The Osceola times., 1882-12-09
LOVERS CHARMS.

Sometimes a maid forced her future
husband to reveal his lineaments bv
combing her hair before q mirror at mid
night, in which case he might be seen
peering over her left shoulder into the
glass-a test calculated to shake the
strongest nerves. Sometimes she stole
out unperceived and hastily sowed
handful of hempseed, repeating now and
then, in trembling whisper
Hemp seed saw thee, hemp-seed / saw thee,
Let him that is to be my true love come after me
and snaw thee.
Then, glancing over her left shoulder.
she saw, if the fairies were propitious,
the apparition of Der lover, either har-
rowing or pulling up the hemp, according
to the words of the invocation.
Or perhaps she wound a new clue of
blue yarn, and felt with fast-beatinc
heart that unseen hands were holding
the other end of the thread. Then if she
mustered courage to put the question
"Wha hauds?" voice would answer and
give the name Of the lad vito was des-
tined to WOO and win her.
1t is worthy of remark In all these
charms, silly and futile though they were.
that they manifest not only the anxious
prying into the future which is common
among the ignorant everywhere, but also
a spirit Of reckless daring which is pecul-
iarly the property of the North The
Scotch peasantry, uneducated. supersti-
tious, surrounded by an unseen world of
elves and fairies, found fearful delight
in trying 10 force an entrance into this
spirit-land, and in all their myths there
is ever present the idea of an evil power
who may at any minute take a cruel ad-
vantage of a mortals rashness So strong
is this feeling that counter-charms were
often used as protection from the ma
liciousness of the dark spirits thus heed
lessly invoked, and there is a sombre
coloring about many of these Northern
entertainments that suggests forcibly their
Pagan and unhallowed origin. Nor are
there lacking instances in which terror
and an over-heated imagination have
wrecked mind and body of foolhardv
experimenter as surely and hopelessly as
though Haki himself had been bent on
his destruction.
YOUNG PEoPLEs' GAMES.
1t is a relief to turn from these charms
to the popular games that make Hallow-
cen cheerful for young people all the
world over. Nutcrack Night, as it was
called in the north of England. was an
occasion of general festivity among chill
drep who dJcked for apples and roasted
chestnuts and melted lead and otherwise
enjoyed themselves On the Continent,
too, the little people had the rest of it,
partly because of the opposition which
the Church of Rome offered TO all spells
and fortune-seeking; partly because Hal
low-eve, being the vigil of All Saints, was
set apart as day of fasting, so that the
old-time fun became gradually the undis-
puted property of the children.
Nuts have always been considered an
essential feature of the nights entertain
ment, as well as valuable aid in indica-
ting the faithfulness of a lover. Carefully
named before they were put on the fire,
they hoped together and burned cheer
fully in company if everything was going
well, or struck off in widely different di-
rrections if quarrel was looming in.the
future.
Now II we two be lovers true
our nuts will burn together, .;
But III at heart we seek TO part,
Theren show change of weather, D.
Another Scotch custom was for the
young people TO go out blindfolded and
hand-in-hand into the kailyard OF garden
and there pull the first stalk of colewort
they could find. These were named, and
by their size and straightness indicated
the outward appearance of their owners
future wife or husband, while the GUAM
tity of earth left clinging to the roots
marked the dowry, and the taste of the |
pith revealed sweet or sharp temper, as
the case might be. Finally. they are
hung over the door, and whoever entered
first was held to bear the same Christian
name as the destined bride or groom. !