Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1875-05-28
HALLOWEEN.
BY HELEN ELLIOTT.

The Barlowes were English, and, wher-
ever they moved, kept up their English
habits and customs Mr.. Barlowe was
addicted to roast beef, plum pudding, and
pale ale. [ heard him say once, when he
was in speculative mood, that 'she sup
posed he could live without plum pudding,
but, as for enduring existence without
roast beef, that was out of the question:
And believe him. think he would have
insisted upon having it, even in a commu-
nifty of vegetarians, where such thing
would be looked upon as an enormity.
The BarloWes moved from England,
first to India. which place Mr.. Barlowe
pronounced too hot; next to Halifax, No
va Scotia, where a residence of two years
inclined him to think it too cold. My
story now finds them settled in large
town on the bank of the beautiful Ohio
river
The family consisted OF five persons, the
father, mother, and three daughters. The
eldest, Nell, was twenty-one, fair-haired,
blue.eyed, and with cordial, joyous man
ner. Everybody admired and loved Nell
Barlowe. The children in the neighbor-
hood thought her an angel, and SO did
Ned Graham. Poor Ned! He and Nell
had been engaged for two bright months,
when they MANAGED to- quarrel about a
photograph, which Nell had given to a
friend. Ned said s'she ought not to give
her photograph to any gentleman friend,
young or old.'' Nell said she 'swould do
as she liked.'' So Master Ned marches
down town the same evening, gets COM
mission as lieutenant, and leaves the place
without bidding Nell good-by. My lady
cried necessarily for two days. Ned Is sis
ter, Anna, called on Nell to scold her for
sending Ned into the army, found how
disheartened she was, sbothed her, and
promised TO arrange matters.
The second daughter, Lou, was the OPP
posite OF Nell in every respect. She had
black hair and eyes, her manners were
stately, and her disposition so reticent
that persons on first acquaintance were
apt to call her naughty
l1ooU VI oil, NllOS N1dOu, yGu UGu.
One holiday in particular the Barlowes
loved to keep, as it seemed to bring them
nearer to their far-off English home, and
that was Halloween. Their custom was
to give a children's party ON that night,
ostensibly for Maud; but, as Nell planned
it, carried it through, and entered into
the enjoyment of the children with as
much heart and spirit as if she were
child herself, am Of the opinion that the
party was for Nell, and no one else.
This Halloween I speak Of finds Nell at
the front door, the entrance barred by
broom to keep the witches out, and en-
couraging a group of little girls to step
over it, which they do in great glee, rails
ing their feet unnecessarily high, except
one, Lulu Beck, who,sits on the top step
disconsolatelY, refusing to enter, and more
afraid of the broom than she is of the
witches. After some coaxing, and finding
it useless, Nell carries the broom away,
and allows the child entrance in the usual
manner.
Then they proceed with the business of
the evening. The first duty to be per-
formed is to pull molasses candy. Nell
waits on dozen little ones at once. and
pulls a piece of candy for half as many
more. Lulu, always in trouble, winds a
piece Of hers in half-hardened state
around her neck. where it seems inclined
affectionately to remain, in spite of all
Neil's efforts to remove it, The candy at
last is done, braided, twisted, and put into
innumerable shapes, most of the girls
wrapping theirs up with many coverings
of paper, and undoing it every two min
utes 10 take bite.
Now for ''Snap Dragon" Nell brings
in platter heaped up with raisins. She
pours some alcohol on them, and sets it on
fire. AS soon as it burns well, the girls
snatch at the raisins, Whirling the little
fire-balls through the air, and, when they
fall, scrambling for them, not caring in
the least for their having been on the
floor. Nell watches their game anxiously,
aud is rather glad when it is concluded.
s'What shall we do next?" the children
cry.
'We will tell fortunes now,' says Nell.
She now puts nuts on the fire to burn, in
order to find out who loves them best.
She tells their fortunes by pouring hot
lead in tumbler of water, and by cards.
But the best way of all is this She brings
a basin of water into the room, pan of
ashes, and the wing of a goose, and sets
them on the floor. A little girl has her
eyes bandaged, the rest looking on joyous
ly. The position of the basin. &C., is
changed, and the child is to grope her way
to one of them. If she puts her hand into
the ashes, she will die an old maid; if she
touches the wings of the goose, she will
marry an old man; if it is the water, she
will marry for love. Molly Guild, after
making prodigious flourish in the air,
just tips the aahes with the ends of her
fingers. without resting in them, and
plunges them boldly, almost up to the
elbow in the water.
:'What does that meanp' the girls ask
of Nell,
"That means,'', says Nell oracularly,
s'that she won't get married until late in
life, but she viii marry for love at last.''
,,1,, xr,In,,