Towns > Forfar > 1885-1895, 1897-1911 - Forfar directory and year book > 1908

8th Month.]
Riches breed care ; poverty is safe.
[3 J Days.
Photo: Pictorial ^-igoicy.
DURHAM CASTI.E.
DURHAM CASTLE.
The most striking features of the ancient
city of Durham are its cathedral and its
castle. The cathedral is on a kind of
peninsula running east and west, and
almost surrounded by the Wear. The castle
— now the University — was founded in 1072
by William I. A college was founded in
1290, but this fell into abeyance, until the
Dean and Chapter applied for a charter,
which was granted in 1837 for the University
already founded in 1832.
HARVEST HOME.
Happy is the farmer who sees all his crops
safely gathered in before the stormy weather
of late autumn begins. It was a good old
custom, which has not yet entirely died out,
to celebrate the occasion with much feasting
and merrymaking. The last wagon to leave
the field was gaily decked with flowers, and
was escorted home by the reapers with great
rejoicing. The ancient custom of giving
thanks in church for a bountiful harvest has
been revived, and harvest thanksgiving
services are now held all over the country.
Mrs. Heman's lines are well known :
The valleys echo to the strains
Of blooming maids and village swains ;
To Him they turn the lay sincere,
{ Uliose bounty crowns the smiling year.
The sounds from every woodland borne,
.The sighing wind that bend the corn,
' The yellow fields around proclaim
His mighty, everlasting Name.
A SURE SIGN OF A VISITOR.
In West Cornwall a tea-leaf floating in the
cup is by some people even now-a-days
considered " a sure sign of a visitor." If two
or more leaves float then there will be two
or more visitors. If the leaf is hard, the
visitor will be a gentleman; if soft, a lady.
The leaf on being taken from the cup is
placed on the back of the left hand and
struck with the lower side of the right fist,
the striker repeating at each stroke the words
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, etc. The
day the name of which is repeated when
first the leaf adheres to the right hand is
that on which the visitor may be expected .
A CHOICE OF EVILS.
As a sweep was crossing a field one day
he was chased by a savage bull. He im-
mediately climbed up a tree. The bull
kept him prisoner for some time, but at
length wandered a little distance oif, and
espying another person coming he gave
chase, and ran him up the same tree.
The second person did not climb up very
high, and the sweep thinking the bull (who
was bellowing and pawing on the ground)
might reach him, said, " You had better
come up a bit higher."
Upon looking up, the second person was
horrified to see up amongst the branches the
sweep's black face and white eyeballs.
With a scream of terror he rushed down
the tree saying, " I would rather face the
bull than the devil ! "