Gents Mag 1891 part 2 p.133
|
|
|
|
|
introduction, lists | ||
|
|
list, 4th qtr 19th century | ||
|
|
previous page
next page |
||
|
Gentleman's Magazine 1891 part 2 p.133
church on Sundays is somewhat made up for by the very great regularity with which they appear at all funerals. One of my friends, who happened to be clad in his best clothes for some excursion of a semi-holiday kind, was passing the old stone-breaker, by whom he was accosted in these words: "Now, John, thou'st meade a mistack; they're not buryin' him to-day." the squire had, indeed, died, and nothing but a funeral could properly account for the very respectable clothes. At some of the funerals there used to be singing as the procession moved, and in one instance the minister lost his book, causing the party to be thrown into a slight state of confusion. The chief mourner - perhaps a little self-conscious, as rural folk sometimes are - called out in impatience, "Now, come, sing something and gang on; we look very okward standing here." So that it has become a saying when anything puzzles, "Come, let's sing something and gang on, as Tom Anderton said at t' buryin' of his mother." A few relics of superstition may still be found in these regions. The kitchen chimney in an old farm-house having taken fire, two lads were poking it to put out the smouldering soot, when, to their surprise, a bottle fell down; when they had wiped this bottle they saw that it contained hair, pins, and needles. They did not open it at the moment, but later, after showing it to their father, they expressed their intention of either breaking or opening it. This, with much fervour and excitement, he forbade them to do, lest the charm or spell, which he declared emphatically must depend on this bottle, should be broken also. Naturally many of the superstitions are connected with their stock, on which the farmers have to depend for existence. A calf which dies under certain circumstances is buried feet upwards under the groupstone, after having been stuck full of pins and needles. This is done to prevent a recurrence of a similar calamity. A fine old man, now living in decent retirement and comfort, was accustomed to bind the church with withies to drive out the witch when the milk was too cold to turn: the scientific temperature of Dr. Voelcker was not then arrived at. I knew this good old man well. It was considered unlucky not to scratch a cross upon the cheese at Christmas time; but this ancient usage belongs to a class other than thoese referred to. The most remarkable case of survival of superstition which I have myself encountered is the following, which is true of a neighbour of mine within the last ten years. It was considered unlucky if, after the birth of a calf, the owner did not distri- |
|||
|
|
next page | ||
|
|
|||
Lakes Guides menu.