The Washington times., 1909-10-23

the guests are ushered into the totem
pole room, or their advent may be I'M
promptu. They should be made up as
ghOStly as possible in white sheets ana
pillOW-cases on their heads, OF WIN
their hair streaming down their packs
To make their masks, use TIE ughtesl-
weight cardboard for foundations. over
these paste black, yellow, Dtue, ana req
crepe paper in grotesque thdlan designs
{ as suggested in the totem-po'e mask
As these spirits are water witches en-
deavor TO keep in mind the water Great
ures-fshes. whales. dra CONS, sea-ser-
penis. and 1ying-fsh. A little ingenuity
and f0rethought viii invent entirely
original ideas for the occasion.
A clever way for the water witches to
be heTalded is for the hostess to eN-
claim suddenly, why. 1 do believe the
water witches band is coming where
upon a long brigade Of ghostIy figures
in Indian masks files into the room,
each one with a kitchen Utensl Of some
sort 10 represent musical instrument,
all of which are kept in motion. The
leader skillfully renders mouTnful airs
On "baZOO'-a comb over which a
piece Of tissue-paper is tightly drawn
The others follow with kettle covers
for cymbals. a chopping bowl and pota-
to-masher for a drum, and an eGg-beat-
er TO represent a baton.
Makes All Cheerful.
This performance puts everyone in a
cheerful frame of mind, and your Hal
lOween party is successfully launched
for a spontaneous mirth-provoking az
fair. Requests are. of course. made by
guests for various airs to be played.
Finally some one suggests, Steal
Away" The hostess then announces
that all the water witches are excused
except Starlight, Bright Eyes, Winona,
and Minnehaha. who will render the
air requested as a quartet. One spirit
remains behind and seats herself before
the piano. BY pantomime the water
witches make themselves understood
that they wish to see the words Of the
song. Some one passes them the music.
They bow very low and begin 10 look
in the book for their place. Finally,
after a frightened glance over her
shoulder, Spirit No. ! discovers that the
pianist has left. and she, too, steals
away. each in turn doing this until
only one is left. when she. too, throws
up her arms wildly and silently steals
away.
Shortly after this, a water witch ap-
pears with what appears to be beauu-
ful SnOW-White angel cake on a plate.
This she places carefully on the table,
and the hostess informs her guests
that the cake is merely a mold Of flour,
which contains ring. Each guest is
/ invited 20 cut a slice Of the cake In
search Of the ring, which IS given the
lucky one, as a token OF her approach
ing marriage which Is promised within
the year
Much merriment may be had over the
performance by the aid Of the water
witch, who never leaves her post at
the head OF the table.
Water Witches Appear.
/ Two water witches next appear carry
/ ing q boiler nearly filled with water on
/ the surface Of which float the half-shells
/ Of walnuts. in the heart OF each one a
tiny lighted yellow candle. The guests
are bllndfolded in turn. and led between
/ the witches 10 the boiler, where each is
given an OppoTtunity-just once, mind
you-to extinguished the fame Of a can
die. The one who does this with a single
puff IS promised a wife or husband, as
the case may be, before another Hal
Iloween. Those who fail are banished to
a state Of old maidhood and bacherlOr-
hood eternally, by the two witches.
/ The witches set the big dining-room
table before the eyes Of the guests, GID
ing in and out with chopplng bowls full
of fruit, and heaping the scoOped-out
pumpkins high with It. At each guest s
place a menu card, in apparently strange
.hieroglyphs, IS laid, and beside it a tiny
souvenir hand mirror When the guest
is seated, the hierOglyphS prove TO be
simply alphabetical characters spelled
o. backward, which are easily declphered
by the aid OF the mirror.
If you are so favored as to have a
fireplace, a can Of phosphorus powder
will give just the right atmosphere 10
your Water-Witch party.
An occasional handful surreptitiOusly
thrown on the blaze by one Of the
witches will give the weird glowing phOs-
Iphorescent tiats of real driftwood. Could
anything be more fitting 10 close such an
evening than a big room lighted only
by lanterns and an open fire
from which phosphorescent sparks fly up
ward and around which guests and
Witch-fOlk gather for some real ghost
stories before the hour OF parting?