If you drop a knife, your visitor will be a woman; if a fork, it will be a man; if a spoon, it will be a fool.

_Pennsylvania._

764. If you drop a knife, it is a sign a lady is coming to see you. If a fork, the visitor will be a man; if a spoon, your cousin.

_New York._

765. Two knives beside a plate mean a lady stranger; two forks, a man.

_Peabody, Ma.s.s._

766. To put two spoons in your teacup is a sign of a stranger.

_Maine and Ma.s.sachusetts._

767. Two forks or spoons crossed on a plate signify that a stranger is coming.

768. If you wash the sugar-bowl, you will have company.

_Eastern Ma.s.sachusetts._

769. To have too many plates on the table means guests.

770. If an extra plate be accidentally placed upon the table, some visitor will come hungry.

_Northern Ohio._

771. If you are offered an article of food at the table, which you already have on your plate, but forgetting that you have it, take some more, it is a sign that a stranger is coming to your house before you eat another meal.

_Quebec._

772. If stems of tea-grounds are found in the cup, it denotes that visitors are coming. If you wish them to come, bite the heads off and throw them under the table.

_Deerfield, Ma.s.s._

773. If the stems of tea-grounds come on top of the cup, visitors are coming. Bite one, and if it is hard, it will be a man; if soft, a woman.

_New Hamps.h.i.+re._

774. If successful in the attempt to take stems from your tea, a friend is going to visit you.

_Alabama._

775. If a tea-stem is on top of the cup, put it in your shoe, and you will have company.

_Ma.s.sachusetts._

776. If a tea-stem floats in the tea, it is a sign you will have a visitor. If it is hard, it is a man; if it is soft, it is a woman. If it is long, the visitor will be tall; if short, the visitor will be short.