What They Say in New England/Money

by Clifton Johnson

Money
. .

Early to bed and early to rise
Makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.

When you see a shooting star, if you can say, “Money before the week’s out,” three times over before it is lost to sight, you will have some money before the week is out.

If you see a man going about with his hat brim turned up behind, you may know that he has money to let. Others say it is a sign that the man likes cider.

It is a sign you are going to be rich if you tumble up-stairs.

If your eyebrows grow together, you either are rich or are going to be. You may be even surer of this coming true if your eyebrows are bushy. You notice the rich men that you know, and you’ll find that they nearly every one have bushy eyebrows that grow together.

When you see a man with one pant leg in his boot and the other out, you may know that he has money to let.

If a man has to wear out his wedding clothes, he will never get rich.

It is a sign that a person is going to be wealthy if he picks up all the pins he finds. There is logic in this, in that it indicates a saving disposition.

A scratch on the hand is a sign of money.

When making pies, if the person engaged in the work, after putting the crust on the plate, trims it all around without changing hands, it is a sure sign she will be wealthy.

If the palm of your left hand itches, it is a sign that money is coming to you soon. Have a care about scratching it, for that will break the enchantment.

But if you will—

Rub it on three kinds of wood,
’Twill come to good.

Carry a dice in your pocketbook, and you will always have money.

The woman who sews between daylight and dark will always be poor. Others have it that the woman who sews at that time will make her husband poor.

The way in which one’s shoes wear out will indicate one’s habits in spending money.

Wear at the toe,
Spend as you go.
Wear at the heel,
Spend a good deal.
Wear at the ball,
Spend all.

If it is a girl or unmarried woman who studies her shoes for omens, she may add another couplet.

Wear at the side,
A rich man’s bride.

There was a time in the earlier half of the century when a great deal of interest was taken in the famous pirate, Captain Kidd. He was supposed to have buried a good deal of treasure along the Atlantic coast. It was well understood, however, that it was a dangerous thing to attempt to find this treasure; for every time the captain buried one of his iron chests, he killed one of the pirate crew, and buried his body with the chest, that the dead man’s ghost might haunt and guard the spot.

If you:can find the end of a rainbow, you will be rewarded by also finding a pot of gold at the spot where the rainbow touches the earth.

Don’t give to the rich. You will surely come to want if you do.

If you fall up-stairs, that is a sign your credit is rising.

When you see a white horse, put your little finger against your chin just under your lips, and spit over it. The person who does this will find some money soon.

A boy out for a walk will sometimes count all the bows he gets from his friends, and make a cross for each one on a piece of paper that he carries for the purpose. Later he buries the paper. This is supposed to insure his finding as many dollars as he received bows.