orpse, another
death in the family will soon follow.
_Virginia._

1265. It is bad to disturb an old grave, as by putting up a tombstone;
you will thus herald a death.
_Chestertown, Md._

1266. Many will not go through a graveyard on the way to call on friends,
for fear of bringing death into the house.
_Massachusetts._

1267. The clothes of the dead wear out quickly.
_Westport, Mass._

1268. "The clothes of the dead never wear long" when used by the living.
_New York._

1269. If you put clothes of a live person on a corpse, when the clothes
decay the owner will die.
_St. Joseph, Mo._

1270. It is quite customary, both in the United States and in Canada, to
give the whole house a thorough cleaning after a death has occurred, even
when the deceased has undergone no prolonged illness and has died of no
contagious disease. A day or two after the funeral one sometimes sees,
particularly in country homes, feather beds, mattresses, etc., etc., put
out to air. Sometimes even rooms are whitewashed in the purification
process.

CHAPTER XIX.

MISCELLANEOUS.

ACTIONS.

1271. If a child in eating an apple merely girdles it and leaves the
apple good at stem and below, it indicates that he will be a poor man;
the saying is, "a poor man's core."

1272. It is unlucky to turn back after starting to go anywhere. To avert
misfortune after turning back, make the sign of the cross in the dust
with the heel, and spit in the cross.
_Arkansas (negro), and Kentucky._

1273. It is unlucky to turn back after having once started out.
_Quebec._

1274. To get out of bed on the wrong side puts one out all day. "He got
out of bed with the wrong foot foremost" is said of a person who has a
fit of crossness.
_Northern Ohio._

1275. To drop your books on the way to school signifies that you will
make mistakes in your lessons.
_Chestertown, Md._

1276. Drop a book and you will miss your lesson, unless it is immediately
picked up and kissed.
_Alabama._

1277. Whoever eats the last piece of bread will be an old maid.
_Pennsylvania._

1278. If you break something, you will break two other things.
_Maine, Massachusetts, and Northern Ohio._

1279. To twirl a chair on one leg means that you are going to fight with
somebody.
_Peabody, Mass._

1280. Whirling an empty chair indicates th