ty of pepper
in the roses for the Head Shepherd, so that the poor Shepherd had severe
fits of sneezing. Being expected, the joke never failed to cause a
tremendous noise of sneezing, both natural and mock.

June was the month during which the feast was held and it was held as
recently as 1856.

In some parts of Northamptonshire the last sheep to be sheared had a
garland of roses placed round its neck.

MIDSUMMER EVE CHARMS.

As the clock strikes Midnight take some hempseed and go into the garden
and begin to throw the hempseed on the ground, repeating these words:--

Hempseed I sow,
Hempseed I hoe,
He that is my true love,
Come after me and mow.

After this, look over your left shoulder and you will see your future
spouse.

In some places the sower goes round the house.

Another is to go into the garden backwards, in silence, and gather a
rose and keep it in a clean sheet of paper without looking at it, until
Christmas Day, when it will be as fresh as in June, and if it is worn on
that day on the bosom he that is to be the husband will come and take it
out.

Just before twelve o'clock at night take a clean chemise, wet it and
turn it inside out and put over a chair before the fire, and when the
clock strikes midnight your future spouse will come and turn the
chemise. This must be done in perfect silence as a single word will
break the spell.

DUMB CAKE.

On Midsummer Eve three girls are required to make a dumb cake. Two must
make it, two bake it, two break it, and the third put a piece under each
of their pillows. Strict silence must be preserved. The following are
the directions given how to proceed: The two must go to the larder and
jointly get the various ingredients. First they get a bowl, each holding
it and wash and dry it together. Then each gets a spoonful of flour, a
spoonful of water and a little salt. When making the cake they must
stand on something they have never stood on before. They must mix it
together and roll it. Then they draw a line across the middle of the
cake and each girl cuts her initials each on opposite sides of the line.
Then both put it into the oven and bake it. The two take it out of the
oven, and break it across the line and the two pieces are given to the
third girl who places a piece under each pillow and they will dream of
their future.

Not a word must be spoken and the two girls after giving the pieces to
the third girl have to walk backwar