Los Angeles daily herald., 1886-11-18
A HALLOWEEN Party.
Cutting the Cake, Ducking the
Apples and other Games.
Do

Cutting the Cake, Ducking tn
Apples and other Games.
[Harpers Bazasr.J
The S1st of october, to Scotch lassie, 1
| one of the most importent days in all th
| ear, and great and mysterious are he
| preparations for celebrating SO ancient al
| anniversary, aud for discovering, ii possi
| BILE, what fate has in store for her during
| the coming months.
How Halloween originated, or what con
nection it had with pagan rites or will
| Druidical ceremonies, does not, however
| fash her head nearly so much as the h p'
| OF finding ring and penny in her plate o.
| Halloween pudding.
The sure success of such a party is Il
make ii as mysterious and superstitious 81
possible, for although very few really be
when asked if she were superstitious, "No
not at all but do like to have the signs Oh
the right side" So the delight of finding {
ring or wished-for number of apple seeds
aud the awe with which the dark chamber
or corner looking glass is regarded, are fas
cinating. not to say interesting. and pro
ductive of great deal of innocent amuse
ment, besides being odd, and allowable but
once year.
First, not too large fruit ceke should be
made and baked in a ponndcake pan, Sc
that there may be hole in the center; into
this cake must be put ring, penny, a
button, a thimble, aud key. good plan
Is to put half the dough into the pan. and
then the articles, pou-ing what is Lett on
TOP of them Tie ring is for marriage with
in the year, the penny for wealth within
the year, the thimble for an old maid or
bachelor, the button for a sweetheart. and
the key for Journry.
The cake occupies the center of the re-
freshment table, and is placed upon large
Mate or board handsomely decorated with
e. hA
cut the cake, and for extra g6ccdal H. ,.,1iea this
person should be taii and fair. Perfect
silence must be kept as the first slice is cut,
which is done as the clock strikes nine, for
no matter what the company are doing,
everything must cease. and all gath
er in circle around the table as the clock
begins to strike the hour; this may be
made very effective by having very clear
bell. The first word spoken by any one Is
prophetic. and all sorts of guesses and fun
may be made from IT, But the cake cutter
must maintain absolute silence and on no
account betray any knowledge that he or
she may gain in slicing the cake. Often the
cake cutter, who is called Dame or Mother
Halloween, can be induced to become for
tune-teller for the evening. and knowing
the young people, she can make great
deal of fun and pleasure for them.
OF course the articles found belong to the
finders, and are considered talismans OF
luck.
Some of the old games, such as 'dookin'
for apples, pulling kali stalks, the can
die and apple" and "snap-dregon." are al
most too rough for youLg ladies, and the
following are offered as substitutes. OF
course no games begin until alter the cake
is cut. for to- be really and truly Hallowe'eny
all must be done between the hour of nine
and sunrise next morning.
A bit of The cake can be carried home to
dream on, and should a young lady be so
fortunate as to succeed in getting young
man to give her piece of the paper decora-
tions from the cake board in which to wrap
her piece of dream cake, she is sure to be
married before the year is out, whether she
got the ring or hot. Only no one must
know that she has asked for the paper, and
| it must be taken before all the cake has left
the dish; nor must she let the young man
know why she wants 1t, or give him any III
structioDs about getting it; it must just be
her luck which makes MIN take 1t without
a word and bring it to her.
The "apple hunt" should begin at 10
o'clock; for this game the hostess has pro-
vided as many apples as there are guests,
and hidden tnem in all sorts of odd corners
in several rooms. AT the time appointed
each girl is given little basket and told to
hunt for her apple. OF course it is consid-
cred the correct thing for the girls to be
come frightened; for are not ghosts and
witches lurking in every corner and behind
every door to bewitch the apples? And so
hall uttered cries and exclAmations soon
suggest to the gentleman that they ought TO
go and calm the ladies' fears.
When all the apples are found they are
carefully pared without breaking, and
those wno can succeed in pairing and throw
ing the pairing over the left shoulder with
out breaking, providing it should fall in the
shape of ring, are as sure as can be OF
great good luck.
Now the apple seeds are looked for and
counted, and If the right number is found
they must on no account be lost.
One, love;
Two, love;
Three, love, | say;
Four, love with all my heart, and
Five, cast away;
Six, he Tor she) loves;
Seven, she (or he) loves;
Eight. both love:
Nine, he Tor she) comes;
Ten. he (or she) tarries;
Eleven, he courts, and
Twelve, he marr1es.
A great deal of iun may be lad with the
game "saucer-luck." Place three saucers
ON table into one put clear water, into the
second soapy water, and leave the third
empty. Blindfold girl and lead her up to
them. If she touches the clear ater she
will have good luck; if the soapy water, she
will marry an old but rich man; If into the
empty one, no luck at all, which is better
than bad luck, anyway.
Nut-burning is another source of amuse
ment. Place two nuts, which have been
named, on the bright Goals. II they burn
together it is sign that the two for whom
they were named will be good friends. Il
they snap and jump apart, then the friend
ship will be broken.
When midnight draws near each girl Is
given candle, and in turns she lights he
Halloween, and she is told to follow, hel
leader. As the word leader is mentioned
side door opens or a curtain is pushed
aside, and there appears a little boy oi
girl dressed in some fancy costume
holding the lighted candle, and bowl
low, leads the way out o the room t
some distant part of the house. to CLOSED
door. Here sheis informed that she mus
enter and take from a chesS OF drawers
which she will find in the room. box will
a certain number on it, and bring the boz
dowr stairs. Previously the room has beer
cleared OF everything but a chest o
drawers; it is quite dark. and tn,
In and coming out. On the wal
back to the door, while yet in thu
room, If she has faith. she will see ths
shadow OF her future husband walking be
side hsr. The box contains some tritiine
present or Halloween iavor." OF course
The room has been wondered and spoken
about during the evening as very. mysteri
Gus and dark, and all Sorts Of danger
suggested, so that 1t takes quite brave
girl to carry out the full programme
| The boxes may be opened at any tim,
but it is usual, out of courtesy to the hos
| tess, to open them and wear her favors
| The gentlemen's turn does not come unit
they are about to leave, when. each one
presented with an artificial apple OF cours
as "wish apples" for one wish alway
brings another.
! II those who have not tried these gamei
will do so. we feel confident that they VIII
SPEND a pleasant and odd evening. ant
MAYER LET The LIST of October paSs without q