The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-11-01
ANNIE KERDRIGK WALKER.
ut the Country Club.


Birmingham's Country club presented last
night an unusually picturesque scene on
the occasion of its celebration of Hallow-
cen. 1t was the first large gathering at
the club of the autumn season, the other
occasions at which the members have met
being the small dinner parties and tine
breakfasts for the golfers, who go out 1or
an early game on the links. The burning
logs in the Dutch fire places flashed glow
ing welcome last night, and the beauty OF
the club house was emphasized by the Drill
liant freight falling across the shining
Innumerable tapers burned in turnlp
sconees, and the soft, pickering lights
produced most weird and fascinating
scene. In a richly draped alcove a SKILL
full fortune-teller and palmist gave some
wonderful character readings ana gnaqe
happy predictions, which will of course De
fond realizations before another All Saints
Eve rolls around. In addition to this pop
ular feature there were introduced all the
favorite and amusing games of Halloween
and many merry toasts were drunk CHEST
nuts and marshmallows were toasted over
the glowing fires, and altogether Halloween
was celebrated in the traditional manner at
there last night was the merriest in the
history of the club, and All Saints Eve
was charming and delightful in every way
The evening was brought to happy ciose
by Virginia reel.
1t will not be too late, perhaps, the MOI N
ing after Halloween to write prlelly VI i''
origin, for Halloween parties are ny no
means fin de steele affairs. A writer says
ut is the vigil of HalloWmaS Vi an
Saints Day, yet it has no ChnslAah lleS.ii-
ing, but ON tine contrary, Is essenViau'S
paganistic THE authorities agree III piao-
ing 1t under pagan festivals and apsoiu'eis
separate dt from any Christian anniversary
The most ancient of Halloween customs
and line most essential part of the Hal
loween ritual seems to consist or une pulio-
ing of a huge bonfire by each householo at
nightfall. This points to the very ancient
and widely diffused practice of or kfndlihS
sacred fires at certain seasons OF the year.
While the Germanic nations and their Os-
terfeuer and Johannisfeuer, THE Celtic and
their Bealtine or Beiltine and Samhtheine,
the former on the eve of 1.-THE LIST of May
and the latter ON the eve of the LIST oil
November. Probably the winter as we'll as
the summer ueSlVdl was 1roil Iiic peeiiiiiAAe
regarded as the season at which the fairies
were both unusually active and unusually
propitious.
There is no evidence TO show that the
methods of divination at present usually
resorted to were originally regarded as lin
tied in their efficacy to any one day. But
on Halloween especially spirits were sup
posed to walk the earth, strange dreams
foretold prosperity or adversely, lovers
were tested by various charms, future mar
riages were arranged, and the wilder the
superstition the more current its belief.
According to ancient tradition, that which
is human is endowed Ali Halloween
with the wondrous power of detaching itself
from the visible and allowing the spirit in
diyiduality ito leave its house of flesh and
blood and soar away to the realms of THE
immaterial. Out of this union of spirits
came the belief in the great power of divin-
alton on that night to obtain whatever was
wished or longed for. In modern times
Halloween has always been enjoyable be-
cause of THE popular superstitions attaching
to Ut. There is something attractive, espe-
cially to the young, dn that which is weird
and fantastic; and a night when imagina-
ton may run riot when any supernatural
story may be believed, when fairies and
COLLINS are supposed to hold high revelry,
and amy ceremony, however eNtravagant,
may be INDUCED in, is sure to be popular"