The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-11-04

erigia Of rs Observance n Mystery.
some of The Games and Customs

Friday night Is Halloween an1 many
parties are being planned for hat night
when the mysteries OF The future viii
be revealed Halloween ~ the ogG
again, for the past few years gaining
Zach year popularity as Il rolls around
What Hallow's Eve, OF Halloween. as
il is popularity called, means. or how
it came by its extravagant and fam
tastic customs is unknown a a
writer in the Philadelphia Press. 1t
is the virgil of Hallowllas, or All
Saints Day. yet 1t has 10 Christian
meaning. but. on the CONTRARY. IS es-
sentially paganistic. Perhaps there IS
no night in the yea When IN a social
way frolic holds such high cornwall. In
this city and in the Cries and towns
Of the state generally, the season has
been anticipated for weeks and often
elaborate preparations nave reel made
for its observance.
There is no evidence TO show that
the methods OF divinstior at present
usually resorted to Were orisinally re-
garded as limited in the efficacy to
dIly Oll Dul VII j SrIl .
pecially spirits were supposed to walk
the earth, strange Irearls foretold
prosperity or adversity. lovers We're
tested by various charms future mar
riageS were arrange and the wilder
the superstition the more current its
belief. According to ancient tradition
that which is human is endowed On
AL Halloeen with the wonderous power
Of detaching itself from the visible
and allowing the spirit individuality
to leave its house of flesh and blood
and soar away to the realms of the i'm
material. 1t is a nioh. when magma
ton may run riot. when any supernat-
ural story may be believed. hen fairies
and COLLINS hold high -evclry.
All kinds of queer and fanciful.
games are played on Halloween, not
all, by any means. very a7cIrnt in US
age, yet they are in keeping with the
spirit of the hour. One OF the rites
solemnly performed comes from Old
Scotland. Two young people go hand
finland to the garden CT vegetable
plot. With closed or Elirdfrlded eyes
the lovers pluck each n stalk from the
bed, being careful not to shake the
clinging earth from the roots. If the
stalks are long and SCIENTIFICALLY shaped
the Dortent is a good one. If much
earth clings around the roots it is a
sure sign that wealth is IN store. At
last the earth is brushed off and the
stalks are placed over the front en-
trance door. The first person who en-
ters will ave a lasting influence for
good upon the lives of the lcvers
Another ancient rite is placing three
dishes or bowls on a table; clear water
in one. milk in another, AID the third
remaining empty. The person interest
ed is blindfolded. taken to the edge of
the table and carefully turned around
by her eader She then reaches out
fnrynr6 tho 6jChaO ar1 - har hand
dips into the one containing milk she
will win a rich and han3-ome lover:
if into the water she will marry a
widower. and if into the empty dish,
she will remain single. A similar
game is hunting for the wedding ring.
A ring, a thimble and = ii. KEEL should
be hidden in a room. To the one who
finds the ring his or her marriage is
assured: the thimble he or she will
AVE a life of single b~lessedness; the
nickel promises wealth.
Another Halloween entertainment con
sists Of peeling apples and tossing the
peel backward over the left shoulder
after whirling it three times around
the head. Whatever letter of the al
phabet the peeling most resembles as
it lies on the floor is the initial letter
Of the name of the future husband or
wife. If the peel is broken III the ope-
ration the holder will Tot marry before
| dHOlHeT halloween. his OF I6T rate re-
mains in suspense.
Another entertaining way Of obtain
ing the same Information is TO go into
a dark room n toss u ball of White
or rose colored cord out of the window,
holding one end securely tied around
the third finger of the left hand. When
the ball has reached the ground begin
at once to rewind it repeating the al
phabet slowly backward. Before the
ball is rewound a mysterious hand will
catch the trailing n ID Lean out of
the window and family ask Who is
there?" The name that Will be whis-
Dered in answer will be the one you
most long to hear.
A Halloween pill, warranted to bring
about the most astonishing and salts
factory results is made as follows:
Crate a tiny bit of ~cocoanut, a small
piece of cheese and half an English
walnut. Mix them into a small glob-
ule with a drop or two of honey. Swat
low the magic pill just before going to
bed and if your dreams ere rosy and
pleasant you will soon win a hand
some and gentle lover. If your dreams
are bad you will marry a scamp or a
h~ighwayman, or a ScOlG, CT vixen, as
the case may be and Will be doomed
to sorrow. Much sport nay be lad at
supper time by having q large a k at
the centre of the table with as many
candles around it as thare are guests,
each candle a different color. as far as
possible. The cake is passed last. Tie