The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1911-10-24

OF S


scotland this new conception 81 the
day naturally led to It's Observance
EaIong social lines Btlrns described
In verse the nut eraeklngs. the ap-
! PIE roastings and the games played
iby the scotch lad and lass on "a
sons 'Een, and more than one
lFrenchman has written the merry
makings into drama. But in more
superstitions countries Of Ireland,
lGermany and the Danish provinces,
fthe mere making of noise eventually
gave way to the wand lism that We
Eof the present generation know -
these red-biooded countries, when II
became practically assured that there
was no such a thing as a ghost, the
lriotous spirit Of Halloween had been
ltoo long established to be easily
put aside. And so it is that All
Souls Eve is now miture of barr
barism and sentiment.
The tendency OF the 0resent age
is happily all for sentiment. Social
diversion is crowding out the de-
strlctive spirit; and IL progress has
been slow in this, it has been none
the less sure. Advanced educational
methods are enabling the youth to
appreciate the sacredness of prop
erty, and municipal authorities. who
formerly threw up their hands tn
despair at the approach of this wild
night of depredations, are putting
more effort into the curbing of law
/ Iessness. The press of the country,
following its advocacy for a safe and
sane Fourth OF July, Is appealing
for the same sort OF Halloween.
This is all as it should be.
Halloween is now quietly observ-
ed as in any other civilized commu-
nifty. This is evident from the many
announcements of social charac-
ter. The small boy, racing I'M
bridled over the country, will be as
much of waif as the day itself
And to meet this defect in our SOL
'cial system, societies which have theI
betterment of humanity in mind,
will make efforts to provide enter
taInment for the boy and girl who
has not been invited. at these en-
tertainments all the old fashioned
duQuSeHeuL5 Will D9
Games will be played-bobbing in
the tub for the floating apple, blind
mans bun and every frolic that will
bring a delightful scream from the
juvenile. Apples will be roasted,
nuts Will be cracked, taffy will be-
pulled. corn will be PORTED. And at
the mystic hour of midnight, if you
are a child who is not too wise, you
will steal to your mirror and there,
over your left shoulder, will appear
to you the vision of him or her who
is to be your mafe through life: Or,
If you will cast the unbroken peel
of an apple on to the hearthstone, it
Will curl up to the image of the one
and only.
If you do these or many other
things you are sure to learn the
momentuos secret. She may be a
blonde or he may be brunette,
which in ali probability will be
disappointment, for, as a matter OF
fact, you prefer just the, opposite.
But it is the spirit of the thing
that counts the wholesomeness OF
it. the opportunities which it holds
Tor the teaching of civil good. While
it would perhaps be asking little,
too much OF modern creduIity to be-
Iieve in the myth of the mate, yet It
is a pretty bit of legendary. and in
sistence on it is of much more value
to the nation than giving way to the
popular idea of destruction of prop
erty.
Leaves are brown on the trees,
corn is in the crib, pumpkins are in
all their yelIowness. ANY old RAM
shackle barn will do. the more ram
shackle the better. Fairies and COB
Inns Will live again if they are given
the chance. And cracked mirror
is as good as any to look into for al
glimpse of the future mate.
The spirit which has meant the
observance Of the Eve OF All Souls
is not, as has been said, that of de-
struction. IN the beginning it was
a rite, performed by superstitiouHI
people who firmly believed that III
was good they were doing. What
wiidness there has come out of the
antiquity is false. What good has
come out OF 1t is felt by the modern