Prominence has been given in the Press to a recent case of belief in the evil eye, and this has recalled memory instances of the superstition in the olden time in th:
Highlands, Indeed it is asserted that the belief is' not yet entirely! rooted out. The evil eye was tributed to envy or to malice, the former being regarded as the more! potent of the two in its baleful effects. But the most innocent eye! cout also work independently the will or intention of the owner certain formalities were not o! served on particular occasions. A stranger inexperienced in the habu Jand customs would find himself constantly in hot water, +0 intimately were the commonplace sayings an Aoings of daily life associated wi the evil eye, and xo great was the dread inspired by it. Nothing, for example, could be more fatal to young family tem, that it should he counted one by" one, and even' the mention of the number of children was fraught with grave possibilities, for it was as certain as! anything in this world could be that the number would soon be reduces! by death. To refer in terms of praise to the beauty of a chill would be equally rash. Sheep and cattle were also vulnerable if num ered, or if their "points" wer: specially belauded. In these cases envy Was the evil power. But ther, was always a remedy the worst eases remedy were known, After the element in all form= but the waged between goud and evi which isthe basis in the world, was with Prevention was usual if certain precautions taken; failing that a. simple counteracted by merely "bless Dae the. Dayo" Judement for ma In Syms "History of Lilliesleat™ Jo story of an absent minister is told. His wife had to leave hi for a" few hours one evening, and jon setting out she enjoined him to see that the laddies went to bed at their usual hour. When she back she asked if they had given any trouble at bedtime. "Just red-headed one," he replied, "Tae red-headed one!" she ejaculated. "Whatever do you mean? There are none of them red-headed!"" She hastened to the room and found the! tear-stained face and ruddy hair neighbour's child, now fast asleep, occupying one of the pillows.
Another tale is of an angling party who had been engaged for many hours on one of the lochs. They were amply supplied with both solid and liquid refreshments. Tu! leach, round of the latter the boat= had his share. Tt was effect wax made manifest on the! return to the landing stage. Who the man stood up, unable to *upp himself, he toppled right over side into the water, He was quick-spectacle clothes hauled out, when he made a sad
ind are ye wat, those present soi fatuously inquired. Tam looked up with a gleam of re Aye, answered,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.