Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1879-10-03
WItches' Night.

From the earliest times men have been try
ing to look ahead. The ancient Egyptians
had oracles where their gods were supposed
to answer the questions of men by dreams
and other ways the ancient Greeks also had
famous oracles, which people came from far
of lands TO consult the Romans killed cor
tain fowls or animals, and guessed Mt the fu-
ture by the looks of their internal organs
the Hebrews and the Babylonians had their
own peculiar ways of finding out what was to
happen. The world has not yet outgrown the
longing to look ahead. The Hindu to-day
sets a lamp afloat on his sacred river, and
judges of the future by the length Of time it
burns the Chinaman consults his wise
men" who pretend to understand signs the
ignorant African takes notice of the cries Of
birds and animals the Engish-not long
ago-tried to learn by help of what they call
witches" and Spirtualists, even now. be-
leve the predictions Of medium"
No serious attempt to look into the future
has been made for a long time by intelligent
people, and the old customs have become n
frolicsome trying of ''charms," especially on
one night of the year. 1t is curious enough
that the night selected is the eve of the fcsti-
val of All Saints which was established in
the seventh century by a pope Of Rome, in
honor of all the saints who had no particular
day assigned to them. The Romans brought
Iallows, and the evening before it, IIallow-
even or Halloween and that was the night
sacred to charms and games. In the seven
teenth century, England gave up the night to
feasting and frolicking Nuts and apples
were plenty from one end of the island to the
other, and "Nut-crack Night" was the name
giventoit.
In England the revels were for fun. such as
diving for apples floating in tub of water
and, Of course, getting very wet or trying to
snatch in the teeth an apple ON one end of "A
stick, which had lighted candle at the other
end, and, being hung by a string could be
spun around very fast, so that the players Of
ten seized the candle instead of the fruit or
"A playful fortune-telling by naming nuts
roasting them before the fire, and watching
their conduct when heated. whether they
burned steadily, or bounced away, or burst
with n noise, each movement Of the charmed
nut being Of great importance.
One nut test was tried by grinding and
mixing together walnut, haze-nut, and nut
meg, making into pills. with butter and su-
gar and swallowing them on going to bed.
Wonderful dreams would follow (Which was
not surprisng.)
In superstitious Scotland the night was Civ
en- entirely to serious and sometimes fright
full attempts to peer into the future by means
of charms. One way Of trying fortune was
to throw ball of blue yarn out Of a win
dow. and wind it into ball again from the
other end. Near the last something would
hold it fast. when the windtr must ask "Who
holds - The answer would name one who
was to have importance in the questioner's
future.
Another Scotch custom was pulling kale-
stalks young person went blindfold3d
into the garden, pulled up the first kale or
cabbage stalk he touched, and carried it into
the house. The whole future was read from
that stalk the size indicated the stature Of
the future partner in life; the quantity Of
earth at the roots showed the amount of his.
or her, fortune the taste of the pith told
what the temper would be and when the
stalk was placed over the door, the first name
of the person entering was the fated name
The island of Lewes on the coast of Scot
land, had some curious customs. Young wo-
men made II dumb cake, - and baked it be
fore the fire with certain ceremonies and in
perfect silence, expecting to see wonders
and the people also sacrificed to a god
called Shong, throwing "A cup of ale into the
sea, and calling on him to give them plenty
Of sea-wecd to enrich their grounds.
In another Scotch trial, "A girl would go in
to a barn, holding winnowing sieve, and
stand alone, with both doors open, to see her
fate.
The fashion Of trying charms is now nearly
outgrown among English-speaking people.
II survives in America us II pleasant frolic for
n social gathering In our own day, young
people SOW hemp seed, " eat apples before
the glass" "go down tn" cellar stairs back
ward" holding candle and Il mirror. They
also pop chestuuts. launch walnutshell-"
holding tapcrs, and try the 'three-saucer"
test for the future.
In some of our cities the boys on Halloween
collect oldtea kettles boots large stones, etc,
and deposit them in clean vestibules, ringing
the door-bcll and running away.
The 3lst Of October set apart by a pope
rs religious festival became, in supcrsti-
tious times The Witches Night - cross
ed the ocean rs u season for frolics, and ends
with street-bOy'S joke. - OHee 7hOrHe in 50.
Nicholds J0r OctObtr