Morning journal and courier., 1891-10-31

Preserved and Enjoyed With Un- bounded Zest-Celebrated at the | Queens Balmoral Castle-An Irish Halloween Celebration Robert Burns on the Scottish Halloween. LONDON, Oct. 20. l To the Editor of the JOURNAL AND COURIER:
 One often hears it said that the old GUS toms and traditions are all forever passing away. Perhaps those who feel and say this are themselves merely growing away from them, and in a manner passing, through age and shifting condition, out of their own former environment. Some of the more ancient customs are surely be- coming obsolete, and with no loss to hu- mankind. But there will ever remain to the Christian world few of the sweet old days of mirth and merrymaking which no change or iconoclasm can mar or dispel. Halloween is one of these. It is grow ing upon American people in countryside quarters and even in city homes. The continuous strong, firm and fine incoming of English, Irish and Scottish folk among those who have preceded them long enough to become distinctly "American," is grad ually engrafting the best loved olden mem ories upon our new cocial trunk. Hallow- cen, next tc Christmas tide, must ever re- main the most cherished of all recurring yearly periods when the mysteries have most affluent and the most forgivable, if often grotesque, expression, through the longings and vagaries of the human heart.
 Whether it's origin was pagan or Chris tian is of no consequence. Halloween would have been invested with just the same tender brood of superstitions and practices if it had fallen upon the eve of Easter, St. Johns day or the Fourth of July-if the latter had had the white beard of age upon it. The hearts of men and women, maids and youths, fixed upon time for Cupid-worship; for the plight ing of troths; for the divining of what love might have in store. Sacred as all other things ever have been or ever will be, is the period of awakening of the sweetest emotions. No more fitting a time could be for this than the night be- fore All Hallows, All Holy or All Saints day; and the mellowing of the centuries has curtained this eye of All Hallows with such misty draperies, and set behind them such wealth of innocent memories, that even age and austerity, turning to their witching maze in youthward gaze and longing, ever draws them aside with a tender and loving hand.
 In the remoter districts of England, and especially in the ancient villages where l. &ol- c., the older and more innocent features of Halloween are still preserved and enjoyed with unbounded zest. In the larger cities and villages the observance has never been much above ''horse-play" and rude bur lesque. The Saxon mind is not so reten tive of sweet old custom and tender su perstition as is the Celtic. In large sense it may be said that the English folk generally while ignoring Halloween prac- tices, universally make mental defense of the Halloween time and spirit, and are af fected, in passive and admissive manner, by its hold on them through literature rather than through its direct spell upon their natures, as with all folk ot Celtic or igin. Therefore while its recognition by the English is complete, it's observance is tolerative rather than active.
 The queen herself was the chief person. age in a marked illustration of this fact in 1867. Halloween was celebrated with un- usual ceremony at her Balmoral castle, in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, by the tensntry and servants of Baimoral and kpVergeldie. | Ordinary ponnres ana the burning III ertrgy of witches and warlocks. Nearly two hundred torchbearers assembled at the castle as the shadows of evening fell. They separated into two parties, one band proceeding to Invergeldie, the other re- | lnaining at Balmoral. When the torches | were lighted at six o'clock the queen and | Princess Beatrice were driven to Invergel- | die. followed by the Balmoral torchbear- CTS. Here both parties united and re- turned in procession to Balmorsl A tre- mendous bonfire was then lighted, the queens pipers playing the while. Re- treatments, comprising every dish dear to Halloween memory, were served to all, when dancing to the strains of the bag pipes was begun on the greensward.
 When the frolic was at its height there suddenly appeared from the rear of the castle a grotesque figure representing a witch, with train of ogres and elves as attendants. All these made every possible demonstration of terror at sight of the huge bonfire. Then followed an ogre of demoniacal aspect and shape, followed by another hideous wsrlock drawing car on which was seated the efigy of witch, surrounded by other figures in the guise of ogres and demons. These unearthly intruders were marched several times around the bonfire, and finally the chief figure, the embodiment of witchdom, was
 taken from the car and hurled into the
 blazing pile amid wierd shrieks and howls
 from the masked demons, who instantly
 fled into the darkness, the cheers of the
 multitude mingled with the widest strains
 of the bagpipes, and a great display oi | fireworks.
 An attendant present at the time tolt
 me that the scene was most impressiv,
 and picturesque, Lochnagar and othel
 mountains in the neighborhood being GOV
 cred with snow; that dancing and all man l ner of Halloween festivities were kept ul
 until morning; and that the queen, pre-
 cisely as any other mortal present, entered
 into the spirit of the extraordinary occa
 sion-assisting in some of the preparation
 with her own hands-with the utmost in | terest and Zest.
 In Scotland and Ireland, where super stitions have held their own against al
 change and progress, though undoubtedl having largely passed by gradual evolu ton from the status of almost savage be
 lief to that of loved and cherished GUS
 tom, there is not another more prized tim , in the whole year for deference to the uni , versal sway of gentle witchery and ogeris charm. have found that the same, i , degree, holds true in Northumberland , Durham, northern Yorkshire, Cumberlan
 and Westmoreland, and in Wales and tn
 Isle of Man. The people of all these Tt gions were originally Celtic. To me th
 conclusion seems irresistible that the trs ditions, superstitions and practices are nc
 only largely of Celtic origin, but that Ha T loween memories and charms hold closes and longest in the hearts of all folk hay
 ing descent afinities to the Celtic parer n race. My attention was first called to : study oe these lines of distinction throug @ the interest awakened in the personal CT 8 ioyment of Halloween festivity, whi ) wandering among the peasantry of 1r' d land.
 It was nightfall ere my peasant-host an y myself, who had been passing the da
 among the Donegal glens and mountain a reached the farmhouse, where quite @ number of country-folk were alread
 awaiting our arrival. The house itse }. was somewhat larger than the averae - Irish cabin. It contained three very larG
 spare rooms. Above these were fairl n spacious lofts, rather close against u
 matches, where most of the scanty stor'
 were placed, ard where the entire famii
 were disposed of at night in hunks Ut at unlike sailors in vessels forecastle. Bl d across the road stood a mortar-walled bal d as large again as the house; and thi
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