Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-10-30
Fun For Halloween :.

I1dliONe ell tlle last Gay Oh oclODeE-
has lost none of its prestige as a hell
day, and while it is rarely made an
event in the cities, it is still great
country holiday, devoted to farm
frolics and games. There are not many
young folks who do not look forward
with pleasurable anticipation to nuts
and apples and mischief on the 3lst OF
October. but few could give any, ac-
curate account of it's origin and True
significance. All Hallow Even, or
HallOw Eve. is so called because it is
the night. preceding All Hallowmas, OF
All Saints Day, which is November J,
and is observed by the Roman Catho-
lie, Protestant Episcopal and Lutheran
churches in honor of all the saints.
There is no night in the year which
has been invested by popular imagina-
ton with a more peculiar character
than October 81, or Hallow Eve. There
is nothing in the church observance of
the ensuing day of All Saints cali
culated to give rise to such remarkable
ideas as are associated with the night,
or to such singular sports and customs
as are practiced upon its annual re-
currence. That supernatural influence
then prevails is a generally accepted
superstition. 1t is said that all devils
and witches are abroad. and the fairies
are said also to hold high carnival.
There is no date in the whole twelve
months around which cluster so many
popular superstitions. 1t is impossible
to trace accurately the origin of these.
but since they are wholly devoid of
any religious character. they would
| AZ o,.lxr ,x-ifh oil tha
other associations connected with the
occasion, to be relics of Pagan times.
Nuts have always borne a prominent
part, as they still continue, to do, in
the festivities of Halloween.
In the sacrifice of nuts propitfous
omens are sought touching matrimony.
Two or three nuts are placed in the
fire and named for two or three of the
sweethearts of the young man or wo-
man who, put them there. If they be
still and burn together, it signifies u
happy marriage or a hopeful love-. Ii,
on the contrary, the nuts touch or fly
apart, the sign is unpropitious.
Another custom is somewhat similar
to this. Young women anxious to
know if their lovers are faithful, put
three nuts upon the bars of the CRATE.
naming each nut for "A lover. IL a nut
cracks or jumps. the lover for whom 1t
is named will prove unfaithful. but if
it quietly burns or blazes. he loves and
is true to the girl who is making the
trial. ~ r.f NV. ,E. 4-e
Nuts, however, are far from monopo-
lizing Halloween customs. Apples
contend vigorously with them for SUI
premacy. Every one knows what cap
ital sport it is to leta number of them
float in water tub and have a party
of blindfolded youngsters, or oldsters,
either. try to- seize them in their
mouths while both hands are tied be-
hind their hacks. s
Another familiar custom is for a
young girl to take the skin of an apple,
which she has pared, and, after swing
ing it three times around her head. to
throw it upon the ground, where 1t is
believed to present the semblance OF
the first letter of her future hus-
bands name.-4t
A method of determining the con-
stancy of lovers, practiced many times
by every American girl of the present
day, and by her mother and grand
mother before her, is to take two wet
apple seeds, name each for a lover,
and place them one upon each cheek or
each eyelid. The one which drops Off
first is faithless, while the other is
true. Another very old apple spell per-
tanning to Halloween is to eat an apple
before mirror at midnight in a room
apart from all other persons. lighting
oneself BY solitary candle held in one
hand. Before the apple is finished the