The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1909-10-30
TOMORROW NIGHT ,a.-,zn
nTnion Associated Press.1

lJnlOu -
Here's a timely warning: Put all
your portable property under lock and
kew. Double+bar you ou~t-build1ngs,
IL you. happen to have any. Put chains
on YOUR gates. Lock all doors secure
Then hire a squad of private cops,
with shot guns, to sit up all
night and guard your property. a
done all this, and taken n other
little precautions you may deem nee,
essary. you may retire to slumoer ana
peaceful dreams, confident that your
belongings are sale.
Tomorrow night is Halloween,
when ghosts, witches, h~obgoblins and
other assorted ha'nts reSurn to earth
and play strange pranks. AS the fes.
tiyal falls on Sunday this year, and
as many spectors are strict observers
CT the Sabbath, it may be confidently
expected that the visitation will be-
gin tonight. In any event, 1t Is wis
est to prepare for the emergency, lest
some able bodied ghost OF husky hob
goblin happen along and carry on
everything that is left loose.
Preparations have been made for a
number of ghost and SCOT parties. and
from eight o'clock until midnight n
residence section OF the city will be
filled with fitting figures. For four
hours the young people will give their
time and ingenuity to pranks and
%nleasure. owing to the ~lmpossibility
eff Keeping q separate day for each
saint, the Roman Catholic Church
centuries ago set aside November LIST
as the day upon which the lives and
deeds of all the saints could be COM
memorated.
The halIowod eve, which time has
abbreviated and changed to Hallow-
cen, was the name OF the rel or
vigil meAlIa Satnts.GFFrom a religious
observance the celebration has come
to be an occasion for purely secular
entertainment and according to old
legends. it is the one night in all the
year when elves and fairies stlently
and fnvisfbly miIgle with the peoples
OF the earth.
Various countries have observed the
occasion in various ways. In England
it was long customary to crack nuts,
duck for apples in a tub of water n
perform thefiharmless fireside revel-
ries. on Halloween. Anciently the
most essential ceremony seems to
have been the lighting OF a bondfire
at nightfall by every household.
In Scotland the ceremonies partook
of q more superstitious character, the
country folk believing in its charm to
discover who should be his or her
partner for life.
Long before the Christian faith
made way among the untutored peo.
pies of ancient Britain, the Druads had
performed special rites on what Is
now known as Halloween, Hallowmas
| eve, or, as 1t Is sometimes called Nut
Cracking Night" Fires were lighted
deep in remote forests, upon spurs Of
hills. even upon the great plains that
| stretched between dense forests and
partially cleared woodlands; mystic
rites were performed, the help of the
true God wns implored n the mach
nations of the powers OF evil protest
ed against,
In America, Halloween is the occa-
sion when the small boy, n ire
quently boys who are not very small,
are in their element and perform more
ingenious, ridiculous and very often
provoking pranks than an ordinary
clally in the country villages and ru-
raj districts do their antics caCse con
s%ternation the. next morning.
In these places where the mortal
enemies of all f%un-loving youngsters,
the police, are not around to bother,
and all that Is to be feared is a town
constable, deeds are perpetrated OF a
more than startling nature. Simple
diversions, such as jack-O'lanterns
with hfdeous faces suddenly showed
close against a window pane, grains
CT corn tossed with a terrifying clat-
teer against the door, a few apples,
OF the "mushy" variety, thrown at a
dignifed pedestrian from some dark
corner, open up the evenings amuse-
ments.
AS the night deepens and the hour
OF midnight approaches, forms are
seen sliding silently away to the town
square. Here is formed a small army
Of little Villains. A short consultation
is held. Then groups OF six or eight
scatter in various directions. Soon
they come creeping back, each and
everyone loaded down with a front
gate, q buggy wheel, the front porch
rocker, wheelbarrows, chicken coops-
we'll, Just anything toteable.
With pentup hilarity the evil deeds
go on apace, Suddenly someone has
an inspiration. 1t is hailed with glee.
FrCm somewhere a block and tackle
Cwhatever that isl fs secured and the
next morning the village COW is found
contentedly eating hay in the loft
back of the blacksmith's shop. Ten
men are busy half of the day getting
her down.
A Iiveryman finds his hest buggy on
top Of the general merchandise store.
A ago dealers establishment has
the wal kon main strete look like an
auction sale. Red wheel.barrows dec
crate the tops Of trees In the park, as
do also numerous signs.
"A prize ~ecollection of gates hang at
enpsle from the ofd-handT stand. 1T