The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1891-10-29

HALLOWEEN SPORTS.
AN ENGLISH GAME PLAYED II THIS
COUNTRY.
youths Companiop,)


played IN English-s ,oeaking countries
on Hallow cen, or the eve preceding
All Saints Day, the First of Novem-
Der, have their parallel in all coun-
tries. The sports most familiar in
England and America arc the picks
ing up OF floating apple, with the
mouth, from the surface OF tub of
water, the person who Is engaged in
this occupation bsyiug bis hands
tied behind his back, and the caps
,ure of an apple in the same way,
the fruit being susper ded by u string
to the Intel OF door.
Less familiar, and even more
amusing is favorite Cuban sport
of the same nature. Some ordin airy
game is first played, and the wilmer
in this game has the privilege of
hiding bit of fruit or small round
cake in q pan which is filled to 8
depth Of about two inches with wheat
-four. The loser in the game, or one
who has been adjude ed to pay for
felt has his hands tied behind him :,
and must find and take the hidden
article out of the pan with his mouth.
After this, the person who has
burrowed 10 the pan is forbidden to
brush or wash away the -four, but
must spend the remainder Of the
evening with it on his face.
AS the games proceed in a very
lively manner, it often happens that
almost every one in the company
men and women, boys and girls, IS
going about with face plentifully
besprinkled with flour, and great
merriment is the result.
In Cuba, whern considerable
proportion Of the population has a
sufficiently dark complexion to bring
out the -four in vi vid relief, the ap>
pearance of co mpany of people
decorated in this fashion is exceed
ingly mirth provoking.
A very simple spc rt which is pop, :
lar in France, is called the jes DIES
bOugies, or candle game. A bottle
is laid down opon its side on the
floor, in such manner that it will
roll easily. A person sits down
upon the bottle, maintaining its bal
ance by extending his legs upon the
floor; but be must cross one foot
over the other, and keep only one
heel upon the floor.
Then he is given n lighted candle
which he holds in hi. left hand, and
an unlg hted one, which be holds in
his right, and is told to light the IN
lighted candle from the other.
The feat appears easy, but in the
attempt to bring the candles togeth
er the bottle almost always rolls out
from under the performer, bringing
MIN down in anything but q gracefu
manne:.
Another fayorite Earopesn game
suitable only for men aDd vigorous
boys, is a wrestling contest wlthou,
arms. The two contestants hands
are tied behind them, and they ther
engage in struggle 70 see which
shall "throw" the other. This strug
F gle is almost impossible that i,
should result.in serious fall. In
decd, it seldom results in any fall al
all, but resem bles sort Of bur!esoue
cockfght.
Still another amusing sport is man
aged in this way. Two chairs
square.backed, or with posts at the
coruers-are placed face to face, far
enough apart so that O stout round
stick can be stretched from one sea,
to the other, each end of the stick
resting upon one of the chairs.
} A person now seats himself astride
the stick, holding his feet crossed
and clear of the floor, and keeping
bis balance by the aid of cane
: which be holds in one hand. the en d
of which he may rest upon the floor
Then he is given a cane in the
! other hand, end four handkerchief
, are produced and held before him
These handkerchlefs he must take
} one by one, with the tip Of his sec
ond cane. and hang upon the foul
corners of the backs of the chairs.
During all this time his feet mus,
not touch the floor. A cushion 8,
each side of the performer, upon the
floor, will be an excellent precautior
against the bumps which he might
get in the almost inevitable fall.
, An ingenious person can invent
f other amusing performances of thi!
sort, which will serve as we'll fo
, snv other winter EVENING as for II q |