in a tumbler on St. John's Day. The tumbler being half
filled with water, an egg is broken into it at early dawn, and it is
placed in the window, where it remains untouched till sundown. At that
time the broken egg is supposed to have assumed a special shape, in which
the ingenious maiden sees dimly outlined the form of her future lord, or
some emblem of his calling.
_Newfoundland._

CHAPTER VI.

LOVE AND MARRIAGE.

ENGAGEMENT.

327. If you are a bridesmaid three times you will never stand in the
middle.
_Baldwinsville, N.Y._

328. Three times a bridesmaid, never a bride.
_New England._

329. Don't let another person put on your engagement ring, taken from
your finger, or the engagement will be broken.
_Bathurst, N.B._

330. The mother-in-law's test of the incoming daughter-in-law is to place
a broom on the floor. If the daughter removes it and places it on one
side, she will be a good housewife; if she steps over it, she will be a
bad housewife.
_Labrador._

331. A girl will have as many children after marriage as she has
"holders" given her before marriage.
_Eastern Massachusetts._

ATTIRE OF THE BRIDE.

332. If you try on your wedding dress before the ceremony, you will not
be happy.
_Cambridge, Mass._

333. The bride should wear a borrowed garter, and also a yellow garter.
_Boston, Mass._

334. If a bride wear a yellow garter tied on by a girl friend, the latter
will be married inside the year.
_Eastern Massachusetts._

335. The bride should wear

Something old,
Something new,
Something borrowed,
And something blue.
_Very common._

336. Wear no black at a wedding; it foretells ill luck.
_Massachusetts._

337. To be married in a brown dress is good luck; black is bad.
_Bathurst, N.B._

338. To be married in anything but white garments indicates bad luck for
the bride, white being emblematical of innocence.

They say that white is a heavenly hue.

Another has added,

It may be so, but the sky is blue.
_Massachusetts._

339. White is emblematical of holiness and truth. Blue is emblematical of
peace and security; bright green of true learning, as being the uniform
clothing of nature.
_Maine and Massachusetts._

340. A bride must not look in the glass after her toilet is complete,
_i.e._, she m