The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1891-10-31
Wakoman Tells How It is Celo-
brated In Great Britain.
THE time -HONORED CUSTOMS
Observed Among tho High and tho
Low..'Among the pensantry OF Ire.
land and Scotlnnd..-lfow the Cab
baGc Head IS Made Uso Of by Mis-.
chicvous Boys just us in America.
fcorYRrnilr. lSnl.l-
specia! Correspondence OF u. h.eIII0sser.

stlu tHat Nilcoiu SuStoiis anu tTdultlODB
nrc all forever passing away. Perhaps
those who focl and say this nre them.
selves merely growing away from them,
and in 4 manner passing. through nGc
and shifting conditions, out OF their own
former environment. Some Of tho more
ancient customs ere surely becoming
obsolete, and with no loss to human.
Kind. But there will ever remain 10 tho
Christian world few OF the sweet old
days Of mtrth and merrymaking which
no change or iconoclasm can mar or dis
pei.
Hallow o'en Is ono Of these. It 10
growing upon American people in coun.
tryside quarters and even in city homes.
The continuous strong. firm and fine
incoming OF English, Irish and Scottiah
folk among those who have preceded
them long enough to become distinct
lively American" Is gradually engrGit-
ing the best loved olden memories upon
next TO Christmas.tide. must ever re-
main tho most cherished OF all recurring
yearly periods when the mysteries have
most a!llucnt and the most forgvabc,
II often grotesquc, expression, through
tho longings and vagarics OF the human
heart.
Whether its origin vas pagan or
Christian, is OF no consequence. Ilallow
cen would have been invested with jus.
tho same tender brood Of supcrstitions
and practices ii it had fallen upon tho
eve OF Easter, st. Johns day, or the
Fourth OF July-if the latter had had
the white beard OF aye upon it. Tho
hearts OF men and women, maids and
youths, fixed upon 4 time for Cupid
worship; for the plighting OF troths; for
the divining OF what love mighthave in
store. Sacred as all other things over
have been or ever will be, is the period
OF awakening OF the sweetest emotions.
No moro fitting time could be for this
than the night before All Hallows, All
Holy, or Al! Saints Day; and the mel.
lowing of the centuries has curtaincd
this eve 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
tender and loving hand.
OLD CUSTOMS.
In tho remoter districts OF England,
ind especially in the ancient villages
where little change has taken place for
centuries, the older and more innocent
features OF Hallow cen are still pre-
served and enjoyed with unbounded
Zest. In the larger cities and villages
the observance has never been much
above "horse-play" and rude burlesque.
Tho Saxon mind is not so .retentive OF
swee; old custom and tender supersti-
ton as is tho Celtic. In largo sense it
may be said that the English folk gencr-
ally while Ignoring Hallow cen prac-
tees, universally make mental deiensa
OF the Hallow cen time and spirit, and
are affected, in passive and adhesive
manner, by its hold on them through
literature rather than through ita d.
rect spell upon their natures, as with
all folks OF Celtic origin. Therefore
while its recognition by the English is
complete, its observance is toleratiYc
rather thaH active.
The queen herself was the chief per.
sonago in marked illustration OF this
fact lin 1876. Hallow e'en was celebrated
with unusual ceremony at her Balmoral
castle, in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, by
the tenantrv and servants of BalIuoral
and lnverseldie. There were torchlight
processiona, extraordinary bonfires and
the burning in ef.igy OF witches and
warlocks: Nearly 200 tofchbearcrs az
sembled at tho castle as the shadows OF
evening fell. They separated into two
parties, ono band proceeding to Inver-
geldie the other remaining ut Balmoral.
When the torches were lighted at G
o'clock the queen and Princess Beatrice
were driven to lnvergcldie, followed by
the Balmoral torchbearcrs. Here both
parties united and returned in process.
sion to Balmoral. \ tremendous bon
fire WIS the lighted, the queens pipers
playing the while. Refreshments, COM
prising every dish dear to Hnllow cen
memory, wero served to all, when dane
ing to the strains OF the bagpipes was
begun on the grcensward.
When tho frolic was ct its height
there suddenly appeared from the rear
OF the castle grotosouc figure repre-.
scnting witch, with trnin OF ogres
and elves as attendants. All these made
every possible demonstration OF terror
at sight OF the hugo bonfire. Then iol.
lowed an ogre OF demoniacal aspect and
shape, followed by another hideous
warlock drawing car on which was
seated the etligy OF q witch, surrounded
by other figures in tho guise OF ogres
and demons. These unearthly in.
truders were marched several times
around bonfire, and finally the chief
figure, the embodiment OF witchdom,
was taken from the car and hurled into
the blazing pile amid weird shrieks md
howls from the masked demons, who
instantly fled into tho darkness, tho
cheers OF tho multitude mingled with
tho widest strains OF tho 5agpipes, and
greGtdisplay OF fireworks.
An attendant present at tho time told
mo that the scene was most impressive
and picturesque, LochnaQar and other
mountains in tho neighborhood being
covered with snow; that dancing md
all manner Of Hallow cen festivities
woro kept up until morning; and that
the queen, precisely as any other NOR
tai present, entered into tho spirit OF
the extraordinary occaslon-assisting in
some OF the preparations with her own
hands-with the utmoat interest and
zest.
IN IRELAND.
In Scotland and Ireland, where SUI
perstitions have held their own against
oil change and progress, though un-
doubtcdly having largely passed BY