The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-11-03
THECALEDONIACL CLUB.
JuAce McDowalPS Address at the
= Late Reunion.
THE HISTORY OF HALLOWEEN.
How it is Celebrated in Scotland and Other
Countries-David Henderson's
Characteristic Poem.

Following is the address of Judge 5.
MoDovall at the Halloween reunion OF the
Caledonia club:
JAD1Rs AND GENTLEMEE-We have as
.embled tonight as Scotchmen and lovers
of the traditions and customs OF ourmother
countrv. to celebrate and observe what Is
known as "All Hallows' Eve" or 'HalloW-
elem, Many of you, no doubt, have en-
loved and celebrated the anniversary OF
Halloween for years as matter Of custom
and habit, without thought or inquiry as
to why you did so. For the information
and pleasure of such, allow me to say
that Halloween (the night of October 81
means the Eve of All Saints, or All
Hallows' Day, which is the first
day of November.
All Saints day takes it's origin from the
conversion of the Pantheon at Rome into
Christian place of worship, and its solemn
dedication to the virgin and all the martyrs
in yhe seventh century. On that day 1t IS
n custom in Roman Catholic countries,
land said to be still practiced in some parts
Of the state of Louisiana), to visit the
cemeteries for devotional ceremonies, or
for LAYING floral tributes on the graves OF
relatives
THE HALLOWEEN" OF SCOTLAND,
however. has nothing churchly about it,
and seems to be but a relic OF pagan tlHes'
or perhaps of the superstltlons OF the III d
die ages which regarded 1t as the uMe Oh
ali others when supernatural influences
prevailed, and which set apart this night
especialIy, for universal walking abroad
of spir.its both of the visible, and the IN
visible world; for on this mystic evening,
IL was believed that even the human spirit
might detach itself from the earthly BODY,
alQd wonder abroad.
closely allied to what is called the wal
purgis Night" of the Germans, the wltch-
festival. or assembling of evil spirits on the
Summit of the "Brocken" IN the harE
mountains, on the eve OF the first OF May
Practically 80 far as it IS recognized at
all as it is still in Great Britain, and IN
this country, where church usages ana ira
ditions survive it is devoted wholly to
sports and practical Jokes. Nuts ana ap-
ples are in great demand, and they are not
only cracked and eaten, but are made Use
of as the means of prediction and prophecy
in love affairs, as the passion OF prylng
into the future makes striking part OF
thehistory of human nature in its rude
site in all ages and among all natlons.
The grand sport, however land especially
.rith the little foll1s) is that OF ''ducking.
afy"bobbirg" for apples set ahoat IN a tub
OF water.
AS OBSERVED IN SCOTLAND.
In addition to ducking for apples the fol
lowing are some only of the many amusing
sports and ceremonies:
fThe first ceremony of Hallowe'on, usu
aIIv is pulling each ''stOck' or plant OF
kali The participants must go out to the
kali yard or garden, hand IN hand, with
ewes Shut, and pull the first stock they meet
with. Its being big or little, straight OF
crooked. is presumed to be prophetic of the
size and shape of the grand object of al
their spells the future husband or wife
II anv tsyirdr or earth stick to the root, thai
renresents 'stocher' or fortune, and the
taste of the custoo (Which is the heart o.
the steml indicates the natural temper anC
disuosition of the future wife or husband
Lastly the stems, or kali runts," arr
nIaced somewhere above the head OF tn
door and the Christian names Of the per
sops whom chance may bring INTO th'
house are, according to the priority
placing the ''runts," the names in ques
ton. .
ronnIar charm. The sharers in the spor
name a lad and lass to each particular n u
as they lay them on the hre (whlch should
be bright coals), and accordingly as tn
nuts burn quietly together, or start iron
beside one another, SO the course and lssu
"PuLLISG THE STALKS OF CORN
ia another charm The lasses steal out t
the barn-yard and pull each, at three sew
e1-al times, a stalk OF oats from rick" o
sSARCk If the third stalk is without th
Rbppickle, that is, the grain at the top o
fhe stalk. the person in question will com
70 the marriage bed anything but a maid.
Another charm is "eating the apple a
the glass" which is performed in the fo
lowing manner: Take candle and g
alone to a looking glass; eat the apple be
fore it, and (some traditions say you Shout
comb your hair all the time), the face @
your future conjugal companion will b
seen in the glass, as if peeping over you
shoulder. "Fathoming the bean sack'' j
another. performed by either sex as fOl
lows: Take an opportunity of going an
noticed to bean sack and tathom II TIRE
times round. The last fathOm of the las
round, it is claimed, you Will eaten IN you
arms the apparition of your conlugal yOk
fellow. Another charm is to take thre
s'luggies'' or dishes, put clean water IN on
SjrfW water in another, leaving the thir
one crl1,ty; blindfold a person and lead III
or her to the hearth where the dishes al
ranged: he Tor she) dips the left hand: an
if by chance in the clean water, the Iutul
husband or wife will come to the bar {
matrimony unmarried, If in the dirt
water a widow or widOwer; il in ii
tainty, no marriage at all This charm
repeated three times, and each time the a
rangement of the dishes is altered.
AMONG OTHER CHARMS,
which time will not permit to explain
detail. but affording abundant amusemel
and rnirth, is sowing the hemp seed
s'winding the blue clue of yarn, "wlnnoV
ing three 'wechts,' or corn baskets,
nothing" etc. c...-, "
The richest deception of Scottish Ha
PSwe'en, with its peculiar rites, superst
tons and mysteries, may be found In u
celebrated poem, Halloween" by Il
gifted Scottish poet, Burns, and to 1t l q
rect your attention.
Yes let the rich deride the proud disdain,
The simple pleasures of the lowly train;
To me more dear congenial to my heart
ono native charm, than all the gloss of art.
HALLOWEEN.
The following poem by Davie Henders'
Was well received:
Guild evening to We, ane an q,
wish We weel bath great an snl2i
rho a yer names Gamma ca,
Your faces BRIGHT
Insures YEN hae d time III Draw
4 here the NIGHT