The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-10-31
HALLOWE' EN- DAY
AND ITS HISTORY
WITH THE usUAH rRoLaC
AND FEsTTvITY.
DAY OF SUPERSTITION
IN OLDEN DAYS SPIRITS CAME
FORTH. AND WITCHES WORKED.
NUTS AND APPLES ARE
A FEATURE.

This evening IL Halloween. To-
night there Will be the usual number
Of parties and frolics throughout the
civilized world. Strange to say the
celebration Of Halloween goes with
the Christian nation, though born OF
pagan origin and a relic Of the dark
ages.
The American boy generally goes
forth on this night on mischief bent.
He tears Off the gates of his neiGhborr,
provokes the policeman To distraction
and furnishes part the proceedings
In the Police Court the following
morning.
For lovelorn ladies and their besux.
the evening IN good one for parties
and entertainments Numerous games
can be played and fortunes told. The
evening IL close rival to the famous
rights Of the mistlctos.
Coming before All Saints Day.
which In Tomorrow. II IL often be-
neved that Halloween. otherwise
known US All Haliow's Eve. has soms-
thing to do with tho day Of All Saints
following AZ matter Of fact tho
Ouperatititiou hanging around the
night Of October al. began long. long
before the seventh century, when fol-
lowing the conversion of the Pam
theou at Rome into place OF Chris
tInn worship. Pope Bonifaee ~, dcd.
icatsd the day tuheu May -, to the
Virgin and all the saints. The date
was afterwards changed to Novsm-
Ter /. which made Il the day follow
lag the pagan Halloween" Yet tho
two have Do connection whatever.
Spirits Walk Abroad.
II II hard TO tell what 10 the exact
ORIGIN al Halloween. 1t 10 believed to
be = day when witches, devils and
spirits mix generally. ACCORDING TO
ancient superstition the day 10 the day
OF all otheA when supernatural In
luences prevail.
Tonight II supposed to be tho night
Get apart for the walking abroad Of
spirits, both Of tho visible and insis-
ibie werid.
things win. u In said. md tonight ala
excellent time for calling from tn.
"vasty deep" such spirits m may b
desired.
The Oldest part Of the ceremonies
connected with the celebration of the
day 10 the connection that has been
made with the day and the eating by
flresides Of nuts and appiea. la North
ern England II 10 known a. "Nutcrack
Night."
II Il supposed that on ,h,s eve for
tnHee may oe to1u al On ho other oc-
Casion. In ireland Il has been q cua-
tom fer young ladies' to place three
nuts on the CRATE. naming them after
three young men. II The nuts jump
or crack tfrS lover IL unfatthfui. IL
+ biARea or burns tbs lover II true or
haG ruxard for tho young maiden.
Another old custom IN to place ap-
pies In tub Of water allowing them
70 noat. The young people Ars sup>
posd TO grab them out with their teeth
without using their hands. A duckinS
foliowA
To those who wish to determine true
love kpod old time rceeipt 10 given
from the Irish. The maiden goes ta
her mirror at midnight and eats an
apple. she n likely to sec the face OF
her lover In the mirror, looking over
her shoulder
Robert burns. the poet, In ono OF
his witty verses tells OF tho little
maiden and her grandmother On Hal
lows on"
I'VE. Jenny to her Granny says,
viii ~ 70 wi ME Granny
III eat tho apple at the glass
got from Uncle Johnny"
AZ this the old lady goes into a
TRADE and warns the little maiden
that she may be frightened half TO
This illustrates the serious belief
which has actually been placed In the
occasion of Halloween.
In this country, the pumpkin. the
witch. and the black cat have been
connected with this night OF SUPER
stition Tho pumpkin II used. Of course,
TO represent the head Of ghost In
which eyes. nose and mouth ara cut
and = candle lighted and placed there
"a. Placed on stick with flowing
sheet, II has often seriously frightened
tha supsrstitfouR.
With the advent Of better education
IN those days there IL. of course. no
real belief In the mysteries Of nal
lnske,en. The smallest school ehFt,
knows the day ~ an occasion for fun
II 10 doubtful II the children M
general thing even know that there
was day when families huddled Nv
nreHades afraid TO venture out OF a
house after dark on this night.