Arizona silver belt., 1896-10-29
THRUsDAY. OCTOBER ao, ,soo.
HALLOW ZEN.

quaint ceremonies IL is customary for young people to dive for apples or catch at them, when stuck upon one end of hanging beam, at the other extremity of which is fixed lighted candle, with their mouths only, their hands being tied behind their backs. Something like this appears in an an- cient illuminated missal in Douche' s Collection, in which a person is repre- sented balancing himself upon a pole laid across two stools At the end of the pole is n lighted candle, from which he is endeavoring to light another in his hand at the risk of tumbling into a tub of water placed under him. Some of our modern political iugglers would prove experts a, this balancing game. Goldsmith, in the Vicar of Wakefield describing the manner of some rustics, tells us that they "religiously crack nuts on Allhallow Eve"
 Divinstions and consulting of omens attended all of these ceremonies in the practice of the hesthen. Hence in the rural sacrifice of nuts, propitious omens are sought touching matrimony; if the nuts lie still and burn together it prog. nosticates ahappy marriage, or hope ful love. The pulling of the cabbage stock by two persons enamored of each other is also regarded as prophetic. They must go into the garden at night, hand in hand, with eyes shut, and each pull the first stock they meet with. If earth sticks to the stock 1t Is fortunate, and the taste O. the heart of the stock is indicative of the natural temper and disposition, but if more than one kiss is exchanged while in the garden the charm is ineffective.
 "The passion of prying into futur- ity," says Robert Rurns, makes strik- ing part of the history of human nature in all nations and ages.
 However, our senior has lost confi- dence in such divinations. He says, sixty years ago, his harvest time of love, in dreams, he saw lace and ribbon fly and accepted Robert Southey's opin ion of woman that she was especially created to cherish and comfort man, to whom she trustingly confides the night key. Thus it was when prying into fnturity the senior took q candle, and presenting himself before a looking glass, eating an apple and combing his hair, AS tradition instructed, expected his future coniugal companions face to appear as if peeping over his shoulder; {; but Instead there was reelected sn ob- strusiye be-whiskered countenance, which he at once recognized as that of Jenkins, a rival in the affection of his dulcina. And ever since that time he has regarded such devinations as veriest nonsense, not worthy a moments con sideration. Then "his only books were woman's looks and folly's all they taught him."
 There is, however, one consolation arising from the spectral spparition reflected on that occasion by the glass, namely, DO outlay for Mrs. Winslow's soothing syrup was foreshadowed.
 Bob Ingersoll said "I don't believe man ever came to any high station with ont woman. There has got to be some restraint, the love of woman and then go down the hill of life together, and ss you go down, hear, perhaps, the laughter of grandchildren, and the birds of joy and love will sing once more in the leafless branches of age"
 Cupid, doubtless. antidates the in- stitution of Hallow Eve, and to him is attributed that greatly revered annual cemmemoration of the thirty first day of October, which. by incsntations and charms. affords ths opportunity of youthful lovers selecting their life sfiin- ities.
 Love at first sight is of frequent oc- currence. An instance is cited of lady, in 1863, while distributing flow CTS in hospital in Richmond, Virgi. nia, crowded with sick and dying sol diers, overheard a soldier exclaim. 'Oh my Lordw It was Bill Arp. Step ping to his bedside to rebuke him for his profanity, she remarked Didn't I hear you call upon the name of the Lord ? I am one of Ills daughters. Is there any thing I can ask Him for youT Bill replied, 'I don't know but you could do something for me if I wasn't married" "Well," said she, "what is it"? Raising his eyes to hers. and extending his hand, he said "As you are the daughter of the Lord, if I wasn't married, I'd get you to ask Him if He wouldn't make me his son. in law"
 Resulting diviniations of Hallow Fen, in nutshell; is explained by St. Mat thew, Chapter XIX, wherein Jesus said "suffer little children, and forbid them not to como unto me-" and to that in- junction is attributed the necessity for