she puts the bowl into a safe place until morning. Then she is blindfolded and picks out the same number of letters as there are in her own name, and spells another from them.
In New Brunswick, instead of an apple, a hard-boiled egg without salt is eaten before a mirror, with the same result. In Canada a thread is held over a lamp. The number that can be counted slowly before the thread parts, is the number of years before the one who counts will marry.
In the United States a hair is thrown to the winds with the stanza chanted:
To tell whence comes the one I shall wed.
Fly, silken hair, fly all the world around,
Until you reach the spot where my true love is found."
The direction in which the hair floats is prophetic.
The taste in Hallowe'en festivities now is to study old traditions, and hold a Scotch party, using Burns's poem Hallowe'en as a guide; or to go a-souling as the English used. In short, no custom that was once honored at Hallowe'en is out of fashion now. "Cyniver" has been borrowed from Wales, and the "dumb-cake" from the Hebrides. In the Scotch custom of cabbage-stalk pulling, if the stalk comes up easily, the husband or wife will be easy to win. The melted-lead test to show the occupation of the husband-to-be has been adopted in the United States. If the metal cools in round drops, the tester will never marry, or her husband will have no profession. White of egg is used in the same way. Like the Welsh test is that of filling the mouth with water, and walking round the house until one meets one's fate. An adaptation of the Scottish "three luggies" is the row of four dishes holding dirt, water, a ring, and a rag. The dirt means divorce, the water, a trip across the ocean, the ring, marriage, the rag, no marriage at all.
After the charms have been tried, fagots are passed about, and by the eerie light of burning salt and alcohol, ghost stories are told, each concluding his installment as his fagot withers into ashes. Sometimes the cabbage stalks used in the omens take the place of fagots.
To induce prophetic dreams salt, in quantities from a pinch to an egg full, is eaten before one goes to bed.
"'Miss Jeanette, that's such a fine trick! You must swallow a salt herring in three bites, bones and all, and not drink a drop till the apparition of your future spouse comes in the night to offer you a drink of water.'"
Adams: Chrissie's Fate.
If, after taking three doses of salt two minutes apart, a girl goes to bed backward, lies on her right side, and does not move till morning, she is sure to have eventful dreams. Pills made of a hazelnut, a walnut, and nutmeg grated together and mixed with butter and sugar cause dreams: if of gold, the husband will be rich; if of noise, a tradesman; if of thunder and lightning, a traveler. As in Ireland bay-leaves on or under a man's pillow cause him to dream of his sweetheart. Also
Leave your garters on your feet,
Put your stockings on your head,
You'll dream of the one you're going to wed."
Lemon-peel carried all day and rubbed on the bed-posts at night will cause an apparition to bring the dreaming girl two lemons. For quiet sleep and the fulfilment of any wish eat before going to bed on Hallowe'en a piece of dry bread.
A far more interesting development of the Hallowe'en idea than these innocent but colorless superstitions, is promised by the pageant at Fort Worth, Texas, on October thirty-first, 1916. In the masque and pageant of the afternoon four thousand school children took part. At night scenes from the pageant were staged on floats which passed along the streets. The subject was Preparedness for Peace, and comprised scenes from American history in which peace played an honorable part. Such were: the conference of William Penn and the Quakers with the Indians, and the opening of the East to American trade. This is not a subject limited to performances at Hallowtide. May there not be written and presented in America a truly Hallowe'en pageant, illustrating and befitting its noble origin, and making its place secure among the holidays of the year?
To-night All-Hallows' Spectre struts
Along the moonlit way.
No time is this for tear or sob,
Or other woes our joys to rob,
But time for Pippin and for Bob,
And Jack-o'-lantern gay.
From prisoned mischief raise the lid,
And lift it good and high.
Leave grave old Wisdom in the lurch,
Set Folly on a lofty perch,
Nor fear the awesome rod of birch
When dawn illumes the sky.
To reillume the darkened heart,
And rout the hosts of Dole.
'Tis night when Goblin, Elf, and Fay,
Come dancing in their best array
To prank and royster on the way,
And ease the troubled soul.
Emerging from the mist and shade
That hid them from our gaze,
And full of song and ringing mirth,
In one glad moment of rebirth,
Again they walk the ways of earth,
As in the ancient days.
The will-o'-wisps the forests fill
With flashes filched from noon;
And witches on their broomsticks spry
Speed here and yonder in the sky,
And lift their strident voices high
Unto the Hunter's moon.
From myriads of straining throats,
All hailing Folly Queen;
So join the swelling choral throng,
Forget your sorrow and your wrong,
In one glad hour of joyous song
To honor Hallowe'en.
J. K. Bangs in Harper's Weekly, Nov. 5, 1910.
Set mah heart a-beatin'!
Thought I see' a spook for sho
On mah way to meetin'.
Heerd a rustlin' all aroun',
Trees all sort o' jiggled;
An' along de frosty groun'
Funny shadders wriggled.
Gittin' sort o' skeery;
Feets is feelin' kind o' chill,
Eyes is sort o' teary.
'Most as nervous as a coon
When de dawgs is barkin',
Er a widder when some spoon
Comes along a-sparkin'.
Quiet like a ferret,
Hoppin' sof'ly as a toad?
Maybe hit's a sperrit!
Lordy! hope dey ain't no ghos'
Come to tell me howdy.
I ain't got no use for those
Fantoms damp an' cloudy.
Wid its eyes a-yearnin',
Drivin' out mah common-sense
Wid its glances burnin'?
Don't dass skeercely go to bed
Wid dem spookses roun' me.
Ain't no res' fo' dis yere head
When dem folks surroun' me.
Off dar by de gyardin?
Lordy! Lordy! Lordy dear,
Grant dis sinner pardon!
I won't nebber—I declar'
Ef it ain't my Sammy!
Sambo, what yo' doin' dar?
Yo' can't skeer yo' mammy!
Carlyle Smith in Harper's Weekly, Oct. 29, 1910.
All are on their rounds to-night,—
In the wan moon's silver ray
Thrives their helter-skelter play.
True unto the almanac,
They present to credulous eyes
Strange hobgoblin mysteries.
Apple-skins, and chestnuts too,
And a mirror for some lass
Show what wonders come to pass.
Mischiefs that on moonbeams ride
Are their deeds,—and, by their spells,
Love records its oracles.
By the ruddy fireplace glow,
In the kitchen and the hall,
Those queer, coof-like pranks recall?
But to-night they come again;
Were we once more but sixteen
Precious would be Hallowe'en.
Joel Benton in Harper's Weekly, Oct. 31, 1896.
Sign of this carnival of mirth.
Through the dun fields and from the glade
Flash merry folk in masquerade—
It is the witching Hallowe'en.
The dead and dying leaves go by;
Dimly across the faded green
Strange shadows, stranger shades, are seen—
It is the mystic Hallowe'en.
Beat at the heart reproachfully;
The lights that burn for those who die
Were flickering low, let them flare high—
It is the haunting Hallowe'en.
A. F. Murray in Harper's Weekly, Oct. 30, 1909.
Magazine References to Hallowe'en Entertainments
Charades:
Charades, menu, tests. H. Bazar, 32:894.
Children's Parties:
Fortune games for very little children. St. N., 23:33.
Hallowe'en fortunes for boys and girls. Delin., 66:631.
Masquerade, games, tests. W. H. C., 35:43.
Decorations. W. H. C., 36:34.
Old-fashioned games. St. N., 35:51.
Children's celebration of Hallowe'en. St. N., 32:1124.
Church Parties:
Mystic party. L. H. J., 22:57.
For Young People's Soc. L. H. J., 26:34.
"Phantom fair." W. H. C., 39:32.
Club Parties:
For Country Club. Invitation. Costumes. Supper. Dance.
W. H. C., 41:30.
"Candle-light café." W. H. C., 42. Oct., 1915.
Costumes:
Delin., 78:258.
Country-House Party:
Country Life, 18:624.
Dances:
Dances, drills, costumes. Delin., 78:258.
Hallowe'en party. W. H. C., 40:39.
Barn party. W. H. C., 34:30.
Autumn-leaf decorations and prizes. Delin., 64:638.
Cobweb party. Delin., 91:44.
Hall: Handicraft for handy girls.
Place-cards, verses. L. H. J., 28:50.
L. H. J., 31:40.
H. Bazar, 39:1046.
L. H. J., 20:48.
L. H. J., 16:38.
Cinderella party. W. H. C., 34:30.
Favors. H. Bazar, 45:516.
Nut favors. W. H. C., 32:53.
Original decorations. W. H. C., 32:32.
Fads and frills. W. H. C., 32:24.
Games and Fortunes:
Witchery games for Hallowe'en. Delin., 64:576.
H. Bazar., 33:1650.
L. H. J., 20:48.
L. H. J., 25:58.
Blain: Games for Hallowe'en.
Quaint customs. H. Bazar, 46:578.
H. Bazar, 32:894.
Witches' think cap. L. H. J., 32:29.
Hallowe'en happenings. St. N., 35:51.
Invitations:
H. Bazar, 33:1650.
Parties (miscellaneous):
H. Bazar, 28 pt. 2:841.
H. Bazar, 32:894.
L. H. J., 29:105.
L. H. J., 30:103.
Nut-crack night party. H. Bazar, 41:1106.
Nut-crack party. H. Bazar, 38:1092.
Novel party. W. H. C., 31:42.
Yarn party. L. H. J., 26:63.
L. H. J., 23:68.
L. H. J., 14:25.
Barn party. W. H. C., 34:30.
Novel party with musical accompaniment. Musician, 18:665.
Cotter's Saturday night. W. H. C., 38:40.
"Ghosts I have met" party. Pantomime. W. H. C., 37:27.
Two jolly affairs. W. H. C., 39:32.
Tryst of witches. Good H., 53:463.
Tam o' Shanter party. Delin., 85:26.
Jolly good time. Delin., 74:367.
Hints for Hallowe'en hilarities. L. H. J., 27:46.
Jolly party. L. H. J., 19:41.
Hallowe'en fun. L. H. J., 33:33.
Pumpkin stunt party. W. H. C., 45. Oct., 1917.
Character party. W. H. C., 45. Oct., 1917.
School Parties:
"Cotter's Saturday night." W. H. C., 38:40.
High school party. W. H. C., 42:34.
How the college girl celebrates Hallowe'en. W. H. C., 31:16.
Suppers, Table Decorations, Menus:
Hallowe'en suppers. H. Bazar, 35:1670.
H. Bazar, 37:1063.
L. H. J., 24:78.
L. H. J., 16:38.
W. H. C., 40:39.
W. H. C., 43:35.
H. Bazar, 44:641.
H. Bazar, 45:507.
Hallowe'en party table. L. H. J., 29:44.
H. Bazar, 32:894.
Hallowe'en supper. Good H., 53:569.
The pages refer always to the October number of the year.
Supplementary List of Readings, Recitations, and Plays
INDEX TO QUOTATIONS
INDEX
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