The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-10-30
HALLOWEEN.
The Night When Love lesis Can be De-
tsFminsd.

HAioNS GU - a. rAS VI bno iVystel-
ing days Of Paganism. But just when
the exact established observance COM
menced 1t is impossible to say. It Is
known that the ancient Drulds per-
formed certain rites on what Is nov
known as Hallowmas Eve. We are
told that on this night fires were III
deep in remote forests. upon the hill
tops and great plains and mystic rites
performed. II was the belief that or
this night the powers OF darkness held q
sort OF annual mastering within the
domain OF mortals, and that therefore
care must be taken that the living were
not brought under the evil influence
Within more recent times the superstI-
ton has more or less died out, giving
way to much more pleasant nut crack
ing, apple iuching, etc.
1t has nothing to do with the church
observances Of the following day Of All
Saints, and there is nothing in All
Saints to have originated such extraor-
binary and absurd tricks as have from
ancient times attached themselves to
this evening,
If you look into folk and fairy lore
you will fnd that, in the days when
princes and princesses we're changed
into wild beasts, the evening OF Octo-
Der 81 was an important one, for II was
then for one brief night they were per-
mltted TO assume their natural form.
Halloween is delightful combination
OF mystery and mirth; the night most
eagerly anticipated of the whole year
among children. Small boys SO nutting
weeks beforehand, to gather their har.
vest for this occasion, and in the north
OF England Halloween is still known
as nut-cracking night,
Halloween, as we know 1t, is confined
to tricks, all OF which have for their de.
movement the discovery of ones own
true love, or the unravelment OF love
AFFAIR, Notwithstanding the fact that
Halloween is the night OF true love, II
II not considered propitious thing to
receive u proposal on this night. II
your lover proposes on Halloween, let
him bind you by tying blue ribbon on
your wedding ring finger. 1t is well in
dressing for the evening to have some-
where about your person the requisite
bit of ribbon, lest, IL you should receive
a proposal and accept it., the ribbon
might be lacking, the spell would be
broken, and your lover would surely
leave you within a twelvemonth.
A fayorite Halloween divinatlon Is
the apple trick. You suspend an apple
In the doorway so that It hangs five
feet above the floor and as many per-
sons as pass under 1t, so many months
VIII elapse before you will marry. This
Trick should not be told to the rest OF
the family or they might attempt to
thwart you by lodging under the apple.
II the tenth person hit the apple you
VIII marry ten months from this date,
or next August.
II on Halloween you shake hands
with a very blonde man you will have
proposal before the bells shall have
run In the new year OF '9S. II on the
other hand, you shake hands with a
very dark man, you will not have pro-
posal within year II with a medium
man, you will receive one next June
You must by no means retire before
midnight on Halloween, but must be
awake to listen for the sound Of bells
from the church steeples. There will
always be midnight toll OF bells, and
1t Is these that hold your fate. If they
reach your ears In bold, distinct notes,
you may get ready your wedding tros-
seau; but II they come TO you dull and
faint, you must pass your while In pa
thence for another year.
Halloween is the night for deciding Il
you have two lovers and are not clear
In your mind just which you prefer.
Think OF both Just before you 20 to
sleep, and you Will dream of the one you
should marry.
The nerviest Halloween test Is the
best. II is to descend into the cellar al
midnight, Just as the bells are tolllng.
In nDn hand VnIt m rrU n pnpdIn I,, A.
other n looking glass. On the way down
the shadows throw their fantastic
shapes into the glass 10 scare you, but
you must walk on and on until you shall
have reached the cellar bottom. You
grope your way to the farthest corner,
and there you stand looking into the
depths of the glass. A shape will creep
over 1t until II lies before you distinct
", This is the face of your future hus-
band, A little Imagination is needed to
bring out the featuress but of course
Imagination Is in keeping with Hallow-
cen.
If you have an outdoor place there Is
an excellent test. on one side of the
house build bonfire, so as to make the
blackness more intense. Take bail of
cord in your hand and tie the eift-of the
string around your finger. Throw the
ball as far "a you can. Now wind the
cord around your finger, chanting in a
solemn tone:
SLOWLY wind, wind,
My true love to find"
Before you have finished and drawn
the ball to you, with Its slow groupings,
YOU will see your true love in the fire.
Either II will die down, leaving his face
in the embers. or its shadows will show
him 10 you.
The apple games are many The trick
OF sticking an apple seed on each eyelld
is ever new and true. Name each seed
and the seed that sticks longest will
~. Il. L.. q. IL