Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 264, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 November 1911 — HALLOWEEN Day of Mirth and Mystery [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

HALLOWEEN Day of Mirth and Mystery

i ACH successive year sees an JIL. increasing observance of Hal* \ lowe’en —a holiday which rivals f *** ) any on the calendar as an ooV casion for pranks and pastimes. The growing disposition to deHL—/ vote more attention to the celebration of Hallowe’en is hot strange, for the. occasion with its quaint customs has much to JJfe commend it as a break in the routine of the year. For one /nTj. thing,, this fateful day of mirth - / lrYi— and mystery is the first of the autumn and winter holidays, and yet more significant, it is for the young folks the first break in the school year. Withal, its festivities are for the most part reserved for the period after nightfall, so that even the individuals who are occupied during the day may participate. & The festival of the night of October 31 is in its origin and traditions one of the most picturesque which now finds observance in this country. It has a number of different designations, among which are Hallowe’en, All Hallow Even, Nutcrack Night and Snap Apple Night. It derives it most common name, however; as the eve or vigil of All Saints’ or All'Hallows Day (November 1). From time out of mind this his been heralded as a night when witches, devils and other michief-makers are abroad on their baneful midnight errands, while the fairies are supposed to hold on that night a grand anniversary. To accept the spirit of the season the devotee of Hallowe’en must concede that on no other night of the year do such supernatural influences prevail as after dark on the closing day of October. According to ancient beliefs the spirits of the dead then wander about and in some instances the spirits of living persons are supposed to have the temporary power to leave their bodies and join the ghostly throng. Especially gifted with the power to converse with airy visitants are persons who have had the good fortune to be born on Ooctober 31, but other folks, also, tradition hath it, may be warned or advised by the elves. For all that such awesome doing are attributed to the mysterious spirits that .are abroad on Hallowe’en these supernatural beings cannot be altogether ill natured, since they are willing without fee or reward, and on the condition of the performance of a very simple ceremony, to disclose to any curious young man or woman most Interesting particulars

concerning their future life partners. Indeed, Saint Matrimony is the patron saint of Hallowe’en, and it is the night of all nights for peering into the future, and particularly for discovering Just what sort of husband or wife fate has decreed for the unmarried. ' Hallowe’en appears to be in its origin a curious combination of classic mythology and Christian superstition. For Instance, the Romans had on November 1 a feast to Pomona, the goddess of fruits and seeds, at which time there was a formal opening of the stores of datable laid up In the summer for use in winter. This may explain the origin of the very appropriate plan of using nuts and apples in qpnnection with the Hallowe’en festivities. On this same date occurred the great autunln festival to the sun, with the Druids or ancient Celts celebrated thanksgiving for their harvest. On the eve of the daj? the Lord of Death called together the wicked souls that within the twelve months had been condemned henceforth to occupy the bodies of animals. t, -. f* Especially quaint has beqn the observance op Hallowe’en in Ireland, where from the earliest days it was the] custom for each household to set out on H&Howe’en the best viands It could afford, and apples and nuts .were devoured In abundance. > In some Instances peasants went from house tQ bouse collecting bread, cake, butter, cheese, eggs and other eatables for a feast. ' In many parts of Oreat Britain bread or cake has long been associated with Hallowe’en, and to this day the women of some districts in England observe the custom

of baking on that night a cake for every member of the family. Centuries ago it. was the practice to ring the church bells all night, but King Henry VIII. of England put a stop to that. In the United States at the present time there is comparatively little thought given to the hlßtory of Hallowe’en In connection with its twentieth century observance. Today it is above all else an occasion for sport and frolics and feasting in various forms. The customs which were once ceremonies of belief are now observed in jest. Particularly is this the case with respect to the matrimonial forecasts, but naturally Interest in these methods of learning fate’s verdict is not lessened by the knowledge that the ‘same expedients were employed in deadly earnest by the belles of several hundred years ago. The roasting of nuts is a time-honored Hallowe’en practice, and many of the ruses for learning fate’s decree in the matter of matrimony are identified with this feature. • Inquisitive maidens are wont to place a number of nuts, eaoh bearing the name of a >f lover, on the bars of a grate among the embers. According to. the ritual if a nut cracks or jumps the lover will prove unfaithful, whereas if It begins to blase or burn he has a regard for the person making the trial. If the nut burns quietly and brightly especial sincerity of affection Is indicated. Similarly, If the nuts Jgmed after a girl and her lover burn together n early wedding may be looked for. Apples, next to nuts, are the vehicles for discovering on\ Hallowe’en the intentions of Cupid. Indeed, at the present time perhaps the best known and most generally

practiced of all the Hallowe’en recipes Is that which admonishes the credulous maiden to eat an apple before a looking glass while combing her hair with the promise that if these directions be explicitly the face of her destined conjugal partner will be seen in the •mirror as though peeping over her shoulder. Equally well known is the scheme whereby any maiden may find out the first letter of the name of her future husband by peeling an apple, taking the paring by one end in her fingers and after swinging it three times around her head allowing it to fall in whatever fashion it may. A little imagination may be necessary to construe the position of the paring us indicative pf a desired letter, but usually this mental aid is readily supplied. Another mode of peeping Into the matrimonial lottery has been transplanted to America from Scotland. By this plan the young women go hand-in-hand, blindfolded, or at leari with eyes closed, to the cabbage patch and each pulls the first plant met With. Earth on the root of the cabbage thus selected signifies dowry. The shape and size of the vegetable denote the appearance and size of the future spouse, while the taste of the heart and stem indicate his disposition. The Irish girls have a scheme for catching a glimpse of a future husband by throwing a ball of yarn out of the window, holding the end of the yarn and then rewinding it saying the Pater Noster backward. If the ball of yarn, ontside in the darkness, be watched carefully the young woman may hope to be rewarded by seeing the 1 deslredf apparition. In thlß same old-fashioned category is the legend which admonishes a girl to wet the sleeve of a shirt and hang it on a chair before the fire ere she retires on Then if she remain awake until midnight sfaeT may see her future helpmate enter the room and turn the drying garment. Entirely erroneous is the impression prevailing in some quarters that all matrimonial prognosticating, as carried on at Hallowe’en, is for the benefit of the fair sex. As a matter of fact there are numerous forms of divination designed for the use of ardent swains. The best known of these is that wherein the smitten youth descends cellar stairs with a candle in one hand and a mirror in the other, hoping to find the face of a sweetheart reflected bpck to him. Especially adapted for practice by farmer lads is the hemp-seed ordeal. The youthful

optimist must go out alone and unperceived with a handful of hemp seed, which he sows, the while repeating ‘‘Hemp seed, I sow thee and her that is to be my true love come after me and pull thee.” Whereat, upon looking over his left shoulder he ought to see a likeness of his future sweetheart pulling the freshly sowed seed. -If the experimenter, sees nothing he must perforce conclude that he* is never to many or else that he has not followed directions explicitly enough in his test. v There has been increasing appreciation during recent years on the part of hostesses of all ages that Hallowe’en —a night of laughter and jollity and mystery—affords a most delightful opportunity for entertaining in a unique way. The quaint conceits in the amusement line which have already been improvised for this mystic occasion Drove how inviting is this field for individual ingenuity. Hallowe’en has become especially popular at the schools and colleges of the country. It is a brief season given over to the pranks of the students, and each student body tries to outdo the others and at the same time surpass the exploits of its predecessors. Particularly at the boarding schools for girls and at women’s colleges is there a fantastic observance of Hallowe’en. The invitations to a Hallowe’en party must above all else have the requisite of novelty. The wording may hint qf dark secrets to be unfolded, and as symbols of the occasion there are representations of witches riding brooms, blinking owls, broad-winged mats, or pumpkins. For decorative purposes nature provides at this season of the year a wealth of vivid* hued material, such as cornstalks, pumpkins.

carrots, russet oak leaves and green pine boughs. Similarly the autum products—apples, nuts, grapes, etc. —afford ample menu for refreshments for guests imbued with the spirit of the occasion. A favorite means for lighting at Hallowe’en parties is afforded by candles set in hollowed carrots and jack-o’-lanterns. The jack-o’-lan-terns are fashioned, as most Of our readers are aware, by removing the pulp from pumpkins and squashes; cutting openings to represent eyes, nose and mouth and fastening a lighted candle inside. If desired, the bizarre effect may.be emphasized by adorning the visage of the pumpkin lantern with painted white or black eyebrows and mustaches. Sometimes a hostess ambitious to make her Hallowe’en entertainment unique in every respect elects to hold it in a barn or attic, or even in a cellar. Black draperies and the symbol of the skull and cross-bones have likewise been used on occasion to add to the “creepy” atmosphere. . No Hallowe’en party Would be complete without certain time-honored pastimes on the program. Conspicuous among these is the perennially popular prank of ducking for apples. The apples are set afloat in a tub and each person essays to catch one of the floating prizes with the teeth. The hands must not be used at all in this attempt It is said that the only sure way to capture an apple ie to force it to the bottom of the tub and there hold it close while it is caught with the teeth. However, very few contestants employ this method apd their antics in pursuing the elttifive apples hre often amusing in the extreme. Zest may be given to the apple ducking by provid* lng a grab bag of prizes, which is open to the contestants in the order in which they capture apples. e ». ...>i An apples tied tp a stripg and swinging in a doorway ia another variation of this diversion, and yet another trick is to suspend a stick by a string tied in the middle. An apple is placed at one end of the stick and a lighted candle at the other, and the. stick is then whirled around rapidly. The object, of course, Is to catch the apple with the, teeth and not inadvertently grasp the candle. When a cake is baked at home for a Hallowe’en party ft la customary to place a ring in (he loaf just as In a wedding cake, and also a tfey. The ring, of course, signifies marriage, while the key signifies a journey for the finder