Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-10-31
MYSTIC HALLOWEEN
Witches win 60 s~ishins
Through the Air.
Vi
GAMES AND SYMBOLS
y ,
THE MERRIEsT FESTIVAL OF THE
ENTIRE YEAR.
Lovers May Look Into the Future and
See What Fate Has in Store
for Them.

Ing there Will be a mystic significance TO
them noticeable at no other time Of the
year. 1t Is Halloween, the time when the
witches go swishing through the air on
their broomsticks giving fortunes good or
bad to those who will summon them by
one Of the magic spells prescribed for the
occasion. Sometimes the witches take
human form and douse you with hand
full of -four, then scamper away to ring
a front door bell and fade into the night
as the irate householder RACES at the empty
stoop. The natural enemies of these latter
Witches the blue-coated COLLINS Of the
law, declare they have spell that will
stop the pranks of the small boys and
girls bent on Halloween festivities in the
streets The spell comes from headquar-
ters and 1t has made the COLLINS deter
mine upon a ruthless campaign against
the Youngsters. If warnings do not sufnce,
II Is declared the prank players VIII De
yanked off to jail in a manner entirely un-
ceremonious and at variance with all GUS
toms of the witch world. The COLLINS have
a hard task before them, however, for they
must first catch the witches, and every one
knows how slippery and vapory some
witches can make themselves
AIlhallows Eve, or the festival of All
Saints Is one Of the Oldest festivals OF
fine calendar 1t has always been surround
ed with mystic symbolisms and Is especial
ly a time when maidens and bachelors may
delye into the future and'see what rate mas
In store for them in the way of life part
ners There are thousand and one dlHer-
ont methods for conjuring up these phan-
TOMS all of which have been handed down
from generation to generation ana from
time fmmemorial. These customs make
Halloween parties the merrlest OF the veal
and it is safe to predict that many Wash
ington households will ring with laughter
this evening as the children and the grown
ms ioin in the games that are so entranc-
t,n
really superstitious will find enthralling in
terest In testing the charms of the night,
while those who have no belief In symbols
will find no end of fun in trying the spells,
good or bad.
Games to Be Played.
The games that may be played on such an
evening as this have no counterpart. They
are prescribed by ancient usage and are en-
titled to all the respect that age engenders.
Because they are employed but once year
the novelty never wears of, and as eacn
31st of October rolls around the games are
recalled and replayed with all the intense
enthusiasm of the year before Then, too'
the games have an element of the mys-
FERROUS about them, and this is the night
when all the spirits of the spook world are
abroad. Ghosts are walking round about,
and fairies are dancing around in ring.
Strange dreams will tonight foretell good
fortune or adversely, and all manner OF
divinations are most potent.
OF all Halloween symbols, nuts and APP
pies have been most employed. Their
witcheries have been immortalized in poetry
and prose. The most common method or
telling ones fortune in love AFFAIRS Is 70
place two nuts before the ire or on tne
stove, one representing ones self and the
other a sweetheart. If the sweetheart
Jumps or crackleS it Is a sure sign that ne
is tickle and will prove false. but II both
nuts cuddle UP and burn brightly together
49, - f,,fr is fr,
store for the twain. Sometimes three nuts
are used, one representing the girl. the
others two rivals. The nut which burns
quietly and long betokens the successful
sutton.
Apples have a wider use. Small boys de-
light to attempt to bite one suspended by
string from the ceiling without touching 1t
with their hands. Bobbing for apples in
tub of water is another delightful sport.
The apples are placed in a tub filled with
water. The boys gather around on their
knees. and, with hands tied behind them,
try to secure the fruit with their teeth. No
one minds the ducking If he Is successful in
getting the apple.
But charms with apples are many. One
of the most popular is to peel an apple care
fully. keeping the pairing unbroken and
uttering never a word the while. but think
ing always of the sweetheart. Then In SOL
emn silence whirl the pairing three times
around the head and let it fall back Of you
upon the floor, calling upon the fates to form
the letter of your future lord or lady's
name.
Mystic Apple Seeds.
Take the seeds Of this same apple and
name two Of them for sweethearts. Place
one on either eyelid and the one which
sticks the longer shows who will be true.
There must be no winking or cheating to
make the less favored seed pop off, or the
spell will be broken and no good will come
OF the trick. AS test of friendship a seed
Is placed in the palm Of either hand, and
the hands tossed backward over the Shout
der The seed that remains stuck to the
palm indicates the steadfast friend This
verdict is also reached by placing the seeds
on the eyelids and winking very hard
Have some girl name an apple, not tell
Ing who 1t is. Then pare 1t, and count the
seeds as you would the petals Of a daisy,
like this: Il, 1 love; 2, 1 love; 3, I love /
say; 4, love with all my heart: 5. cast
away; 9. he loves; 7, she loves; 8, both love:
o. he Tor she) comes: 10. he Tor she) tarries;
II, he courts; II. they marry; ID, they part:
IA. die of broken heart" The time charm
Is: This year. next year, some time,
never. the house count is: big house.
little house, hotel, barn" The wedding
dress: silk. satin. calico. rags" The we'd
ding trip will be in ''Coach wagon. wheel
barrow. chaise, steamer, balloon boat rail-
way. automobile"
Cutting the flour" is an old. old trick.
but still favorite one. On a small table
Is put platter bearing mound of flour
which has been moistened a little to keep
1t In good shape. Airing is concealed in
its depths. The leaderstakes knife and
cuts off thin slice. The others follow, un-
TIL the ring comes to light indicating that
the one who has found twill be the first to
marry But for this lucky omen he or
she must pay the penalty sof taking the ring
by the teeth from thefflour
Then there Is the fortune cake" In this
have been baked a ring, q thimble and a
dime. The maid who geH the ring in the
piece she cuts will be the first bride; she
who cuts the thimble is 7aodmed to spinster-
hood. while wealth Follows the cut with
money in it. 5iGd9'
The Three Dfshes.
Finding one's fate in the Three Dishes
originated long ago In Scotland. This
charm was called "Luggies," and Burns al
ludes to 1t in his poem 1t is played in
various ways. Three dishes are placed
side by side on table, One is filed with
clear water. the second with muddy water.
nAA.AA.AAA.A!NaAAAAAAM
j The Wise Mother 2