In the pleasant pages of T. Crofton Croker's "Researches in the South of Ireland," are particulars of a custom, observed on the eve of St. John's Day, of dressing up a broomstick as a figure, and carrying it about in the twilight from one cabin to the other, and suddenly pushing it in at the door, a proceeding which causes both surprise and merriment. The figure is known as Bredogue. The superstitious inhabitants of the Isle of Man formerly, on Midsummer Eve, lighted fires to the windward side of fields, so that the smoke might pass over the corn. The cattle were folded, and around the animals was carried blazing grass or furze, as a preventative against the influence of witches. Many other strange practices and beliefs prevailed. In Wales, in the earlier years of the present century, it was customary to fix sprigs of the plant called St. John's wort over the doors of the cottages, and sometimes over the windows, in order to purify the houses and drive away all fiends and evil spirits. It was the common custom in England in the olden time for people to repair to the woods, break branches from the trees, and carry them to their homes with much delight, and place them over their doors. The ceremony, it is said, was to make good the Scripture prophecy respecting the Baptist, that many should rejoice at his birth. Midsummer Eve has ever been famous as a time suitable for love divinations, and surely a few notes on love-lore cannot fail to find favour with our fair readers. In a popular story issued at the commencement of this century, from the polished pen of Hannah More, the heroine of the tale says that she would never go to bed on this night without first sticking up in her room the common plant called "Orpine," or, more generally, "Midsummer Men," as the bending of the leaves to the right or the left indicate to her if her lover was true or false. The following charming lines refer to the ceremony, and are translated from the German poet, and given in Chambers's "Book of Days," so we may infer that the same superstition prevails in that country:-- "The young maid stole through the cottage door, And blushed as she sought the plant of power: 'Thou silver glow-worm, oh, lend me thy light, I must gather the mystic St. John's wort to-night-- The wonderful herb, whose leaf will decide If the coming year shall make me a bride.' And the glow-worm came With its silvery flame, And sparkled and shone Through the night of St. John.