Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-10-31
Is HOLLEREVE!,,
Some Of the supef<tfti6ns Connected
with Halloween.
From the Philadelphia Ledger.

with Eaallowe'cn.
From the Philadelphia Ledger.
The appearance in the public markets and on
the corner stands OF choice arrays OF chestnuts,
walnuts, hickory nuts and fine eating apples
during the past two weeks have already her
aided the approach Of Halloween, or as it is
sometimes called, IAN Hallows Eve" The
name does not appear to be an accurately de-
scriptive one, inasmuch as this peculiar festi-
val, which occurs on the evening of the 31st of
October, is vested by the popular Imagination
with more superstitions than cluster about any
other season of the year.
With the younger portion of the community
Wednesday night will De simply time when
the indiscrminate ringing of door-bells the
laying of traps for unwaTy pedestrians. duck,
ing for apples and masquerading in all sorts of
DISCUSSES will be the privileged sports. To
others, however, the festival will be remem-
bered as the night of all the year when spirits
walk abroad, when diyinatfOn will reach its
highest power and when the gift of foretenn
the future will become available to all who
choose to comply with the conditions defined
by tradition. The festival is thought to be a
relic of Pagan practices, but nothing definite Is
known about it's origin or when it was first gen.
orally observed, and the problem as to whether
it has any connection with the great Christian
LIST, the day Immediately ensuing, is one which
has never been settled. Only a few of the
ancient traditions have been brought to this
country, but in England, Ireland and Scotland
there is remarkable uniformity in the fireside
customs.
The name "Nutcrack Night" by which Hal
lowe'en is known in the north of England, illus
trates, without further explanation, the most
popular phase of the festival as it is known to
American children. The nuts are not simply
a. 4 h,,<k f,Dv,n
of divination, possessing qualities peculiar to
them on this night alone OF all the year. In the
time of open fire. places it was custom (stiil re-
taned though not so conveniently when the
young men and women desired to test their
lovers cOnstancy, to place three nuts upon the
bars of the CRATE, naming them after the lovers
If nut cracks or jumps away. the lover is said
to be untaithful; If it blazes and burns, he loves
his lady; and if the two. named after the girl
and her sweetheart, burn together, they will be
married.
Another singular observance is that known in
Scotland as 1.-The Three Luggies. or Dishes"
One dish OF clean water, another of foul, and the
third empty, are placed side by side. when the
experimenters approach blindfolded and dip
their fingers into one. II the clean water, they
are to marry maiden youth; If the dirty,
a widow or widower; and if the empty dish is
selected, a single life is to be the fate AS
each person takes his turn at the ''luggies''
great care is taken to see them duly changed"
so that the test may be fair one. Another
quaint custom, still prevalent in the 'old
country" and perhaps in the rural districts
in New England. Is that of pulling the stalks
of cOlewort Ga variety of cabbage). The young
people go out hand-in-hand (blindfolded) into
the garden and each pulls the first stalk which
she meets with According as the stalk is big
or little straight or crooked, so will the future
wife or husband be; the quantity of earth adher-
ing to the stalk measures the future fortune
and the taste of the pth denotes the temper of
the future life partner. The stalks are then
placed over the door in regular order, and the
Christian names of those who happen to pass
into the house are held in the same succession
to be the names OF those of the individuals
whom the parties are to marry. The old prac-
tice of ducking for apples is too well known to
require any description, but there is another
custom which is possibly still observed and
which is almost as certain to be the cause Of
abundant laughter, and is the watery sport A
stick is suspended horizontally by string from
the ceiling. having stick on one end and a
lighted candle on the other. The stick being
made to twirl rapidly, the merrymakers in sue
cesson leap up and snatch at the apple with
their teeth but it often happens that the candle
comes around sooner than it was expected
and rapid retreat is necessary to escape a
scorching or a baptism of melted wax. Besides
these there are similar sports innumerable such
as the counting of apple seeds. the throwing Of
apple parings. &C.
All of the Halloween rites are not so HARM
less, however, and quite serious results are said
to have resulted to nervous people from too
serious participation In some of the weird spells
Robert Burns, in his famous poem of Halo,oe' en-
describes several of these, and particularly that
of eating an apple before mirror, with the view
of discovering the inquirers future husband
who, it is believed. will be seen peeping over her
shoulder. In Burns poem. the following pas
sage describes ''granny,s" wrath and her reply
when little granddaughter proposes to try
the spell:
'She fuff't her pipe wi sic lunt,
In wrath she was sac vap'rin',
She nOtic't ma, an aiZle brunt
Her Draw new worSet apron
Out through that night
"'Ye little skelpie- lfmmers face!
daur you try sic SpOrttn,
As seek the foul fiend ony place,
For him to spae your fortune;
Nae doubt but We may get a sight!
Great cause he haze TO fear 1t;
For mOny a ane has gotten fright,
And lived and died deeeret,
On sic night"