What They Say in New England/Company

by Clifton Johnson

Company
. .

If you drop the scissors, and they stick up in the floor, it is a sign you are going to have company.

Drop a fork, and if it sticks up in the floor or ground, it is a sign you will have a lady visitor from the direction in which it points. If a knife is dropped and sticks up, a man visitor is coming from the direction in which it points.

“There’s no end to these little signs, There’s signs for everything.”

When a bumblebee flies in at an open window, look for company soon,

If a visitor leaves any article behind when he goes, it is a sign that he is coming again. Few sayings come true as often as this. The sceptical, however, affirm that natural causes are sufficient to account for the fact.

If the cat in washing its ear rubs its paw way over it, that is a sign of company.

If you knock over the pepper-box, it is a sign company is coming. The direction it falls in shows the direction the company is coming from.

If you get two pieces of butter on your plate, that is a sign of company.

An itching eyebrow is a sign of company. If the right one itches, the visitor will be a gentleman; if the left one itches, the visitor will be a lady.

When the palm of the right hand itches, it is a sign of company.

At your home, when you go in at one door and out at another, you may know you are going to have company before the day is out.

You may also know that company is coming when you find the backs of two chairs together.

If you drop a dish-rag, it is well to expect company that day.

If, in sweeping, a bit of charcoal brushed by the broom makes a straight black mark on the floor, it is a sign of company.

In the days of the big wood fires in open fireplaces, it was a very common occurrence for a spark to snap out into the room, and when its fire faded to leave behind a bit of charcoal. This saying had more pertinence then than now.

Sneeze between twelve and one,
Sure sign somebody’ll come.
Sneeze between one and two,
Come to see you.
Sneeze between two and three,
Come to see me.
Sneeze between three and four,
Somebody’s at the door.

If you have company on Monday, it is a sign you will have company each day through the week.

If the rooster comes up on the step and crows, it is a sign that company is coming.

To go up one flight of stairs , and come down another, is a sign that company is coming.

If you make a rhyme unwittingly in your talk, it is a sign company is coming.

When a woman forgets to wash the spider, it is a sign that she is going to have company.

If you get black on your fingers when making a fire, look out for company.

School visitors are coming when a scholar drops his pen, and it sticks up in the floor.

If you go around the chimney, it will bring company.

An extra plate at table set,
A hungry guest you soon will get.

Of course the plate must be set by accident, not purposely, or it will bring no guest.

You may expect company when you see your cat washing herself. Notice in what direction she faces, for that shows from what direction the company will come.

If your company comes in at one door, and goes out at another, it is a sign of bad luck.

Some people are sufficiently affected by this idea that they will be at considerable pains to keep visitors from going out of any door other than the one they came in by.

If you drop your dishcloth, it is a sign that a caller is coming whom you don’t want to see.

If you drop the towel, somebody is coming that you do want to see.