The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1893-10-23

an attempt to peer into the future. All
of them, though, promote mirth among
the young people, and their origin mat
tiers but little since their influence is a
happy n ".
The apple customs are probably most
numerous. Ducking or bobbing for ap
pies is provocative of much mirth, and
everybody knows how it is done. Trying
to catch with the teeth an apple swing
ing on a string from the ceiling or chan
delier is another merry pastime. An
other form of this game is played by
balancing from the string a rod with an
apple on one end and a lighted candle or
a little bag of -four at the other. The
rod is twirled swiftly, and the gamesters.
standing in a circle, attempt to bite the
apple as it passes by, but much oftener
run their noses against the candle or the
mealbag, with humorous results.
The hands of course must not be used
in either of the games, but they may be
turned to account in pairing apples f..
divining purposes, The fruit must be
pared from bottom to top in one long,
unbroken peeling. Whena a entire peel.
ing has been secured, it must be taker
up by one end, waved thrice around the
head and allowed to fall backward over
the left shoulder. forming ON the floor
one of the initials of the future spouse Of
the person seeking the knowledge.
Eating an apple before a mirror al
midnight on Hallow Eve has long beer
known to be a sure means Of summon
ing the shaded of a girls true love to lool
in the glass over her shoulder. Coins
backward down the cellar stairs. a car
die in the right hand, a mirror in tht
left, is another charm of the same kline
and must be put to proof at the same un
canny hour. But these are unsociabl'
tests, as the maiden must be alone wher
she does them. and that is probably th'
reason why more girls do not get al
vance information concerning their FIJI
ture lords.
Divination with melted lead is NOR
sociabie, rs any number can join tn,
circle. The molten metal is poured int,
a basin of cold water, and the shape j
assumes indicates the calling of the fai
inquirer's spouse. a gun or sword mean
ing a soldier, a book foretelling a preach
er or professor, a ship denoting a sailor
and so on. Sometimes the metal vii
turn into an initial letter, however, AM
these must be carefully looked afte
when nothing else can be made Of it
Melted wax may be used instead OF lea
If preferred, bat il not endowed wit
the same potency.
Burning nuts Ia "A time honored way o
testing a lovers faithfulness. Two mt
are named, one for the maiden and ON
for her love. and then they are place,
side by side m the top bar OF the graf
or n shovel held over the fire. Ii the
burst and fly apart, the lovers are uncol
genial and will not be happily mated
but If they burn tosither trinity a
Burns puts it. the union is sure to be
happy one IN
The game of snapdragon is a good on
for Hallow Eve. Salt and alcohol Al
put into a shallow dish and set on fir.
Then a few raisins are thrown into til
dish, and before the fire is spent eac
participant mnst try to snatch one {
the raisins from the flames. Itstakes
little nerve to make the attempt. bntsus
cess e d happy marriage within til
year, while failure means nothing wors
than u burned finger.