Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-10-31
WAKEMAN'S WANDERINCS
HALLOWEEN osseRvANces IN GREAT
Britain.



Queen Herself Houors it, observance.
witohsriss In scotland sud ireland.
tCopyfigh,. lspi. By Edgar L. wakeman.l
LONDON. Oct. % One often hear II saii
that the old customs and traditions ate nll
forever passing away. Perhaps those who
feel aud say this arc themselves merely
growing away from them and In manner
passing, through age aud shifting con.
dillon, ont Of their own former environ.
mont. Some Of the more ancient customs
are surely becoming obsolete. and with no
loss 20 humankind. But there will ever
remain 10 the Christian world few Of the
sweet old days Of mirih and merrymaking
which no change or iconoclasm can mar or
dispel.
Halloween ia one Of these. Whether it,
origin was psgan or Christian Is Of no con.
sequence. Halloween would have been In.
ycsted with Just the same tender brood Of
supertI Ions and practices " II had fallen
upon Tue eve 81 Easter, 81. Johns Day or
the Fourth u July-if the latter had had
the white beard of are upon H. The hearts
Of men and women, maids and youth. fixed
upon time Tor Cupid worship; for tho
plighting Of troths; for the diylning Of
what love might have In store.
In the rcmntcr districts Of England. and
especially In the ancient Villages whero
little change has taken place Tor centuries,
tie older aud more Innocent features ~
Halloween av still prcsersel aud enjoyed
with uuhoundud gcst Ia the lhreur cit
ics and Villages the observance has never
Lcen much above "horsc play" aud rude
iuflcsque. The Saxon mind Is not ~ rc.
tentl,e Of sweet old custom aud tender
superstition ~ is the Celtic In n large
sensn IL may he said that the English folk
generally while Ignoring Halloween prae.
tlcss. universally make mental defense u
the Halloween time and split. nnl arc ~.
frcted In ptsslyo aud ndmls,ive manner,
10y Ia hold ON them through literature
rather than through H. direct spell upon
their natures. ~ with all fplk Of CeltIc or.
isln. Therefore. while H., recognition by
the English i complete. itH observance u
tulrmt.vc rather than active.
The queen horclf wus the chief person.
hso 10 - marked illustration of thi. fact 10
1870 Halloween was celebrated with uu.
usual ceremony At her Bnlmoral castle, Ia
AberlerusHitc. Scotland. hy the teuautry
aud servants Of Bilmurll and lnyofgoldlc.
There were tntchlight PROFESSIONS, oxtnor.
dIuiry hHuhfas aud tho burning In eligy
~ witches mud warlocks. Nearly autorch.
heluts assetftled 90 the castle ns the
shadows NJ evening toll They separated
into two partlr4. ouu baud proceeding 20
lnvcigciils, che other remaining nt Bal.
moral When the torches wptr lighted no
Co'c,lrk the queen aud Princes Beatrice
wcro driven to tuycrgeldlc followed by the
Halmorai torchhetrcrs. Here both parties
united and returned la procession 90 iial.
A HNHH.s.HHI#.HHH
lighted. tho queens plprrs PLAYING che
while. Refrelhmruts. comprising every
dish dear IN Halloween memory. wofl
served 70 all. when dancing 20 the strains
~ the blgpipsi was begun on the green
ivarl.
When the frolc was NJ ~ height there
suddenly appeared from the rear u the
castle y grotcsquc figure representing u
witch. with a train 81 ugtcs aud elves "a
attendants All these made every possible
demonstration Of terror ~ sight ~ th,
huge bonhre. Then followed an ogre ul
demonIacal aspect aud shape. followed b.
another lldenus wnflock drawing car on
which was seated the cnigy ola Witch sur,
rounded by other figures In the gtIsr Of
ugrss aud demons. These uncatthly in,
truders were marched several times
around tue bonfire. aud nuhlly the chiel
figure. the embodlmrut ~ witchdom, was
taken from the car and hurled lnts tha
blazing pile amid weird .hflcEs and howl,
from the masked demons, Who Instantly
fed into the darkness, the cheers Of tht
multitude mlngllnv with the widest
strains VI tho bagpipe aud great display
oil fireworks.
An attendant present NJ the time told
me that tue soeuc was most imprcssiy,
aud picturesque, Lochnagar aud othcl
insuntaius In the nclghbothood being GOV
cred with snow; that dancing aud all man
usr 81 Halloween festivities were Kept ~
until morning. and that the queen, pre-
oiscly az any other mortal present, entered
into the spirit Of the extraordinary occa
slon-asAisiing In sons Of th, preparations
with her own hands-Nith the utmost in
tsrest aud Asst,
10 Scotland aud ireland, where supsr'ti
tlous have held their own against al
change aud progress, though undoubtedl,
having largely passed BY gradual evolution
from the status Of almost savage belief 3,
that Of loved aud cherished custom, Their
IL not another more priced Tins In tn,
whole year for Difference 10 the universe
sway OF gentle wltehery aud ogreish charm
have found that the same, In degree
holds true Ia Northumberland, Durham
northern Yorkshire, Cumberland and West
morelaud. and In Wales aud the Isle o
Man.
The pcopleof all these regions were orlgl
nAlly Celtic. 10 me the conclusion scent
irresistible that the traditions. supersti
tons aud practice. are not only largely o
Celtic origin. but that Halloween memo
rlts aud charms hold closest aud longest IL
the hearts Of all folk having descent aillui
lie, 10 tho Celtic parent race, My Atten
ton was first csllod to the study Of thcsl
lines Of distinction through the intcres
. awakened In the personal enjoyment Of I
Halloween fcs,iylty while wandering
among the peasNntry OF Ireland.
Il was niRhttall ere my peasant host an,
myself, who had been passing tho da!
among the Donegal glens and mountains
reached the farmhouse, where quite
numbsr Of country folk were already await
Ing our srriyal. The house itself wa
somewhat larger than tho average Irisl
cabin. It contained three very large, squar
rooms. Above these were fairly spaoiou
lofts, rather close against the thatche,
whore most Of the sesnty stores wer
placed aud where the entire family wer
disposed Of Mt nght In hunks not unlik
sailors In vessels forecnstlc. Hut acres
tue road stood murtar walled barn a
large again As the house, and this, swcp
clean and set 20 rights was also ready 10
hospltablc service Both house aud bar
were lighted brilliantly, considering III
humble means Of the host. with lnmp.
candles. and even hers aud thc's an Iri,
isanltutsr % nr lantr alivar nf l,u.yn,I ,st.,