The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1902-10-25

Prom the Brown Book OF Boston.

From the Brown Book OF Boston.
Two days in the year belong especially
to lovers-St. Valentines day, and Hal
loween. Yet we must.suppose that in the
dim and distant ages, when there were no
days at all, Halloween was made first, for
on that day, one finds lover and on St.
Valentines day, one sends pretty trife
to the lover already found, presumably
through the charms of Halloween.
Like many another festival, Halloween
is of religious origin. Before the Chris
tan Era, in the time of the ancient Celts
and their priests, the Druids, the eve Of
November / was the time for one of the
three festivals of the year May they
celebrated the sowing, on the solstice of
June 81, the ripening, and on the eve Of
November the harvesting.
At the time Of each festival, huge fires
were built on the hill tops, in honor Of the
sun, which the people worshipped. When
Christianity took the place of the heather
religion, the church, instead Of forbidding
these festivals, which meant so much to
the people, gave them different meanings.
Thus the ancient harvest festival Of the
Celts became All Hallow Eve, or All
Saints Day, since November / had already
: been set aside for the worship Of all the
saints in the calendar.
It is far cry from the blazing hill tops
of England, lighting up the reverent, up
turned face Of the worshippers, to the
mystic rites Of the modern Halloween.
Superstition plays its full part and not en-
tirely without reason, for, since all the
saints are to be commemorated the next
day, what is more natural than for the
spirits of the dead to walk and converse
Familiarity with the people of the earth :
Why should not Robin Goodfellow and his
merry men play all sorts of pranks upon
the nnsuspecting? Truly, it is brave
soul that walks abroad on Halloween,
when every churchyard yawns, when the
sky is full Of bats, and witches riding up
on brown sticks-when the will o. the
wisps appear over the marshes to lure the
unwary traveller to destruction, and the
night owl boots a ghostly warning to every
passer-by.
Still, if one is daring and is not afraid of
the future, nothing is SO charming as
Halloween party. The invitations are
written upon scraps of brown paper with
lead pencil, and preferably, delivered by
small boys at night. These messengers
will take great pleasure in thrusting the
invitations under the closed door, ringing
the bell violently and instantly disappear
ing. With Jack O lanterns and ghost
fires for illumination, sheets draping the
rooms, bats, owls, brownies and witches
on broomsticks cut from black paper or
cardboard and pinned to the sheets-with
merry fire blazing upon the hearth,
plenty of apples, nuts and cider-it is
sorry hostess indeed, who cannot make
success Of Halloween
As every small boy knows, the Jack O.
lanterns are made of pumpkins and squashes
scooped out, with holes for eyes and nose
and huge mouth with a few teeth notched
in it. Inside is lighted candle. A
Jack o lantern upon each gate post is a
fitting welcome to ones guests. In the
hall burns the ghostly fire. A sponge is
saturated with alcohol, placed in large
bowl and plentifully sprinkied with fine
salt. The CHASTITY greenish light which re-
suits when the sponge is ignited is well
calculated to try the strongest nerves
1t is better to have the party in room
where there is an open fireplace. No other
light is needed, unless one cares to orna-
nfeat the mantel and tables with Jack O.
lanterns, and set ghost fire in some
gloomy corner The walls are hung with
sheets of white cheese cloth, and witches,
bats, COLLINS, black cats and uncanny
beasts of all descriptions are cut from
black card board and pinned on where they
viii be most effective.
Men and maids are the finishing touch,
but-tell it not In Gath la party of girls
has often had fine time on Halloween
with the ever useful fathers and brothers
coming after midnight to perform escort
duty
Midnight is the witching hour, but there
are many charms which can be tried before
the clock strikes. 1t would be strange in
deed, if girl did not discover her lover
when she had tried them ALL
She may learn his profession by means
of melted lead Hold door key or a
wedding ring over bowl of cold water
Let the melted lead drip slowly from an
iron spoon through the key or ring into
the water The forms assumed by the
lead are potent with prophecy. IF little
leaden plough is found in the water, the
girl will marry farmer A mortar means
druggist or physician, book lawyer,
pen writer, scales a grocer, and drops
no profession at all IF the lead forms
hard, smooth mass, the seeker will never
be married.
Little boats are made of English walnut
shells divided into halves A bit of tiny
candle is fastened to the bottom of each
one and several are launched in tub of
water at the same time Each one watches
his own boat IF it rides the waves safely
the waves are made with stick-the
owner of the boat will surmount all diff
culties, and have a long and happy life.
If two cling together, their owners will
have common interests for long time.
IF two sail together, they will pass their
lives together. IF boat clings closely to
the sides of the tub, the owner will be
stay -at-home IF it sails out boldly few
times but always comes back to the edge
of the tub, the owner will take many jour
neys, long or short as the case may be.
IF the boat touches the sides of the tub
but once or twice in its voyage, the owner
will travel constantly When the little
light burns out, it means the end of life.
IF it sputters and goes out suddenly, it
means death by accident. When it dies
out slowlysit means a lingering illness.
Three saucers are placed on a table near
the ghost fire. One contains water, one
milk and the other nothing at all. The
seeker for knowledge is blindfolded and
led to the saucers. Putting a finger in
the water means that he or she will marry
bachelor or maid; in the milk, wild
over or a widow, and in the empty saucer
no one at ali. The finger must be put
into into the same saucer three times in
succession. however, for the charm to be