Another mode of lover’s divination is for the young people, after being duly blindfolded, to go forth into the kailyard, or garden, and pull the first stalks they meet with. Returning to the fireside, they determine, according as the stalk is big or little, straight or crooked, what the future wife or husband will be. The quantity of earth adhering to the root is emblematic of the dowry to be expected; and the temper is indicated by the sweet or bitter taste of the _motoc_ or pith. Lastly, the stalks are placed in order, over the door, and the Christian names of persons afterwards entering the house signify in the same order those of the wives and husbands _in futuris_. Burns describes another custom: “In order on the clean hearth-stane, The luggies[61] three are ranged, And every time great care is ta’en To see them duly changed: And uncle John wha wedlock’s joys Sin’ Mar’s-year did desire, Because he gat the toom-dish[62] thrice, He heav’d them on the fire In wrath that night.” For this amusement three dishes are taken: one filled with clean and one with dirty water, and the other empty. They are set upon the hearth, and the parties, blindfolded, advance in succession to dip their fingers. If they chance upon the clean water, it is understood that they will marry a maiden; if upon the foul, they will marry a widow; if upon the empty dish, they will not marry at all. Again: if a damsel eat an apple in front of a looking-glass, she will shortly see her future husband peeping over her shoulder. So Burns: “Wee Jenny to her Grannie says, ‘Will ye go wi’ me, Grannie? I’ll eat the apple at the glass I gat frae uncle Johnie.’ She fuff’t[63] her pipe wi’ sic a lunt, In wrath she was sae vap’rin’, She notic’t na an aizle[64] brunt, Her braw new worset apron, Out thro’ that night. “‘Ye little skelpie limmer’s[65] face! How daur you try sic sportin’, As seek the foul thief ony place, For him to spae your fortune: Nae doubt but ye may get a sight! Great cause ye hae to fear it; For mony a ane has gotten a fright, An’ liv’d an’ di’d deleeret, On sic a night.’” A shirt-sleeve may be wetted, and hung before the fire to dry: then if _he_ or _she_ lie in bed and watch it until midnight, _he_ or _she_ will behold _his_ or _her_ future partner’s phantasm come in and turn it! Children born on Halloween were formerly supposed to be gifted with certain mysterious endowments, such as the power of perceiving and conversing with the “dwellers on the threshold,” the inhabitants of the World Invisible.