The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-10-27

An Observance That Has Come From
Pagan Times.

Il
An Observance That Has Come From
Pagan Times.
All HsfIow Even o. Halloween. which
/ Il Thursday night. IS undoubtedly a relic
/ OF pagan times. The DruiGs were accns-
| stoned 10 kindiinS sacred fires on the eve
| OF November J, possibly 20 ward or evil
/ spirits as in the popular inns ginaticn this
| has always been considered the high car
/ rival season for witches. fairies and the
| iraTnaterial principle in humanity 10 wan
| der abroad. Supernatural influences pre-
4 vail and dEvtnation hy means % mystic
ceremonies IS at its highest power then
| In certain parts OF England and Ireland
/ they cali Il Nutcrack night. one Of the
| oldest customs stfii in vogue being as fol-
| lows: Desiring 70 ascertain II ones sweet
/ heart is faithful. let each one place a nut
/ upon the CRATE. naming it after a lover.
II the nut cracks or jumps. the swain or
/ maiden Is proved false. hut II IL hlazes sri
burns merrily. nc or she loves. II nuts
named after girl and her lover burn to-
| gether the pair will De married.
! But the greatest sport Of all, which IS
INDUCED in now u this country as well.
| Was the diving for apples IL being 6iffi-
| cult TO bite the hohhing fruit they were
usually caught by the stems. or forced TO
the bottom OF the tub and then seized.
| some preferred 20 harpoon them by drop
! ping fork from above
Another popular custom was 10 tie n
stick up "a the ceiling by a string around
| the middle. then Il lighted candle was
| stuck in one end and an annie On the
| other. The stick was rapidly whsrled
| while the meTryraakers in turn strove des-
| perately 10 catch the apple h. their teeth
| without using the hands, while avoiding
/ the candle
| Implicit reliance was placed upon tho
| results. fancied or real. OF peerIng into the
matrimonial future Pulling kaie stalks
/ was devouslv observed ny the Scotch
| Couples would go into the field. hand in
| hand. hlindfolded: each person t.as 10
1 pun the first stalk that Camc 10 hand.
| The future partner was bound 70 be stout
| or slender, short or tall. according 10 size
1 OF stalk selected. The amount Of earth
| chnging to root furnished a suggestion ri
| 10 dowry or fortune. The taste Of the
/ pith indicated the character OF the tenn
per Finally the stalks were placed in a
| row over the door. and il was supposed
that the Christian names OF all those who
entered afterward in succession during
| the evening would be Identical with those
/ OF the future mates.
| Another Scottish observance was that of
/ the Three dishes" or "Luggies" Two OF
| these were filed respectively with clean
and dirty water; the third was left en-
| pity. They were then ranged along the
| hearth. Each palpitating swain. being
/ alindfolded, advanced in turn and trem-
| blfngly dipped his hand. If Ii was in clean
i WAFER He WoHi1 surely WRI a maiden. II
| in the foul, a widow; hat II. sad fate. he
struck the empty one. single blessedness
/ was his DOOM
Burns refers 10 two OF these ancient OBJ
servances in his poem Of Halloween:
The aud guidwife's weel-hoarded nits
| Are round an round divided
An monte lads and lassies' fates
| Are there that night decided.
| some ksndle Couthle side by side
| And burn thegither trinity:
! N
| And jump out-owre the ch.mlie,
Flu high that night.
Tn order on the clean hearthstane
| Tae ipgsies three are ranged;
| And every time great care Is ta'en
To see them duly changed;
| Aud Uncle John. whe wedlock's Joys
| Sin Mars-year did desire,
| Because be got the toorn dish thrice,
He heared them in the fire
In wrath that night"
| The true fortune teller has the follow
/ ing infsilibie receipts for maidens anxious
| 10 question the future To learn il she
] viii get the man she wishes. wear two
lemon peels. one i'm each pocket, ali day;
| at night rub the four posts of the bed
| stead carefully before retiring. If hsppi-
! ness Ia in store for you. the apparition of
your intended will appear in a dream and
| quietly present you with couple OF
| lemons
| To ascertain IL the future husband will
| be a gentleman. tradesman or traveller.
| CRATE a walnut, hazelnut and nutmeg. and
| mix together with butter and sugar, in
| pills: take before going to bed. If golden.
| roseate dreams ensue, you viii wed
| gentleman: IL odd noises and tumuts dis
| turb your slumbers your lot win be east
with n tradesmRn, and If thunder and
| lightning bewider you Il Will be, alas!--a
| traveller.
"Drummers." evidently, were not rated
| highly In those days. Many OF these old
| last degree. When performed in solitude.
| as was often necessary. spasms of nerv-
/ Gus fright sometimes ensucd. which fire.
| quently developed into insanity.
| There was a gruesome observance I'm
| Wales called the "Coel Coeth bonfire"
| when n fire was nearly out each member
| Of the family would throw white stone
| into the ashes marked for Identification.
| Prayers were said around the dying en-
| bers. then all retired. In the morning. If
/ any OF these stones were missing, the
| owner could not escape death before an
| other Halloween. Then there was the
/ custom Of eating an apple before a glass.
| the future husband was expected 20 look
/ over your shoulder in the reflection. The
wet shirt sleeve hung before the fire TO
| dry was very popular in Scotland. The
| owner was 20 lie awake until midnight,
watching for the future partner to como
i IN and turn e.
Burns says. somewhere:
."The last Halloween 7 was waukln'
| My dronk.t aaFk sleeve ~ Sc ken.
! His likeness cam up the house staukin'
| And the very gray breeks O. Tam Glen"
! It was q general superstition that chill
| dren born on Halloween possessed mys-
terious faculties, such as the ability to
| sec and converse with spirits. Scott makes
| mention Of this in The Monastery"
| Dumb cakes were made OF wheat four
| and salt. After being kneaded and spread
- 81 s..F4s II
| her name I'm the cake with pin. Then IL
was placed before the fire The maidens
| gathering around q I'm perfect silence.
| Just after the stroke OF 1o the husband OF
| the girl irst to be married appeared and
| pointed 20 ner initials.
| The strangest custom Of all was that re-
| ouliar TO the Isle OF T.ewis-a v-ritable
| pagan institution styled the sacrifice 10
| the sea god Shony The inhabitants as
semhled I'm St Midway church. each man
| with a peck Of malt 10 be- brewed into
| ale. After while one or their number
| would wade into the sea up 20 his middle
| bearing cup Of ale. Then he invoked
| the god as follows
"shouy. ] give YOU this cup of ale. hor-
Ing that yo}l'n be 70 kind ss IN send va
| plenty OF ses ware FOR cnrichlng our
| ground the ensuing year.
Forthwith the HbatIon was thrown into
/ the sea ard all returned 20 the church 20
! worship in silence until a given signal
| when tho single candle before the altar
/ vas extinggished and everybody al
! fourued 20 the feids Tor singing ard
| dancing and drinking OF ale