The morning times., 1895-11-24
The House-Wdrmine.

Neiil Fcrgusson's new house was all
| aglow. The friends and neighbors in that
Scotch-Canadian settlement had gathered
there to celebrate both Halloween and hii
house warming. 1t was a chilly night and
the moon, drifting along the mackerel sky
/ emerged to cast grotesque shadows etween
the tall ems and naples or to light up tho
| stumpy fields, their black Ioam powdered
| with the earliest snow.
| Within the CHEEKY kitchen the big lOgl
biazed, almost eclipsing the lamps on tbs
| long dining table, where roast geese shons
| glossy a nd brown amid piles of sno wy pota-
toes and yellow turDips. Dishes OF haggis
| held the place or honor, flanked by platten
OF stone and oatcake. dear to tue Spanish
| palate.
''Ye mauD gle us such a spread as you
mither wad hae done in Scotland, Jeanis
lass" Neiil had said TO his eldest daughter
IAN you'll no forget the ring in the cake"
Tonight there was an unusual icok OF ten
deruess in his face as lie watched his thres
strong bonnie girls Hitting back ana forth
in their final preparations II was only thai
morning that James braidfoot bad come
over to see the new pIow aud had spoken
to him Of JeaDic He admired the def
housekeeper ard coveted her as his wife.
'Ye maun ask her the night" said the
elder man, halrregretfully. II dinDa think
she'll tell you nay. But, man. 1t comes o'ef
hard TO gle her up. She's been like mither
70 the lasses aud the weans since the wife
died four years syne.'
II ken she'll make a gdid wife" returned
James, AN she viii surely hae me. As
body says that I'm an unco guild provider
an there 1sna sic anither farm In the town
ship as mine'
"Weel, Jeanie's worth It a an / know
fun weei she might do waur. She's ne'er
been great for the lads, though ance L tho't
she was DER fond OF Hughle McLane of the
brig Dundee. Puir laddie, he went down
wi the ship in the storm o. '92."
When supper was finished the tables were
cleared and the business OF the evening be-
gan The older folk looked placidly on, the
wives knitting with niIDble fingers. the men
smoking mild pipes. both discussing at in
teryals the questions OF moment in the farm
life-the care Of the fowls. the last plowing
match, or themerits of the different students
who had preached for calls in & he new church
near by.
The young folk had weightier matters on
hand. Wasn't this the night when the spir-
its would reveal whether Sandie wasinearn-
est or IL Bell were willing 20 be wooed? All
tried TO appear unconcerned. but shy, stolen
glances and almost Involuntary gestures be-
trayed more than one OF the lads and Iasses.
The apples suspended from the ceiling or
hohbing in the tubs were but the prelude.
Tho big cake was passeda round. Concealed
in the rich slices was a ring. and the one who
drew it would he the first welded. Blush
ing and reluctant Jeanie produced it.
James Braidfoot smiled broadly.
That's a right. Now well see how the
nuts burn Yell haze nut wi me, Jeanie2'
Nuts were placed upon the bars named In
pairs. If they burned together in steady
blaze matrimony was foretold; IL they pop
ped apart. Quarrels and disagreement
Jeanie's nut perversely popped away from
James on each trial. till he was fain Ia he
content that her blithe sister Jessie's nuts
showed more friendly mood.
Peggy Anderson and VIII Perry cut out
initials TO frat upon the water as they were
blown by the breath.
There's anither flying alongside o.
mine" said James Braidfoot- Whose
mann 1t be?"
''These twa AS LUX bonnie the gither,-
said Archie Watt ''One must be yours.
Annie"
Apples were peeled and the pairing swung
three times and thrown over the left shoul-
der formed the initial nf the true lover
The seeds were named and stuck IN the
palm OF the hand; after quick throw over
the left shoulder should any one seed re-
main it was that of the true mate
Then three dishes were placed upon the
table. one filled with clear and one with
wafer, Tue tulTu 4 wis
Jessie, who, biindfolded, was tie first to
put plump finger into the clear water,
which fOretOld marriage. and many n
youth there coveted the right TO help her
fulfill the prophecy Jeers and laughter
greeted those who dipped into the muddy
water of widowhood, or the empty dish OF
the unmarried
'Hoots," said Aud Christy Black, 'you's
no the right Halloween wark; it's nowt
bltf chihd'a nlaV Dn mind Tnl1
hoo ae Halloween 1 went out mysel to
Davy Lang's lime kiln an threw a ball o.
yarn-it was my ain spinning, too. an
strong-dOwn the pit an' began winding it
oop? hadna wound long, when something
caught it. / cried oot: 'Wha pu's?' Am
for ans wer there cam an uneo. awful sound.
If you hadna come along, then, John. be-
lieve l wad ha' deed"
Yes, an 1T was nowt but Maggie Burns
lamb, but got ye then an ye had led me
a fine dance afore that"
''Weei." said John Sau unders wife. fowks
say Halloween doin's are no sensible. but
l ken weel enOw they come true. l mind
N ysel the night I stole the saut herring an
cooked it on the Goals. then cat it with the
tongs without drinkin'. A that night I
dreamed that John speered me for his wife.
an the vera next night John aH' made it
oop comm frae the kirk"
YES" said Mrs. Perry, land ae night
took some doggh ben the room an
stood a my lane. kneading 1t wi my left
thumb, when the door opened and wallie
walked in. He said himsei' that he had no
tho't O. comm in till JUST as he was pass
ing the door"
aye maun gang pu' the kale. at ony rate"
said Neiil. so a merry group trudged out to
the cabbage garden and solemnly pulled
the cabbages. for, as they were long or
short, crooked or straight, SO should the
lovers be. The roots with clipging soil
told of wealth. the stalks were tasted. and
bitter or sweet. so should the future be.
Volunteers were called for to go round tho
bean-stack- ItwasJauet NJ cLure who went
out to circle three times. knowing full well
that the spell she uttered would bring TO her
side either her lover or the dell. Somehow
Hector Stewart was missing at the time. and
did not return until long after Janet had
come in. the flush on her cheeks and gtnt in
her eye beiying her assertion that There
was naething there but the kye.''
"Ye maun gang to sow the hempseed."
said Neil. ''Surely ony lass wad gae for
the sake OF the lad she wad win
'Jeanie must go" said James Braidfoot,
''the speerits have telt her fair a night.
Now is the last chance, the clock is nigh on
the stroke o. twal."
Jeanie demurred for a time but at last,
taking her pail of hempseed, went out alone
into the darkness Turning aside she
walked quickly down to the gate and stood
under the shadow of great tree.
I'm no gang doom the lane" she said. II
ken weeI jamie i'll meet me there, an
Gamma, Gamma bide him. Hughiel Hughiei
my bonnie dead hive, will you no come tome
the night? Ye came TO me sax years gone
in the hemp, sim my heart was
glad because of It. ff there was ony truth
in it, if your speerit could come, ken ye
wad meet me here the noo.'
For a while she stood hooking out upon
the weird, somber night. She forgot her