Middletown transcript., 1877-10-27

hinged or his bell-handles broken on Hallov
Eve, has said: 1.-THE Feast of Young Fool
has been removed to this night Some anti
quarians think that the customs Of HalloW Ev
are derived from the Feast of Pomona wher
the heathens consulted omens and practicet
divination. In England nuts and apples com
pose the entertainment, by means of which
young people and sweethearts fortell happy
marriage or a hopeful love. The Vicar o
Wakefield, in speaking Of some rustics, say
they ''religiously cracked nuts on All-hallow
Eve" The maiden with ''nameIess longing
in her breast lays two nuts in the fire. If they
lie quietly and burn together it is propitious,
but if they jump and fly apart the marriage
will never take place, or will not be a happy
one. Or she takes two apple seeds and names
them after two different swains; the one which
falls first will be unfaifhful.
This pippin shall another trial make;
See, from the core two kernels brown take.
This on my cheek for Lubberkin is worn,
And Bobby Clod on t'other side is borne;
But Bobby Clod soon falls upon the ground,
.
While Lubberkin sticks firmly to the last;
Oh were his lips to mine but Joined so fast !
In Scotland the young women tell the size
and shape of their future lords by pulling up
cabbages blindfoId on Hallow eve. If the one
pulled is crooked or long or short or thick or
thin, SO will her husband be. Putting nuts in
the fire is also popular charm, which Gay, in
the "Spell," describes thus:
Two hazelnuts threw into the flame,
And to each nut gave a sweetheart's name
This with the loudest bounce me sore amazed
That in flame Of brightest color blazed
As blazed the nut SO may thy passion grow,
For twas thy nut that did SO brightly glow.
In Wales they have play, in which the
young Of both sexes seek for an even-Ieaved
sprig Of ash. The two Of opposite sexes who
are first successful with intermarry. But in
Scotland Hallow Eve has always been the most
celebrated. A great many different spells and
charms are employed to prognosticate love
affairs. One is to take a candle and go alone
to looking glass, eat an apple before it, at the
same time combing your hair The face Of
your future spouse will appear in the glass as
if peeping over your shoulder. Another: Go
unnoticed to bean-stalk and fathom it three
times round. The last fathom of the last time
you will catch in your arms the appearance of
your future yoke-fellow. Burns beautifully
describes the nut charm in bis poem, "Hallowa
cen ~
The auld guild wife's well-hoarded nuts
Are round an round divided,
An monte lads and lasses' fates
Are there that night decided;
Some Hndle, couthie, side BY side
An burn thegither trinity;
Some start ava wi saucy pride
And jump out-owre the chimlie.
But the age of steam has stripped Hallow
Eve of its supersttious surroundings, and with
Is superstitions we have lost its poetry. In
act, importations of ancient customs do not
lourish well on American soil. They soon
ose their individuality among our heterogene-
us people. If we retain them at all, it is only
heir shell. The Mardi Gras of New Orleans
J not the Mardi Gras of Rome, and the HaIlow
I've of Philadelphia is not the Hallow Eve Of
Turns. Perhaps we have improved it. We
ertainly observe it in more rational manner
han we did few years ago. Then the wild
ouths of the city parsded the streets, perform
lg all sorts Of mad pranks in defiance of law
nd to the terror of peaceabIe citizens. Now
is the custom in many families to bring all
$ members together around the hearthstone,
nd innocent mirth aud social intercourse, and
uts and fruits for the curly heads have taken
lie place of weird charms and superstitious in
.ntations.