The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1911-10-27
Halloween HOLDS
INTEREST At
PRESENT
Great Time of Fun Making
Near at Hand-Its Signi-
6cance in olden Days

Al the mooefn coleof0G1on OK Hal.
!owe'en how many recognize tho rel
les OF panganism which are 80 clearly
defined? With all its pranks and
more or less practical jokes there is
always an atmosphere Of mystery in
the season which IL enjoyed by young
and old. particularly the young. for
Halloween seems q day set apart for
their benefit. The old have the mem-
cries OF past pleasures and pranks
experienced on that day.
One does not wonder in stumbling
upon Christianity interpreted to a
great extent with paganism in remote
America. where such things have Civ.
en- way to moro modern ideas, Hal.
lowe'en 10 about the only trace left
IN the line Of holiday celebrations,
that may attach to pagan festivals,
The fret religious celebration Of
All Saints day was in the seventh
century In Rome at the time when the
Pantheon was converted into a Chris
tian temple. The day 10 observed by
the Catholics. as a rule. and in many
cases by the Episcopal churches. with
idea Of Halloween was practically the
same as the Irish May eve supersti-
nacht."
The belief among the Scottish peo-
pie was that those who were born on
Halloween were given a second sight
and were able to communicate with
the spirits. The Germans thought
that the day was the annual holiday
OF witches, ghosts. ETC., and that on
that evening fairies were abroad to
work mischief or miracles and that
spirits Of the dead were visible and
the powers of the invisible world were
loosed.
On the. strength Of the supersti-
tions held by the Scotch, Sir Walter
Scott in The Monastery gave Mary
Avenal the power to Q the White
Lady. invisible to less gifted visions.
Keats in his dramatization of May eve
The Land Of the Hearts Desire, used
the tradition as the main basis Of his
plot.
Johannistag is another name for
this season and Sudermann used this
season consptcuously in Fires Of st.
John. One writer says the third act
Of Die Meistersinger is radiant with
the spirit of Johannistag. Other fam
Gus masterpieces in literature which
breathe the spirit Of All Saints day
are Faust. the Broken scene of which
is laid on that foundation; The Temp
est: Midsummer Nights Dream;
scenes from Peer Gynt; and the wood
creatures in the Sunken Bell.
1t Is generally supposed that on
Halloween, II certain rules are recog-
ntzed. those that are curious may Sc
cure Information concerning matri-
monial prospects-especially for the
following year. There are a great
many ways In which this superstition
Is carried out. Bobbins for apples is
n Of the most common. Trying to
bite an apple extended on a string Is
another. Reaching for bowls Of wa
ter by q young lady is a way in which
she may determine her future happi-
8 according to the amount Of wa
ter In the bowl. BY climbing up
mirror in a darkened room, a young
lady is supposed to be able to see the
fact Of her future husband.
At this season Of the year Hallow-
cen parties r numerous and the
decorations for this sort Of party are
suitable only for this eason and many
arrangements that are exceedingly
beautiful can be worked out. Fall
vegetables and fruit play a prominent
part in the scheme with the tradition
al tack-o-lanterns and ghosts.
These forms of celebration may be
all very well for the grown ups, but
the small boy reyels in the number Of
naughty pranks he is licensed to per-
is great fun for them to go out with
dark lanterns or fash lights and turn
the neighborhood upside down. This
sport is no less attractive to the lit
tie girls and the number Of nervous
people who will have their nerve set
on edge and see ghosts galore on Oc-
tober 81 will not be small.