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 Hampshire._
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 Hampshire._
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.