Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-10-29

mos. intense mysticism, and place q
simple, unquestioning faith in all It's
charms and spells. Many OF the Hal.
[ loween customs practiced throuchou,
( the civilized world are derived from
them.
{ In an old book published in 1926 and
called eye True fortune-Teller. there
Z is a chapter headed ITO know whether
/ a woman will have We man she wishes. "
in which | find the FOLLOWING
charm "Got two lemon peels; wear
them all day, one in each pocket rub
yc forepost Of We bedStoad with them il
she is to succeed, man will appear in her
sleep and present her with a couple of
lemons; II not, there is no hope for
her.
THR HEMP SEED FAITH TEsT.
The following passage from GAYS
Pastoral describes divination once
highly popular with the English pea
San,ry:
At eve, last midsummer. no sleep sought.
But o. the Ae!d bag o. hemp-seed brought.
] scattered round the seed on every side
And three times. IN a trembling accent cried.
/ THIS hcmi-scci with my virgin hand sow.
VINO shall uy truc love be tho crop shall NOW. -
The belief was that the future husband
or wife Will then be seen in the net Of
pulling hemp. A spell much practiced
on Hollovcen among the weaver lasses
ot Lancashire is that of the FIVE eartben
balls To perform tins diviuation it IA
necessary 20 have five small slips OF
paper. upon three of these the
dnmsel who seeks TO know her
martial kismot writes the name of
her three iavorite swains: upon one OF
the others Sue writes death" and on
Tie last, stranger Each slip is then
relied into ball and covered with moist
ened earth, beng then placed III dish of
cold water. The water soon dissolves
OF the earth and hberates the slips of
paper. Whichever OF the latter first
rises 10 the surface tells the maiden's
husband. If 1t bear a name she will wed
the person indicated If 1t bear the word
Stranger. she will marry some one
unknown to her. and should il display
the word death " sso will die unmar-
RED.
In very old book Of folklore called
Mother Bunch's Closet Newly Broke
Open find the following "if a maid
wish, to know to what manner of for
tune she shall be married If n gentle
man, "a tradcsmGn. or a traveler-let her
on All-Ha.loween take walnut, ha-
zlenut, and nutmeg, CRATE and mix
item up with butter and sugar into pills,
which must be taken when She goes TO
bed, ana then, II her fortune be to mar
~ "a gentleman her sleep viii be filed
with golden dreams Il tradesman she
will dream Of odd noises and tumults if
a traveller there viii be thunder and
lightning 10 disturb her..
The dumb cake is favorite Hal
lowe en charm in some Of the northern
counties OF England. 1t must be made
between the hours of II and midnight
Icy any number OF young women, each
OF whom must place a handful Of wheat
.iour on sheet OF white paper and
sprinkle 1t over with as much salt rs she
can hold between finger and thumb
Then one OF the party must make it
into ID dough, being careful not to use
/ spring water Each young woman must
then roll up athe dough, spread 1t out
thin and fiat, and mark her
initials upon it with a new
pm. The cake being then placed
before the fire. all must take a seat as
lar from it as possible. This must all be
done Leforo II p. Nj, and between that
time and midnight al present must turn
the cake once. When the clock strikes Il
the husband Of her who is to be married
first Will enter and lay his hand upon the
part Of the cake marked with her name.
Throughout the whole proceeding mot a
word must be spoken hence the name
Dumb Cake.