Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-11-01
FROI|CS HOLD SWAY
Carnival Spirit Reigns Su-
preme on Halloween.
GREAT CROWD ON AVENUE
All Sorts Of Grotesque Costumes
Worn by Jewellers.
SMALL BOY GETS REVENGE
Takes His Spite Out on Cranky
Elders Who Have Curbed His
Childhood Antics.
SMALL BOY GETS REVENGE

i w
turned into a highway Of mask and car
nival between 8 and IL o'clock last
night, and the old-timers say it was the
biggest Halloween crowd which has
turned out in this city for many a year.
Every variety of mask and grotesque
costume was in evidence. Every one of
| the comic paper characters was out on
parade. Mutt and JEFF. Der Captain, the
comic tramp and hundreds of other we'll
known Sunday supplement citizens pa
| raded the streets with bells and horns.
Jack Johnson" with a pillow for
chest, and wearing boxing gloves, was
followed down the street by hundreds
Of men and women. Young women in
mems clothes, disguised with false whis-
kers attracted attention, especially when
they smiled and showed their dimples.
Masks on the Avenue became such
great feature that the wits of the even
ing would greet an unmasked person
with this request:
Hey, you, take that mask off, or
Gee. look at that mans false face!
Amt it a looloo!"
Makes Many Arrests.
A young man dressed as a policeman
attracted as much attention as any one.
He arrested" scores Of masqueraders,
took them to the nearest lamppost, 'tele-
phoned" for a patrol wagon, and told
the prisoner to wait there until the
wagon came
Eleven o'clock saw the revels end. The
crowd made for cafes and hotels. where
electric lighted pumpkins and other tmi-
tation farm products lent color to the
supper parties.
In the residence district the annual
festival Of gate stealing and tcktacking
was conducted with a fair amount OF
success There "Holler Een"-as the
boys call it-passed by with two hours
of noise, hundreds of wonderful adven-
lures, and no end of nervous excitement
on the part of householders. who con-
fidently expected their clotheslines to be
cut or their front doors daubed with
mud.
Pumpkin God of Revels.
Witches being a thing of long dead
days. the only supernatural thing about
at parties, dance orders and other deco
rations Of the event: and these were in |
variably found to be made up of black
cats and witches and COLLINS silhouetted
on a background of deep orange. This |
latter color Is, of course, chosen because |
Of the great American belief in thei |
pumpkin as sort of inanimate god of
revels on Halloween. Pumpkins hollow |
ed out and furnished with staring eyes, |
flaming noses and fierce-toothed mouths |
were set about the city in various hooks. |
chosen by children with an eye to scar
ing the life out Of timid little girls who |
might pass that way. Inside the mar
velous piece of pumpkin-sculpture a |
candle blaZed.
Pirates Get Revenge.
The maraudins band Of Halloween pi-
would black their faces, turn coats inside
out and plan to tear the hinges from the
gate Of ''Old Man Jones' or "Stngy Old
Blinks," or some other unfortunate man
who has incurred the lasting enmity of
the boy army. Armed with pea shooters
and ticktacks, they would go, Indian
fashion, toward the attack, and suddenly
turning corner would confront blazing
pumpkin head upon a front stoop:
Jaw fellows, look at the punkin!'
And then volley of dried peas putty
and gravel would rattle on the window of
the house which sported this yellow god
of revels, while inside little girls. half
pie bobbing and mirror-loohing, would
shrek and dance about, and run to the
window to see If they could recognize any
of the bold. bad boys outside.
reace Is Disturbed.
Many an old gentleman who had set
tied himself for the evening in a large
armchair. prepared to wade through the
many columns Of political news and war
dispatches from the Adriatic. was an
noyed beyond all description last night.
Just as he would get himself immured
in the middle of a newspaper column
there would be a terrific racket outside.
There would be yells murderous yells
and the sound of heavy bodies falling and
scraping. Up from the chair he would
jump, and rushing to the back gate
would find that the Halloween pirates had
made away with his favorite ash can
Once in a while an innocent pedestrian
would be soaked" with a bag of flour;
and the man who suffered the most last
night was the fellow who always chases
the boys of his lot complains about
their playing ball in the streets.
Older children, even children of eighty
years or more, who have not forgotten
Halloween, had parties. Many a dance
was held last night. and many a fortune
was told with apple parings, and many a
pseudo-gypsy brought hope to the young
hearts of the pair who sought her out to
| have their fortunes told.
| Ice Cream Stolen.
| Boys are blamed for the disappearance
last night of a freezer containing two
and one-haf gallons Of ice cream from
the rear porch at the home of Clinton
|