The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-10-29

For the IntellIgencer.
A Halloween Tale.
BY Alta n. Jaynes.
Oetober's moon was waning low.
And meath IT'S lucid amber glow
Tbe north gale sWHyed the towering trees
Their leaflets fluttered IN the breeze
Ne'er such a night before was seen
To welcome in a HalloWe en-; ...,.
Time-hOnored night When lAlIles tF1'eA'
Unseen and future things unraVeli
And many a lad and many lass
will cat the apple fore the glass,
or burn their brown nuts nuts, IN 4, 4 = SS,.
And then and there decide linear AuIe'
or 20 alone and pull the kale1
Experiment ne'er known 10 tall.
A burst OF laughter rang out lo1d'
And clear from hilarious crowd
Where sturdy lads and bonny lRsses'
Whose cheeks tho red rose hue surPIhl;Sses'
Were Gathered In q neighbours dwelling
TO celebrate by fortune-telllns'
Fair Maggie Bland and jennie cray
with Harry Grim and Tom McNeyi -.
Wore there and burned their nuts together
For dearly loved they one anotheF'
The others coupled on by twos, ..
Each lad was privileged one to choose;
TTejr SPARKLING eyes the tale would tell
That they enjoyed the fun right well
But one poor lhssle set apart 80,
From all the rest with heavy heart'
sSa w SlV Inc wItch's daughter Nell"
She mad no beau; dared TO make no
mashes; ,
And chased in streams Of briny water
Adown her cheeks. this witch's daughter.
What lad In all this sunny lanu
Would ask poor Nellie for her hanu4
For all twas known her gIueSSoLle Uy sn-
or with an eldritch screech and hoWl,
That'd make the very demons scowl
Turn him Into horny beast -
That'd some day grace se,a taD o,, teas"
Then mount her back and ride away.
NeIps hair was bright, her eyes were blue,
Full many longed but ,,. dare I nGt MOO
With tinted petals burst to bloom
IT'S metals cleft by natures hand,
Peered not by any In our land,
But dare not pluck Il ~, lest i, ye i Se,c.,I
For Measure like the morning qeW
F,vaborates and Is hid from View
or like the rainbow,s mystic Hght
That Vanishes from human slght'
or like the Jack o'Llntern's ray
one moment bright then gone for aye.
Poor Nell. the sad and silent guest,
Steals out alone from all the rest
She'd face the north winds cold ana louu
In preference to that chilly CROWD,
Whose mirth ran at n reckless rate,
T9ernindInr Nell her lowly state.
Tho star light Ike q chain OF pearls
Fell on her fair redundant curls,
She ran adown the narrow lane
Into The arms Of some tall swain,
Who clnsped her close in mad delight
Thinking he'd caught fairy sprite.
ant sho knew him, 'twns Brutus Bell
And long she'd loved this laddie well.
She tried to struggle from his arms,
CRYING 10 him IN wild alarm:
'Don't stain your hands, dear Brutus
c1aspInF the witch's daughter Nell"
Then like q flash a carmine tide
Rushed DER her face, its fairness dyed.
She blushed for shame In being bold
Unthoughtedly her love she'd told.
Displeasuro he did not express.
Rut drew her closer 10 his breast,
And said: IT love YOU, bennS Nell;
And oft I've longed this tale TO tell
Rut modest youth forbade me DO IL
And people said I'd live TO rue II
n Ger 1 wed the wltchs daughter,
Who turns the blood OF men to water,
And IN the stream her witch crafts hoAt;
Tuf II she'd turn me to goat.
or 10 the hunters strniRht-eared game,
I guess ia love you Just the same.
wall 20 through sun or stormy weather.
AdoWn the lane OF life together;
Our joy Gen witches will confess"
81 modest Nellie told him yes"
ssboffeF. W Va, Oct. q, 1893, 80