Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1901-10-31

ries Back-Its Legendary Character.
istics- Social observance of the event
Quite General Boys Ready for the
Fray.
Halloween or Hallow Even, is
looked forward to with eagerness by
the bad bays all over the country, not
excepting this city and vicinity.
Many boy has nocturnal escapede
up his sleeve, ready to spring on the
peaceable citizens in his neighbor-
hood.
In more superstitious day the
spirits of the dead We're said TO wander
abroad on this night and commit
depredatious OF different kinds, as
sisted by witches, hob-goblins and
devils; and it was also affirmed by
our forefathers that the spirit of the
living sometimes stalked abroad and
joined the ghostly crew. However,
disinclined we are to believe the story
of the dead spirits. or the ghosts and
hob-goblins and devils, none Of us will
doubt the story about the living ones.
The custom OF the living spirits Of
to. day confirms the story of their do
| ings in the day OF our ancestors.
/ In earlier days before the officers OF
the law had become SO numerous and
vigilant the violence OF the evil doors
and the damage they did were greater
than now. The pranks played by
some Of these s'merry wanderers of
the night were enough TO make
man go cunning, but. 1t was usually
taken good naturally. II man was
disposed to take offense easily all the
worse for him.
But now the custom seems to be
growing more and more to regard 1t
as it used to be regarded and still is
regarded in British isles-as night
of festival, devoted to Jun and frolic.
Halloween is curions reerades-
cence of classic mythology. Druidic
beliefs and Christian superstitions.
| On November 1st, the Romans had
/ feast to Pomona, the goddess of fruits
and seeds and it was then that the
stores laid up in summer for use in
winter were opened. Hence it has
also been regarded and is still, as
night for cracking nuts and pairing
and eating apples. November 1st or
thereabouts was also the great autumn
| festival to the sun, which the Druids
celebrated in thanksgiving for their
full harvest. November 1st was also
one of the quaternary periods when
the Druids lighted their bontires in
honor of Baal. The custom was
kept up in portions Of Great Britain
until. comparatively recent date.
Wales was especially tenacious Of it,
and the customs which marked the
/ November fire may be said to have
descended directly from the Druids.
Each family used to make It's own
fire. and as it was dying out each
member would throw white stone
into it, the stones being marked for
future identificaticns. Then all said
their prayers and went to bed. II
any stone was missing in the morning
it signifled that the owner would not
live the year out.
| In Wales these fires were followed
by feasting on nuts, apples and pars-
nips. Sometimes nuts were thrown
| into the fire, the parties throwing
them in believing that II they blu rned
well the parties throwing them would
be prosperous. and il they burned
poorly that the reverse would be the
| case.
Another common custom for the
celebration Of this night of mirth and
mystery was the roasting OF nuts.
These were placed side by side on
bar of the CRATE, In pairs, and named
| for certain lovers. II nut burned
steadily it indicated sincerity and
faithfulness of the party after whom
it was named; but il it cracked and
sputtered 1t bespoke fickleness and in
| fidelity, while ii the nuts burned to-
igethcr the lovers indicated were to
we'd Sometimes girl would throw
a nut into the flames, abd if it burned
with an unflickering flame she knew
her lover after whom she named it
| that he was unfaithful. One of
Gray's old ballads expresses the sentl-
ment-
Two hazeI nuts / threw into the
flame,
And to each nut gave sweetheTt's
name;
This with the loudest bounce me sore
| amazed
That in a flame Of brightest color
hlazed:
AS blazed the nut, So may thy passion
grow,
| For 'twos thy nut that did SO brightly
glow.
In this day there are three classes
OF marry making INDUCED IN by those
who celebrate Halloween, viz. That
OF society, which consists in all kinds
Of social functions under the name Of
Halloween parties; that Of the home,
| which Insists mainly of old fashion
| ed domestic amusements, such as
making tatfy, cracking nuts. etc,
and that Ut the boy, who wanders
abroad through the still watches OF
the night searching for something he
may destroy
a.