Omaha daily bee., 1908-10-25

Nature Is assuming winter GARD and
Hallowe'en-the name popularity given to
TIA eve or vigil of All Hallows, or festival
Of All Saints-is with us again, as it falls
on the 3lst of October, and like most festi-
walls allied to superstition is celebrated at
night. In former years. before education
and enlightenment had dispelled an ignor-
ant and irrational belief in supernatural
agency. the rustics Of Scotland and Ireland
We're firmly persuaded that on this par
ticular night the fiends Of hell were let
loose, and that witches, devils and other
misunderstanding beings are abroad on
baneful midnight errands, and that the
aerial people called fairies held high carni-
val in secluded glades. These beliefs, al
though wholly exploded, are interesting,
and reference to some superstitions asso-
ciated with them in times past may not be
out of place.
About the close Of the first half OF last
century, when l was a boy, Halloween was
held in due and ancient form throughout
the rural district of the west OF Scotland,
and is well described by the poet Burns iE
a poem so named. / have many pleasant
memories Of social gatherings on that fCs-
tive eve, of bountiful suppers Of buttered
sowens and mashed potatoes. Sowens is
now an obsolete dish, but mashed pota-
toes triumphantly survive and grace Hal
loWe'en suppers throughout Scotland. When
the potatoes were mashed, a ring and a
button were thrown into the pot, and the
whole mess was stirred up and dumped
into a large dish in the center OF the table,
around which lads and lasses, brimful with
glee, sat, spoon in hand. ready for the at
tack. Whoever got the ring was the first
to be married, but the unfortunate who got
he button was never to experience the bliss
Of matrimony.
Then, there was "~ducking,' which con
sisted Of plunging the head into a tub OF
water and catching one of the many float
ing apples in ones teeth-no easy task.
But Il game productive of merriment was
doing ones best to take a bite out of an
osculsting apple suspended by a cord from
the ceiling. The hands We're held behind
the back, and many a sharp rap one re-
ceived in his or her endeayor TO catch the
swinging trophy.
Burning nuts was a famous charm to de-
termine who was to be your life partner,
Two nuts were chosen. one was given
your own name and the oJner that Of your
sweetheart or the one YOU wished to be-
The nuts were thrown into the fire and
anNiously watched. and il they burned
evenly and quietly together, all was we'll,
the course of true love was to run smooth,
but II one or both exploded or broke away,
then there was 20 be no marriage and ones
affinity was still to be sought for.
Another charm was TO take a lighted
candle and go alone into a dark room and
eat an apple before a looking glass, and
the face Of your future husband would be
seen looking over your left shoulder. Again.
three dishes were ranged on the hearth.
one containing clean water, one dirty water
and the other empty. The one anxious Ia
know what fate had in store for him OF
her was blindfolded and led TO the dishes
aud told 10 dip his left hand into one OF
them. II by chance he dipped his hand
In the clean water, he would marry a maid
IL into the dirty water, a widow; II into the