The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1873-04-06

surrounded
merable. with pyramids of cut bread ana out-
ter nearly an inch thick. g.
The company having taken their seats, IL
was announced by the host that there were
-" two gold weddin'-rinGs in the catcdnnon
but whereabouts. of course, no one O. nld tell.
He bad borrowed them from two OF the mar
ried women present, and was bound 10 restore
them SO he begged of his young FRIENDS ioI
his sake as we'll as their own, to be careful not
to swallow them. 1t was too well kh9wn
what was to be tho lot of the happy finders
before that day twelvemonth for him TO say
ANYTHING upon that part OF tue suoJe ad .srn
more All Hallow Ewes than any woman there
present-he meant no oifspcs-fo he'p inc CAL
cannon.
After this little introduction, Mrs. Moran,
who by previous arrangement was sitting OPP
posite the savory volcano, distributed 1t wHn
npquestionable impartiality. 1t was wei
known rule on all such occasions that no QUE
commenced until all were helped. when sig,
nal WAS given, and simultaneous plunge Vi
spoons took place.
Another rule was that all tho married per,
bread and butter, in order that none of them
might possibly rob the youngsters Oh tneir
chance of the ring. Upon this occasion. no"
ever. this restriction bad been nearly ooviateo
by Mrs. Moran's experience in such matters ];
and there was q knock-oge OF the same delicious
food without any ring. which she called tue
" married dish" The tea was handed up and
down from each end of the table until it met in
the middle, and for some time there was a si-
lent onslaught on the calcannon, washed down
9egv and then by copious draught OF tea.
Hs have it! have it," shouted Phii NC,
Dermott, taking it from between his teeth and
holding it up, while his ch eeks deePened three
shades nearer to the rose in Kate Mulvey's hair
nearly opposite.
lucky man." observed Mrs. Moran me
thodically, who seemed to be the mistress of
the mysteries. NOW for the lucky g ri and
lucky every body will say che must be-"
The words were scarcely finished when Kate
pulling the other ring from her mouth, she
soon recovered herself, declaring that she had
nearly swallowed it.
Matters, as Mrs. Moran thought, had so far
gone quite right, and o hearty quizzing tho
young couple got but, to tell the Truth, one Of
with the result The attack upon the calcannon
from this point waxed very weak, for the
charm was broken, and the tea and bread-and
butter came into play. Apples and nuts were
girls might be seen picking couple of pairs
of nice nuts out of those on the plate, as
nearly as fancy mi ght snggcst, to match the
figures of these whom they were intended to
represent upon the bar Of the CRATE. Almost
as if by magic, regiment of nuts in pairs
were seen smoking, and some of them stirring
and purring on the fiat bar at the bottom of
rhe CRATE which had been swept, and the fire
frightened up, for the purpose. OF course
Mrs. Moran insisted upon openly putting
down Phil M,Dermott and Kate Mulvey Of tho
rings; for in general there is q secrecy OBJ
served as to uho the nuts are. in order to
the constant girl from laugh at the tickle
ness of her bachelor, should he go off in a shot
from her side, and rice rersa.. And here the
mistress of the mysteries was not ut fault.
Kate Mulvey, without either smoking or get
ting red at one end (Which was n good siGn),
went off like the report of Il pistol, and was
actually heard striking against the door, rs if
to get out. There was Il general laugh at
Mrs. Morau's expense, who Was told that it
was strong proof in favor of putting tho
pairs down secretly.
But Mrs Moran was too experienced mis-
tress of her position to be taken aback, aud
quietly said, ;" Not at all my dears. 1 have
three times to burn them, it he does not fol-
low her; but he has three minutes to do 500
As she spoke there was another shot. Phil
MDermott could not stand the heat by him.
self, and WAS off to the door after Kate Null
vey.
The was a browning triumph to Mrs. Moran
who quietly put back the second pair of nuts
which she had just selected for another test
of the same coIple, and remarked " that it
was all right now
The couples, generally speaking, seemed to
answer the expectations of their respective
match makers better than perhaps the results
in real life might subsequently justify. 1t is
not to be supposed that on this occasion Tom
Murdoch AID Winny Cavana did not find Il
place upon the bar of the CRATE. But as Win
ny had given no encouragement to any one to
put her down with him, and the mistress
of the mysteries alone could claim right to 10
so openly, as IN inc case OF the rings, their
place, with the result could be known only to
those who put them down, and perhaps a con-
lidant.
There were few pops occasionally, calling
forth ordinations of Tho good for nothing
fellow" or The fckle lass!" while some
burned into bright balls-the admiration of
all the true and constant lovers present.
The next portion of the my steries were
three plates, placed in . row upon the table !;
one contained earth, another water, and the
third n gold ring. This was, by some, consid-
cred rather q nervous test of futurity, and
some objections were whispered by the timid
amongst them. The fearless and enthusias-
tic, however, clamored that nothing should
be left out, and a handkerchief to blind the
adventures was produced. The mystery was
this: young person wac taken outside the
door, aud there bliudfolded; he, or she, was
then led in again, and placed opposite to the
plates, sufficiently near to touch them when
told that " all was right" he, with his fore
finger pointed, placed it upon one of the plates
That with the earth symbolled forth sudden,
or perhaps violent death; that with the water
emigration or shipwreck; while that with the
ring, of course a wedding and domestic barpi
ness.
Young people were not generally averse to
subject themselves to this ordeal, az in nine
cases out of ten they managed either to be
previously acquainted with the position
OF the plates, or, having been blindfolded by
their own bachelor, to have O peep-hole down
by tho corner of their nose. which enabled