Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-10-31


TRANS now TO ASCERTAIN ONES FUTURE
HUSBAND OR WICKLOW A MAIDEN CAN HAVE
HER FORTUNE REVEALED TO HER IN A DREAM.
Tomorrow is All SAINTS day and tonigh.
being All Halloween the young folks will no
doubt do their celebrating as usual
All Halloween is the evening preceding
All HaIIow day-properly called All Saints
day. Hallow-tide Is q comprehensive name
for both days There is scarcely any time
more distinguished than this by the common
people throughout the British Isles This is
probably owing to the fact Of November first
having been one of the four great festivals of
their pagan ancestors. 1t was formerly cele-
brated by immense bonfires in Wales, Ireland.
the Scotch Highlands and even in England; in
the latter place up to a very recent period and
occasionally at the present time. This custom
also prevails at present among the Welsh peo-
pie. who still practice superstitious rites for
OWNING the future
In ireland particularly the 1st of November
Is regarded rs the proper time to offer thanks
Tor the realized fruits of the earth. The Irish
In this regard call 1t La Mas Ubhal-that is, the
day OF the apple fruit, and celebrate i. with
feasts OF roasted apples mixed in ale milk.
Chas. Graydon. the Irish poet. very aptly de-
scribes one tayorite practice thus:
These glowing nuts are eublems true
~ What IN human life We view:
he Unmatched couple fret and furpe,
And thus in trfe themselves consume.
81 sels siS sa9 o2s an a Tu Ra Sincere
N VII y, ingtSai .9ndnt.s while they burn
Their nj Esled sshes rest at last
All Halloween has always been the occasion
OF an enjoyable time in Christian countries.
The performance of spells by young people 20
discover their future partners for life has been
one Of the most popular usages, as well as fire.
side reyeirles, such as cracking nuts, ducking
for apples and other enjOymcnts. It is the
night when witches. evil spirits and other mis-
chicf-makIug beings are abroad on their mid
night journeys, and when the fairies are sup
posed 10 hold their grand anniversary. The
custom of celebrating All Halloween's night is
still kept up and the evilspirited boys as well
as the fair maidens take part in the celebra-
ton
THE SMALL BOYS FUN.
Whether witches. devils and other evil spirits
60 about on their baneful errands or not is
probably a question of belief for those who
study such things; but certainly if they do not
the small boys take their place on earth, while
the Made Ms take the places of the fairies in
holding their grand anniversary and give par
ties and social gatherings for their friends. The
mischlevous boys were among the foremost of
the merrymakers, but as boys will they gener-
ally carried their amusements far as to
make them Objectionable. Bonfires was the
general order OF the occasion when the city
streets were not concerted and when large Va
cant lots were more numerous than they are
now. When their material became exhausted
and the fires could no longer be kept up the
little demons turned their attention to their
fayorite pastime OF the occasion, which
was to annoy their neighbors in various
ways, such as to tie the dead bodies of small
animals on front doors, or ring door bells and
pelt the persons answering the bell with cab
baSes or some other Objectionable article
Sometimes live animals were used, when dead
ones were scarce, and 1t was not unusual
happening to be awakened after midnight by
ayelping dog that the boys had tied to the
door bell
THE SHOWER OF FLOUR.
In these days the boys consider themselves
as boys no longer, and they turn their atten-
ton to the social gatherings, while some of the
older young men have gone back to some of
the pranks that we're formerly played by young
America Particularly does this apply TO the
throwing Of flour about the streets. During
the past few years in this city this form Of
amusement has delighted many parties of young
men and caused merriment to persons on the
streets other than those who happened to fall
victims.
In the first place some preparation is made
as security against the police, and that is
often done by turning the coat inside out and
wearing q SLOUGH hat turned in the same man
ner. There are some who do not care to risk
this, and they use burned cork on their faces.
Nneu OEce uls5ulseQ In tllS manner each OF
the party takes a bag of -four and they start
out TO turn black into white, and before the
night Is over they generally succeed even if
they also succeed IN getting in the lookup.
Coiored persons are generally the victims
leeted because the flour shows more plainly
and with better effect on their faces, while a
well-dressed white man would not get sighted
should he in his travels meet the crowd that Is
out for a nights enjoyment.
sEREyADISd PEDESTRIANS
Some OF the smaller boys seem to find enjoy
ment in serenading pedestrians with dead ami
mails or soft vegetable matter. such as decayed
apples. tomatoes and potatoes. The changing
OF signs from one place OF business to another
was also INDUCED IN to a great extent, and on
the morning OF All Saints day many persons,
from outward appearances. were unable to tell
whether they were keeping a drug store, q
barber shop or liquor saloon.
Another and one of the most annoying, pranks
OF the boys was TO take a shutter from a house
ami put II against the front door of the same
house, or OF one Of the neighboring dwellings.
and then ring the bell, SO that the person who
opened the door would either get the weight
OF that section of the house upon them or
would be put to the trouble OF removing the
Obstacle IL order to close the door.
BVBBING FOR APPLES
IL probably one of the oldest customs in con-
nectlon with the celebration and u still plays a
part IN the gay festivities attending an All
Halloween party. The apples, placed in o tue
OF water, must all have stems, as il is by the
stem alone that tie apple is permitted to be
taken from the water.
trick. amusing to all except one of the
party, Is played with two plates and the pecu-
liar ending requires it to be performed in a
dark rOoul- basin OF water a piece of SOAP
end IA towel are also required at its ending
Two rooms are also needed In one there must
be no light. while In the other dim light is
all hat Is required. The fortune teller takes
his or her position in the room where the light
Is dimmci and the person who is anxious to
learn something OF their future partner
goes into the other room. A plate is on u table
In either ROOM the one In the dark room being
blackened over gas jet or smeared with SCOT
from the stove pipe. The maneuvering Of the
fortune teller has TO be followed by the one
who is endeavoring to peer into the future. The
result Is shown by glance in the looking
glass.
NAMING CHEsTN UTs.
Chestnuts are named and roasted, and the
one that pops" first is the name Of the lucky
or unIucky one. as the case may be.
At such gatherings it is customary for the
host TO bake a cake and have gold ring placed
In IL When refreshmeDt s are served the per-
son doing the hOnors cuts the cake and passes
u about the table. The ring has to be in one
OF the slices, and the one who gets it, tradition
has 1t, Will be the first in the party to wed.