The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-10-29

honored games, such as blind mans
bun and hide and seek, were played by
the guests after the unmasking. which
took place at midnight. Then all sorts
of conventional tricks were played and
the various ancient charms were tried
The cotillon favors were especially
pretty. The daintiest little sachets.
consisting Of yellow satin in the shape
OF miniature pumpkins, were among
the trifles distributed 10 the dancers
Dainty water colors representing Hal
loween witches and highly colored elves
were among those on the table, and
little silver kettles. suggesting witches
caldrons, were distributed.
A Halloween pie was also served. In
it all sorts Of gifts were found. There
were several rings, toy donkeys, cats,
dolls and oddities Of every sort calcu-
/ lated to create mirth.
The weirdest feature of the affair was
almost the last When every one had
become tired of dancing, the doors Of a
room, closed during the greater part of
/ the evening, were thrown open and the
! guests were invited TO enter. On q
platform they could dimly see a strange
| sight An old crone, with a staff in
her hand and looking for all the world
| like the alleged portrait of Mother
Goose as il generally appears on the
cover or title page Of her immortal
rhymes, was seen stirring the contents
of a big black kettle that hung over
a few burning logs.
When the guests crowded into the
room, they found that a ribbon pre-
vented the curious from going too near
the sorceress and peering under the
folds of her somber robes TO discover
if possible her Identity
In a thin, squeaky voice she asked
that one by one the guests approach
her and by means of her spells learn
their fate. Each was 10 throw q flower
into the caldrOn and then, when the
fire burned brightly, those who wished
to know the future must plunge their
hands into the kettle and take out one
of the silver tablets to be found at the
bottom. These, the old nag declared
had been distilled by her magical arts
and contained an infailible prediction
in regard to the future.
The first trembling victim to consult
the oracle was almost afraid to plunge
in the required bare hand. for. after
mumbling a few words. the witch cast
a liquid into the kettle. which blazed
up and covered the surface of the wa
ter with a ghostly white flame that
made her face and those of the seekers
after knowledge look CHASTITY.
Summoning courage at last, the
barred hands were plunged into the ket-
tie, which, after all, contained nothing
more formidable than water with a lit
tie alcohol thrown on the surface. 1he
alcohol was lighted by touching it with
a piece of punk skiIlfully inserted into
the end of the witch's stick with which
she pretended to stir the mixture. Al
the bottom of the kettle were number
of slips of paper wrapped in tin foil or
which were written some enigmatical
conjectures in regard to the future In
more or less excellent doggerel
After every one had obtained one the
guests, who had by this time entered
into the spirit of the thing, Joined
hands and danced about the witch and
her caldron, the last of the alcohol
being thrown upon the fire and blazing
up beautifully. AS the hostess had q
general knowledge Of her guests, al
though there was no way TO govern tbs
distribution Of the slips, some predic
tions were found TO be extremely funny
and apropos FRANCES HYDE