Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-10-09
OF YE 0LDEN TIME
Curious Halloween Supersti-
tons and Notions
ABOUT FUTURE HUSBANDS
Some Of ths Acts PIacsieet by The Hop--
IL Lassae-SuPersltio About
Gems Society Matters.

general. It Is the monsh that VIII
nesses . general resumption OF home
duties and pleasures, when the hrst
bright cracking nre IL started on the
hearth and the evenings begin TO seem
long. All over the civilized world the
young people eagerly await the com
ing or October, having IN mind the
mysterious last day OF the month, on
the evening Of which venturesome
spirits come boldly out OF their hiding
places and cut up AL sorts of antics
Many Of toe quaint customs Of HAL
l0ween have come down from our
grandmoGhsrs days, showing that N
their youth they too were tempted TO
see what the future had IA store for
them. one OF the old time customs
WAS 10 name apple seeds. then place
them on the top of a hot stove. The
seed that popped Was the one that car
RED love 70 the lassle that named lt.
Sometimes the wrong seed. the one
whose name brought no annoying
emotions, was The one to pop instead
of the expected one. Then the dlsap-
Another custom WAS 10 pare an
apple, taxing the skin Oft in
one long, unproken coil, then
after swinging IL around few
times, hlnglng u over the shoulder to
the floor. Whatever the letter that
was formed 10 was 10 De the future IN
itlal Of the young glrl who threw II.
Roasting corn and popping chestnuts
are two favOrile postlmes and q sure
way OF determining the identity of the
future husband IS TO walk out 10 the
well backward as the clock strikes
twelve, then turn suddenly and peer
into the we'll. There his face will
surely De seen outlined on the
smooth surface. A rlotous game
- dueklng Tor apples big tub
is nearly filled with water and apples
are thrown IN. The fruit floats around
on the surface and each person in turn
goes down on hands and knees and
tries 70 take an apple out with the
teeth. The result may be imagined.
There are many other merry games
and "a grand finale each young
woman should retire IN silence that
magical night
Crossing your shoes In che shape ofsr.
In bopes your true love you shall see.
But n the clothes no wears every day
Gems of precious quality were once
used as medicines, and many were
supposed TO bring good luck while
others were sure to- bring ruin, disaster
or come sort OF unhappiness upon the
wearer. Everyone knows the baleful
influence supposed to be exerted by
the opal. that most beautiful of all
gems. The empress Eugene was so
sverse 10 the stone that during her
reign its use became almost un-
known. A gruesome story Of an opal
came under the observation OF the
writer recently. Many years ago a
celebrated music master presented a
favOrite pupil with an exquisite opal,
which the student had set IN ring and
habituAlly wore. He was set upon by
thieves one night and the jewel was
stolen. His injuries were so severe
that death ensued. The ROBBERS, how
ever. were apprenended and the ring
was recovered by the students wife,
WHO married again after reasonable
time. She was murdered by her sec
Oud husband. and the gem was inner
tied bv Der daughter, bright, beautl-
tui giTl, who had great talent asa
writer Of prose and verse. shortly az
ter gaming possession OF the gem she
became bedrlddeu from an incurable
disease and died after eight years of
misery. on her death bed
she drew the ing from her
fiuger and gave Il 20 her nephew, to
whom she was devOtedly attached and
VINO had been a great comfort To her IN
her illness. The ring was too small for
the young mans finger, add IA ne was
desifous of Wearing II. be took II TO a
leweler and had the gem set in a shirt
stud. From the day IN which he first
donued the opal III luck seemed To
pursue him. tie was attacked that
very night by fOotpads. but e,csped
with severe cut ON the face, his purse
and watch being taken. The stone was
overlooked soon after that he lost
ns position and means OF support.
Thereafter everything be attempted.
Youth and pluck svsilsd nothing and
one year ago ne vas drowned IN one of
sthe great lakes while on = pleasure
trip. What became OF the gem no one
knows. IL was not found IN ne effects
and a the body was Dsysr recovered 10
= assumed that the iswel went down
VITA the llfated owner.
Tbe dismond. on the contrary. ia
-A+f fRHtA - "a III AtFA ttA.f tuF Wy
many persons consider Is good luck 10
own one. The sncients called q the
soue Of reconciliation and Il svmbo-
Isssconsfsncy. strep 9Th and innocence.
The snuients called the topaz the gold
magnet ard credited y with the power
Cf attracting that metal mas'ng treas
urs q scoveriss possible. By the Chsi-
deans the csrbuncle was regarded "a \
powerful "a smsu. Il wss believed TO
he efiicscious IN preserving the eve
SIGHT. it promoted pleasant dreams.
crested hsppv Illusions and vas an
ant.dota sgslnst impure AR. Legend
sscr ees 20 t ths power Of glowing N
total darkness Ike coal OF
IRE. The amethyst was supposed
en- clean the cobvebs from the
BRAN Of the drunken man. and i was
a lsyOrite st0us with tho Roman
women N oiden time whose admirers
~ere generally vine bibbers. The tur.
ouoise. native Of Persia. a supposed
O. preserve ia women from accidents
sna 20 insure censtsncy IN tne alec
toes Legend says that the turquoise
lCses ~ pretty cuior and turns green
when "a owner = iii ard brsszs when
be dieS All ispldsries coincide With
the irst assertion. There srs NUN 20 p
les supsrstitsons connected with
various gems. bus they are gradually
fsdins from memory and MI soon be
part Of old legends and myths.
Rdinx or sae street. car one day rot
a.