The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1911-10-25

similar test of fate is made by means of the
so-called fortune cake" In which are baked
ring, a thimble, and silver dime. Each maiden
In turn cuts slice of 1t, and she who secures the
piece that contains the ring may expect to be the
first bride. The who gets the coin will have
rich husband, but she to whose lot the thimbe
falls is doomed to spinsterhood.
There number of ways of performing the
famous mirror experiment, but the correct method
is to take candle. go alone into dark room, and
eat an apple before looking glass. The hour
must be midnight exactly, else nothing will hap
pen. But If these directions are strictly obeyed
at the very stroke of IL the young woman will
in the mirror the face Of her future husband
looking over her shoulder
OF course 1t may be a strangers face. but that
only makes 1t more interesting and romantic
Bobbing for apples is a favorite Halloween
amusement, and means of diversion is highly
regarded. The apples are placed in a tub OF
water and, as they float about, each person tries
in turn to capture of them by biting it. 1t is
not easy task, and the frantic efforts of the
participants in the game are bound to excite
much merriment. It is required that the hands
shall be held behind the back, and the under
standing is that any young woman who fails to
secure an apple will never get husband
Occasionally. as variation on this method an
apple is suspended by string In a doorway
from chandelier, and one person after another
tries to get hold of 1t with the teeth as 1t bobs
about The difficulty Of the task Is greater in
proportion to the size of the apple. For some
reason never satisfactorily explained apples play
a very important part In most of the dongs con-
nected with this witches festival and even the
seeds of the fruit counted, like daisy petals.
for magical purposes.
The seeds in an apple, of course, vary in num-
Der. and hence the opportunity for speculation.
AS she counts them, the maiden recites "Ons. [
love; two, love; three, love- | say; four love
with all my heart; five. | cast away; SIX he
loves seven she loves; eight, both love; nine he
comes; ten he tarries; eleven, he courts; twelve,
he marries; thirteen, they part; fourteen, die of
broken heart"
future husbands occupation in life may be
ascertained by pouring melted lead into a glass
at midnight on Halloween. AS 1t chills, 1t will
take the shape Of the tools he uses. Another plan
that may be adopted by the inquistive damsel
is to fill her mouth with water take a handful Of
salt and run around the block The first name
she hears she regains her starting place will
be that of her destined spouse. When a merry
party of girls take part together in this expert
ment it is sure to make lot of fun; for most of
them are bound to gigge. thus losing the water
they hold in their mouths, and incidentally they
forget the salt they hold in their hands and drop
1t. Naturally. under such circumstances the
charm fails to work.
story is told of an American girl travelling in
Ireland who CHANGED to visit on Halloween a
humble dwelling. The old woman whose home II
was told her that she would show to her her fl-
ture husbands face If she would pay shilling.
The maiden willingly complied whereupon the
old woman bade her look in the mirror 81 see
nothing but my own face" said the girl Never
mind my dear" quoth the old woman at will
be your husbands face when you get married"