_Omens from Cattle_.--I forward to you a _Note_, which, many years
ago, I inserted in my interleaved Brand's _Observations on Popular
Antiquities_, vol. ii. p. 519. 4to., in the hope that, as the subject
interested me _then_, it may not prove uninteresting to some _now_:--
"A bad omen seems to be drawn from _an ox or cow breaking into
a garden_. Though I laugh at the superstition, the omen was
painfully fulfilled in my case.
"About the middle of March, 1843, some cattle were driven
close to my house; and, the back door being open, _three_
got into our little bit of garden, and trampled it. When our
school-drudge came in the afternoon, and asked the cause of
the confusion, she expressed great sorrow and apprehension on
being told--said it was a bad sign--and that we should hear of
_three_ deaths within the next six months. Alas! in April, we
heard of dear J----'s murder; a fortnight after, A---- died;
and to-morrow, August 10th, I am to attend the funeral of my
excellent son-in-law.
"I have just heard of the same omen from another quarter."