The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-10-30
Tomorrow Evening theTime for
Annual Franks.
Fairies and COLLINS Expected to
Be Abroad.
NIGHT OF WATCH FIRES
These Are No Longer Kept
Burning in America.
Small Boys Play the Parts of
COLLINS.
light OF WATCH FIRES

EA%NeeoAL III LOAiO4LOW CNCAAAAAE la
Ioween. Each year on October 81. as
soon as the shadows of evening begin
to fall, the sprites, the fairies and COB
Inns, too. sneak from their dens and
LARS and with merry pranks, and some
which are not merry, make life hide
GUS for those whose sins are many, and
joyful for others, especially the maiden
fair, who because of her having been
real good girl, and through the medium
OF mystic charm. is able to gaze on
the face of the one she loves the best
even though he be thousands of miles
away, or perhaps, If she has been Won
derfully good, to look upon the face Of
the husband that the gods have picked
out for her.
Fairies and sprites and COLLINS, too,
We're originally drawn from their haunts
on Halloween according to the tales Of
bygone days, by the huge bonflres
which We're built by each household of
the faithful for the vigil of All Saints
Day. which follows. This custom of
building these great fires was prevalent
for centuries in the old countries and is
still practiced extensively in Scotland
and some of the Germanic states. On
the eve before All Saints Day, super
natural Influences were supposed to pre-
vail and even human spirits were be-
lieved to be able to detach themselves.
And around the fires gathered the
frisky ones from the neither world. To
of joys and happiness and to the bad
they did just the opposite.
And although the custom of building
those big fires did not spread generally
to this country and is not practiced in
these parts, the fairies and spirits and
COLLINS. too, got. SO in the habit of lust
ling out for a little fun on Halloween
that they come each year now and to
every corner Of the globe, fires or no
fires to attract them. OF course If one
a p00r7 hip fire show them the
way, he viii get more than his share
of visitors.
But Halloween is not confined now to
the pleasures of the fairies. 1t is the
time when the small boy gets out and
does as much damage as he possibly
can without being arrested, or rather
caught. 1t is their especial delight to
make life as miserable as possible for
friends and foes alike and a half dozen
Of them on Halloween pleasure bent.
can cause more trouble in half an hour
than million fairies could in a week.
But at that the analogy between
the original purposes OF the festival of
Halloween and one devoted 10 every
day sports and prauks and q, few far=
tastic survivals of the age of super
stition is easily perceived. For many
centuries the night has been set apart
for mischief, pranks and practical
Jokes Of all sorts. The girls, who
could not we'll indulge in the rough
sports of their brothers and sweet
hearts, have held to the playing Of
games wherein the faces Of their
future husbands have been the chief
features, as it were. The cracking OF
nuts, easily shading into the cracking
of heads, has long been a popular
form of observance. To this day Hal
lowee is called ''Nut-crack night in
the south of England. "Bobbing" for
apples floating in a tub of water has
long been another popular diversion.
In the big cities of this country the
poIice have had to exercise tn cir au-
thority to keep the misunderstanding
within bounds But in spite OF Il all
there Will be many a gate unhinged,
sign torn down. door bells runS ard
other pranks played tomorrow night.
For the girls. a gentler form of en-
tertainment will be devised. Here are
some suggestions for Halloween
party
If a girl wants to see the face Of her
future husband she must take at the
Witching hour of midnight hgnted
candle and a mirror and walk upstairs
backward. counting the strands OF her
hair as she goes At the top OF the
stair she must peer into the mirror, and
over her left shoulder Will appear the
face Of her fate. If a favored young
man is clever, with a little ingenuity
aided by rear stairs or concealment in
the dark Of the hall, he may help TO
realize fate by reflection in the
mirror.
An old fashioned way of discovering
the Initials OF the person whom eacn
contestant is to marry Is to pare the
apple in one long, curicue Or 1t breaks
it means spinster or bachelorhoodl,
and throw 1t over the left shoulder. It
should fall in the form of a letter.
the letter.
Three bowls should be placed on the
table. one filled with clear water, one
with muddy water and one should be
left empty Advancing bitnd1olded,
those who are in doubt as to their ultl-
mate end should strive to place thelf
finger in one of these If 1t perchance
encounters the first mentioned BOWL
the future life partner Will be young
girl or a young man; II the second
widow or Widower. me empty ooWl
denotes single blessedness.
-Four bowls may be taken and all
filed except one. The first OF these
should contain clear water, the sec
ond rosecolored water and the third
water that has been colored blue. The
blindfolded person tries again. II he
nuts his finger into the clear water he
will marry between the ages of 20 and
40. if in the rosecolored water, be-
tween the ages of 80 and 80; II i'll the
blue, between 40 and so. If, however,
his choice falls on the empty dish
no wife for him.
To ind the name OF ones future
husband. saucers of water may be
provided the guests, containing let
ters cut from newspapers or maya
zines It shall then be the pleasant
task of each seeker after knowledge to
blow the letters into line which
forms some sort of a name.
Candles are very useful in telling
fortunes. An old English way to ind
out how many months will elapse be-
fore ones marriage is to place twelve
candles in a long row, with spaces be-
tween them. The guests are then re-
o11fred TO lump over these and the
number of liRh4s xtinguished IN the
process represents the number OF
months which must be passed before
matrimony ensues This is rather a
dangerous sport for persons wearing
nlny clothes and is not recommended
for the girls Of t8e party
Eight lighted candies are used also to