her reason for the speedy administration of this rite was
that, should the baby die before being baptised, its future was not
doubtful. Often on calm nights, those who had ears to hear heard the
wailing of the spirits of unchristened bairns among the trees and dells.
I have known of an instance in which the baby was born on a Saturday,
and carried two miles to church next day, rather than risk a week's
delay. It was rare for working people to bring the minister to the
house. Another superstitious notion in connection with baptism was that
until that rite was performed, it was unlucky to name the child by any
name. When, before the child had been christened, any one asked the name
of the baby, the answer generally was, "It has not been out yet." Let it
be remembered that these notions were entertained by people who were not
Romanists, but Protestants, and therefore did not profess to believe in
the saving efficacy of baptism,--who could answer every question in the
Shorter Catechism, and repeat the Creed, and Ten Commandments, to the
satisfaction of elder and minister. But all this verbal acquaintance
with dogma was powerless to eradicate, even, we may venture to say, from
the minds of elder and minister, the deeply-rooted fibres of ancient
superstition, which had been long crystallised in the Roman Catholic
Church, and could not be easily forgot in that of the Protestant.

When a child was taken from its mother and carried outside the bedroom
for the first time after its birth, it was lucky to take it up stairs,
and unlucky to take it down stairs. If there were no stairs in the
house, the person who carried it generally ascended three steps of a
ladder or temporary erection, and this, it was supposed, would bring
prosperity to the child.

A child born with a caul--a thin membrane covering the head of some
children at birth--would, if spared, prove a notable person. The
carrying of a caul on board ship was believed to prevent shipwreck, and
masters of vessels paid a high price for them. I have seen an
advertisement for such in a local paper.

When baby was being carried to church to be baptised, it was of
importance that the woman appointed to this post should be known to be
lucky. Then she took with her a parcel of bread and cheese, which she
gave to the first person she met. This represented a gift from the
baby--a very ancient custom. Again, it was of importance that the person
who received this gift should be lucky