The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1901-01-25

/ iy the day was
t1kAl4 i May I and was d
day set aside for
the celebration OF the conversion OF
the Pantheon at Rome into Christian
place Of worship In the Seventh CEN
tury. The original OF the term was
All Hallows' evening. The word hal
lows Is Anglo-Saxon and its nearest
Latin equivalent is sanctus, from which
saint is derived.
The day has changed in other ways
than its date At first 1t was very
piously regarded. Now the evening
before the day, Oct. 81. IS devoted to
frolic, and the day itself is quite lost
sight Of. Somewhere along in its hitsory
Il must have caughta German contagion
from Walpurgis night. for it is thought
to be a night when devils, witches
and other misunderstanding beings are
all abroad on their baneful errands
and particularly those aerial people, the
fairies. are said on that night to hold
a grand anniversary. The festival Of
Halloween is widely observed in Eng
lish-sreaking countries. In England
and Scotland many old charms and
customs are practiced. Robert Burns,
In his poem entitled Halloween, Z"
gives us valuable information concern
ing the event.
Upon that night when fairies light
On Cassilis Downans dance
Or owre the lays in splendid blaze
On sprightly coursers prances
Or for Colean the rout is ta'en,
Beneath the moons pale beams;
There, up the cove to stray and rove
Amang the rocks and streams
To sport that night
Cassilis Downans were certain little
rocky green hills In the neighborhood
Of the ancient castle Of the earls Of
cassilis. The cove was a noted cavern
in the neighborhoOd, famous for the
visits Of fairies.
The first ceremony Of Halloween
was pulling each stock or plant OF
kali. Two young people must go out,
hand in hand. with eyes alert, and pull
the first they meet with; its being large
or small, straight or crooked, was pro-
phetic Of the size or shape Of the hus-
band or wife. II any earth stuck to
the root that was fortune. and the
taste Of the heart or stem. that was in
dieative Of the temper and disposition.
Lastly. the stems we're placed over the
door. and the Christian names of the
people whom chance brought into the
house were. according to the priority
Of placing the stems, the names in
question.
Burning nuts was a fayorite charm.
The nuts were named and laid in the
embers Of a wood fire. and accordingly
as they burned quietly together. or
started from beside one another. the
course and issue Of the courtship would
be.
Then there was the glass and can
die charm. A girl would take a can
die and go alone to a mirror, eating an
apple and combing her hair all the
time. AS She gazed she would see the
face Of her future spouse peeping over 1
her shoulder
Another savorite charm had TO be
performed unperceived and alone. The
girl went to the barn and opened both
ioors. taking them of the hinges if
possible TO prevent the apparluon she
from closing the doors and
polling the charm. Then she held that
instrument used IN winnowing corn
md went through all the attitudes Of
citing down corn for the wind to win
low. At the third pouring the figure
4 her future husband would pass
through the windward door and out Al
he other. accompanied by the appear
nee or retinue marking his employ
nent or station in life.
leg fain wad to the barn haze raen.
TO win three wechts O. naethipe:
But for to meet the dell her laIe.
She put but little faith ID.
he gies the herd a pickle nits.
And twa red-checkit apples.
% watch. while for the barn she sets
In hopes to see Tam Kapples
That vera night.
Another custom was 70 60 to a s
1uth running stream and dip the left !
Ieeve Of the dress or coat in thcrvater
hen TO go 70 bed IN sight Of q fire
.i7h the wet sleeve hanging before II
, dry. Some time near midnight an
nnariiion having the exact figure 81
e .a.11t sregss would cone and Am