The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-10-30
HALLOWEEN NOVELTIES
 IHA7 THE SHOPS OFFER
Al Sorts of Beautiful Conces-Many Delightful Ways of Entertaining This Occasion-Halowe en
 Refreshments.
By DOLLY DALRYMPLE.

ments taking place tonight, and for of St. Valentines Day, Washington's 8 birthday, St. Patriclxs Day, Easter, and the glorious Fourth.
 How bewildering they are and what wonderful ingenuity they show! What a varied assortment of hearts and arrows, candy and flower boxes, three-cornered hats and drums are shown in February for the holiday festivities of that month.
 Then comes the practical jol1ers done up in gay form to enliven the Fools Festival in April. as well as the cunning little chicklets, and ducks, and rabbits, shorn of their innocent skins to be stuffed and arranged by the taxidermist, to adorn the Easter festal board.
 But of them all, the Halloween deco rations and favors are really the most varied. Lots and cords of the novelties it is true have just about as much rele- vancy to the occasion as to that famous conundrum:
 Why Is a mouseT'
 Nevertheless, the contemplating shop keepers have assorted them and found them so saleable that they are shown in the most remarkable guises.
 Pumpkins are, Of course, paramount, and are shown in all sizes from tiny scarf pins to the natural-sized ones to be used for Jack Horner pies.
 Then, too, the "Jack-o' Lanterns" are shown in wide range of sizes to meet all needs and pocketbooks.
 In the small and 10-cent sizes these are cleverly gotten up with goblin faces, which amuse the children immensely Funny old boards and whiskers are made on them, and the nose and eyes are ar- ranged so that they may be lighted, which gives the face g. very comical look.
 The Merry Widow hat has made its appearance upon some of these "Jack-o'-Lanterns" and Is very rakish.
 Witches heads are shown in many styles, and as one fond mother said to me yesterday:
 My children have spent a small-sized fortune already on trinkets for Hal loween party and heavens knows what will be the end of 1t alll''
 Why in the world the devil should be connected with this feast is a mystery unless. perhaps, there is nothing with which he is not connected-but he makes his appearance for Halloween in a very rakish, devilish guise, with Mephisto head. the picture incarnate of the father of all mischief. and with the pointed ears, fiendish mouth and all other accessories hnf fo btu inf mo
 Comical vegetable manikins of all kinds and descriptions may be seen galore in the shops, with grapefruit bodies, ba- nanas for legs and Jack-o'-Lantern heads, that are very unique and fetch- ing.
 The greatest novelty of the season is the "moIiycoddle," which our own dear Teddy made famous, but just why 1t has any bearing upon Halloween is another enigma. They are outlandish little fig ures dressed up in all the vagaries of style.
 There are cute little witches mounted on papier mache, and then there are little geese and ducks and turkeys and artifi- cial pears and apples. oranges, carrots, beets and splendid candy boxes.
 To mix with the fruits and nuts at TO- freshment time are English walnuts, pea nuts of all sizes and almonds, having tiny devils, witches and black cats inside instead of kernels. while many have bright little notices appropriate to the season.
 Even the fireplace has not been forgot ten, since 1t Is around this that the company gathers to read fortunes, gaze in mirrors and hear stories of wild. fam tastic interest. The great logs, half burnt show elves faces, cunningly formed of the knots, and are quite fantastic when lighted and nestling among some real half charred logs on the andirons.
 With the splendid progressive enterprise of our merchants furnishing all these pretty favors and decorations there is no excuse for any ingenious woman to fear for the success of her Halloween enter tainment.