Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-10-31
HALLOW ZEN.
The Time Original Custom Which
Comes TsnIght---Former and Pres
eut Obseryances.

This evening. October 81, will be Hal.
loween, so called from being the eve oil
vigil of All Saints Day, festival which
takes its origin from the conversion BY
Pope Boniface, ~, about GOT, of the
Pantheon at tome into q christian place
of worship, and its dedication to the Vir.
gin and all the martyrs. Its anniversary
was first celebrated on May /, but the day
was subsequently altered to November 1.
Pope Gregory Nv. about the year $50. es
tsblished it as day for the commemora-
ton OF all those saints and martyrs in
whose honor no particular day is as,
signed.
The reformers of the English church in
1549 struck out of their calendar a great
number Of anniversaries, leaving only
those which at that time were connected
with popular feeling or tradition, Hall
loween being one Of those retained.
Halloween possesses its manners. Gus,
toms and traditions. These customs
and superstitions were at one time nu-
merous. though at the present they are
not given the same prominence and be-
lief as formerly. Many are retained as
source of merriment. many entirely for>
gotten, while in some parts of the world
few are still prscticed and believed.
The observance of Halloween is clearly q
relic of pagan times. for there is nothing
in the church observance of All SAINTS
Day TO have originated such extrsordina-
~ notions rs are connected with this
festival. or such remarkable practices as
those by which it is distinguished. In
pagan Rome, during the month Of Octo-
Der, horse called October was sacrificed
to Mars, and the Greeks and Romans had
many bacchsnslisn festivals in this
month. at which the people had recourse
to magic and divinstions.
In English>speaking countries ono o T
the most common customs is that Of
duckiug for apples, ceremony conducted
as follows: A lot OF apples are set aflost
in tub of water, and attempts are made
to catch them with the teeth, which, if
successful. the person retaining the apple
and peeling it carefully. the strip of peel
ing is passed around the head thrice.
after which it is thrown over the shoulder,
when it will fall in the shape of the initial
letter of the thrower's true love. Another
apple custom is that of hanging up a
stick horizontally by string from the
ceiling. and putting candle on the one
end and an apple on the other. The
stick being made to twirl rapidly, the
merry,mskers in succession leap up and
with the teeth attempt
To catch tn elusive apple with bound,
As. with its taper, il 1ew whizzing round.
No use of the hands being permitted.
they being tied behind the back. it fire.
quently happens that the candle comes
around before it is expected and scorches
the face or snoints il with grease. This
misadventure. of course, occasions abund-
ance of laughter.
Nuts and apples are in requisition.
From the custom of fiinging the former
into the fire, or cracking them with the
teeth, has doubtless come the name of
Nutcrsck Night.
Goldsmith tells in his Vicar of Wake
field" that the country folks religiously
observed this festival. The passion for
prying into futurity was one of the strik>
ing characteristics of our ancestors, and
it was a custom, when the young women
would know if their lovers were faithful,
to put nuts in front Of the fire on this
night, naming the nuts after their lovers.
II 4 nut cracked or Jumped the lover
would prove unfaithful; if it began to
blaze or burn be had regard for the per
son making the test. II the pair of nuts
burned together q marriage of the couple
would be sure to follow.
The boys in this city. and most other
cities, used 10 raise Ned every Halloween.
with their tick tack" tricks, removal Of
gates, transferring of signs, placing ropes
about three feet over the sidewalks in
dark places so that people would stumble
over them. putting distractions in front
of doors. and other aggravsting mischief.
But for ten years at least, there has been
little Of these sports INDUCED in. because
OF the vigilance of the police and fear of
arrest. Examples made in this city q
few years ago, caused the youthful mar
plots OF those days TO consider their
ways and be wise" They are young
men now. let US be thankful, and have
no Halloween successors.