Telegram-herald., 1890-01-18
MYTHS OF HALLOWEEN.
ORIGIN OF SOME or The LEGENDS
THAT ATTACH TO OCT. 81.

sTAl = Att ~ OCt 81
From its first organization Halloween
has been invested with peculiarly mys-
tic character. II Is an almost universal
superstition that supernatural influences
then have unusual power; that devils.
witches and fairies are abroad; that all
spirits are free % roam through space,
and that the spiritual elements IN all
living humanity can be detached from
corporal restraint and made 10 read its
own future or TO reveal 90 others what
fate may have in store for them. As
there is nothing in the church celebra-
ton Of the ensuing day OF All Saints TO
justify these singular ideas and customs
associated with Halloween, and as none
of them are Of a religious character We
may Justly regard them as relics Of pagan
times
READING THE FUTCRE.
In all ages and countries Halloween
has been deemed, as IL still is, the occa-
sion par excellence for diyining the an
swer 10 that momentOus question which
absorbs so large a share of the thoughts
Of romantic young men and maidens,
"Who is 10 marry whomy The means
employed 10 gain this much desired in
formation are as quaint and curious as
they are numerous and varied. For this
purpose every time and every country
almost every district Of every country
has had It's own charms and spells pecu-
liar to itself, and they have furnished an
almost inexhaustible theme 10 folk poets
and corppilers of folklore.
Those of Scotland have been most
graphically described by that greatest Of
all poets of the people. Robert Burns
In his poem of Halloween" he has
given US most vivid account OF more
than half a score of Halloween charms
and spells peculiar to the Scottish peas
antry.
In very old book Of folk lore called
''Ye True Arte TO Reade Ye Future" is
found the following:
II q maid would know ye name CT We man she is
20 marry let her on AilHal!owcen steal out 10
hle kiln and throw therein q ciuc OF blue yarn.
suu holding to We other end Presently ye end in
ye kiln viii b. SHARPLY pulled Then ye maid
must say Who holds" Nhcreupun ye voice Ot
her future husband VII pronounce bis name
both ye Christian and ye surname
The only obstacle 10 the successful per-
fUrmance of this spell is the difficulty OF
finding an old lime kiln, but as lime
klns will bc in great demand among orr
women when the important statement
made in the above paragraph becomes
generally known, and as a demand for
any article in this country is speedily
met by an abundant supply the number
of lime kilns viii doubtless soon be
largely augmented, TO the great delight
of anxious. matchmaking namInas and
their dutiful offspring.
w MYSTERIES
Water. nuts and apples bear a promi-
nent part in the spells and charms Of
Halloween. A quaint old book of charms
published in Edinburgh in 1870. entitled
"Old Father Times Bundle Of Fagyots
Newly Bound Up" declares that an in
fallible means OF getting n view Of your
future husband or wife is to 20 to bed
Halloween with a glass OF water. in
which a small silver of wood has been
placed. standing on a table by your bed
side. IN the night you will dream of
falling from "a bridge into the river. and
Of being rescued by your future wife or
husband. whom you will see as distinct
II as though viewed with waking eyes.
This charm ia thus alluded 70 by the
English poet Gay:
Last Halloween longed my lore 70 ses,
Ard tried q spell - coli her up % me
witt wood aud water standing by my s1s
I dr.arlai a dream and saw ny own sweet
bride
In q folk-lo book. called "Ie Mys-
teries Of the Wytchcraft," there is given
n charm "bv which maid may know IL
We man size loves be true" To perform
this. the maid is directed 20 pluck At
midnight on All Halloween two month
Is roses with long stems. naming one for
herself and the other for her lover She
must then 20 directly 10 her sleeping
room without speaking 20 anv one, and
kneeHrx beside her bel must twine the
stems ~ the two roses together md
then repeat the following lines, mean
while gaziog iuten;ly upon the rose
named FOR her lover;
Tefa-. trin. and 'ntertvine:
- lg iors be wholly mire.
II r.s trarf bs k.r1 aul trls
Uerser grow his r1zes hue
II hc- swain be faithful. the color n
tie rose representing him viii grow
darker ard more intense. OF all the
many Halloween spells and charms asso-
catej wiih nuts one of inc oldest f. that
which prevails in some Il England's
northern counties snd vhich i t. the
effect that # young man or woman
vfIl s. at midnight Halloweer to = v al
nut tree and walk around d tllree times.
crying cst eaca time Lsi him loT lerl
flst j. - be mv true iove bring me some
wainuts. tie future wife oT husband
wil be seen in the tree gathering 10
fruit TIE poet CAY fhus refers IN RE
'Fastora.s 81 this custom
f--- HsE-r-e- e0reaf wss1-t t~-~
a. --s r~ r-rs io~ss faes tssf Z RI ere 80.
T-e- -lzes esd taree -ar-T Fs.se< spscs