Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1865-10-30
MALLOW ZEN.
How IL was Observed In the OIden
Time i'm Scotland : Superstitions,
Rites and Ceremonies Connected
with it, 81 'ybsANtaa Eo zoos sGt

Tomorrow (Tuesday) evening, Oct. 3lst,
will be the anniversary Of Halloween, or
the evening before All Saints Day. The
following is subscription of the manner in
which it was formerly observed in Scot
land: -,.v..~7
| The country folks were in the habit of
meeting together in the kitchen of some
large farm house, SC, graphically y. described
by Burns In his celebrated poem:
7"To burn their nuts. an pou their stocks, - y
49,, AM baud their Halloween" so,ns ,,, a.
After. the company had all assembled, the
ceremonies of the night were commenced
blythe lads and lasses proceeding to the
garden to pull each stock or plant of kali.
The usual practice Is for all to form line,
Join hands, then shut, their eyes and
then pull the first they met with. 1t is a
matter of great atmoment whether the stalks
are big or little, straight or crooked, as it is
considered to be prophetic Of the. size and
shape Of the future husband or wife. In,
the event Of any Of the soil clinging to the,
root it is Significant Of the amount Of the
fortune that the bride0 or bridegroom will
enjoy; while the taste Of the ''eustock" or
heart of the stem is emblematical Of the
uISDUSfJfOl vi bllt
merlin life. Thee'runts," as they are gen
orally called in Scotland, are then placed
above the door leading into the kitchen
where the ceremonies are going on, and
the Christian names, Of the persons who,
enter are taken to be the names of the Jftf-i
ture partners according to the priority In
which the stalks had been placed. The
burniDg0f the nutslis considered to be a
most potent charm. A cleari place In the
fire is selected. The name Of male and
female Is given to each particular. nut as it
is placed In the fire; and according as they
start from each, Other,or burn quietly so Is
supposed to be the issue OF the courtship., b,
A favorite rite and one In which only
young dsmsels take part, is to eat an apple
in front sot,a looking glass, in order that
while doing SO her, future husband may
look over her shoulder and have his face re-
lfected in the mirror. Few girls have the
courage to perform the feat and there are
instances on record, In which young women
have lost their reason by the fright at, sup
posing she has seen something supernat--
liral. The usual plan Is tor the young wo-
man, who is about to try the spell, to 60
alone into q room with a lighted candle,
placing IL before the looking glass and eat
ing the apple as, she stands in front OF the
mirror 1fathe spell Is successful, her fti-,
ture conjugal companion will peep overher
shoulder and his face be reflected In the
glass. This ceremony has been the subject
of serious practical jokes on the part Of the
male sex, and MANY girls have had reason
to regret having tried the heexperiment,,
The ceremony of trying their luck by
three dishes is very simple and Innocent,
and generally provocative OF much merit
ment.@ Three bowls are placed on the floor
usually i'm front of the fire. In one is
placed clean water, in the second foul
water,while theythird Is empty . The per-
son who wishes to try the experiment is
then blind-folded and led forward to the
lieartfstene, where the dishes are placed.
II It Is young woman who is experiment.
ing and she places her hand in the clean
water she will, come to the bar of matri-
mony aamaid; In the foul water widow;
but II she, ~ SO unfortunate as TO put her
hand Into the empty bowl she will live and
die an old maid.S The ceremony is repeat
ed three times, and on every occasion the
positionot the dishes is changed. The ma
FORTY, of chances, always. rule In this rs in
every other case. BY the time. theyarious
ceremonies enumerated were got through
with in the yg0odold tlmes s,midnight was
drawing nigh. The. bread and cheese and
the buttcfed sowens were then set out and
ample justice done tothemsTNnDuT.E
o%"Syne with . social glass Of strpppt,
| b.gIsaEf