The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-10-31


Or crouchie Blerran humDhe,
Till, stop-she trOtted through them a
And wba was 1t but Grumphie
Asteer that night!"
Throwing & the Clue of Yarn.
Another method OF ascertaining the name of
your future spouse required you TO steal out of
the house all alone in the dark, and having
sought the kiln, to throw into the pot a clue of
blue yarn. Then you we're to wind the yarn off
the ola clue into new one, and as you neared
the end of the thread, something within the
pot would grasp it. At this moment the adven-
turer must summon all his or her courage and
would be returned answer, giving the full
name OF your future wife or husband. Burns
thus puts one of his lasses so ''leat and cleaniy
NJ at" through the operation, with but poor
show OF SUGGEST
"she through the yard The nearest taks,
And 10 the kt N she goes then,
And 9arkhns graipit for the oa lk',
Right fear'C IhaU night
''And aye she win't, and aye she swar.
vat she made nae jaukin';
Till something held within the pat,
Guid L.! but she was quakn!
But whether twas the dell hImseI,
Or whether twas a b3nk.en',
Or whether t was Andrew Bell,
She did ma wait on talkin'
To spIer that night"
Burning Nuts.
Aht ther iavorite spell was that produced by
the burning OF nuts, which was at one time so
customary in England, as well as in Scotland,
thfit halloween paSSeu com mmOnly as 'nut-Crack
night Nuts named after the lad and lass who
had liking for each other were placed side by
side on the hearth. Ii they burned quietly
together all would be well, and the loving twain
would be made one in due time. But if there
MAS nsoomlS lGraSking AMI sputJering, and other
se n,% on the part of the fatal
Charles Graydon, "a quaint poet of the last
century, has invested this favorte spell with
the charms OF rhyme:-
"lhese glowing NUS emblems true
or what in human life we view;
The Unmatched couple fret and fume,
And thus, in strife, themselves consumes;
And with a noise forever part
But see the happy happy pair,
OF genuine truth and love sincere;
Wlth mutual i9ndness while they ouru,
Still to each other kindly turn;
And as the vital sparks decay,
Together gently sink away;
Till liie's fierce ordeal being past
Their mingled ashes rest at last"
In Ireland the charm OF burning nuts was
even more e aborate than in Scotland or Eng
land. The young women placed the nuts on
the bars OF the crate, naming each one after q
lover. II the nut cracked or jumped, it showed
that the lover for whom it was named would
prove unfaithful; ii it began to blaze or burn it
gave token of regard on his part for the one who
had placed ii on the lire; and ii two nuts, named
after the damsel and her lover, tWined gently
and evenly together, the enamored pair were
sure 10 marry.
Eating an Apple All Alone.
Another very popular ceremony was that OF
tomary, even in this country, as 1t is so easily
performed. The young lady who desires TO
know with whom she is destined to share the
Joys and sorrows of life, goes alone into dark
ened room, and holding in her hand a candle,
she stands before a mirror and nibbes at an
apple. According to some traditions she Is also
required TO comb her hair all the while, though
we are not informed how she is to hold the
candle, the apple, and the comb at one and the
same time. While she is thus occupied, the face
OF her future husband will be seen reflected in
the glass, in the act OF peeping over her
shoulder,
"Winning Three Wechts O'Naething.'
Another faVorite Scottish ceremony was that
of winning three wechts O'naetning," the
wecht being the instrument used in winnowing
grain. The spell required the accompaniment
OF loneliness, and il any one CHANGED to over
look il, failure was the result. The adVen-
turer proceeded to the barn, and opened both
doors, taking them off the hinges, If possible.
This precaution was deemed prudent for fear
the being about to be invoked might close the
| doors and work the coniurer some mischief.
| Then the process of winnowng grain must be
| gone through with, in pretence, and when it
| was repeated the third time an apparition OF
| the future wife or husband would pass in at the
| wady door, and out at the other. Following
| the apparition would come retinue of gOblins,
| which by number and dress indicated the sta
| tion and employment OF their leader.
\ Other Sure Methods of DivinatIOn.
nSesthoming the barley stack was also favorite
ceived The enchanter went alone and unper-
three timds stack of barley, and fathomed it
canobt in his Sound. At the last fathom he
iniEna Tn an"tber Uvi cere@oIi the future spouse.
went out together and nun number OF persons
shirt-sleeve in & south-runninsSS one'r ielt hand
where the lands OF three lairdS,oA, at pomt
each person went to bed in sight ofNe';s sr Iaen
hanging The wet sleeve by it to dry. WS, t hrst
ness was necessary TO witness the resulS ui- ,
close upon the hour OF midnight an apparitiHI
OF the lover came ana turned the sleeve, so that
the other SIDE mieht dry.
The Lottery OF the Three Dishes.
There was still another custom in vogue in
Scotland, although its results were rather un-
satisfactory, because they were indefinite, This
consisted of diviuation by means of three
''lugeies" or Dishes in one Of which was placed
clean water, in another foul water, and in a
third nsthnG at all. These were ranged on
the hearth, and person was then led up to them
| blindfOlded. He or she, as ii happened dipped