The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1912-10-16
HER
HALLOWEEN
BY F. A. Mitchell


of fancying what the man whom they
shall marry will be like. On Hal
lOween shortly before dark she emerg
ed from her fathers farmhouse with
view to going to the river near 10y
to put in operation little plan of her
own to find out something about her
future husband. She had some wood
en- dishes. some tapers and box of
matches.
Ethel knew all the young men in her
neighborhood and it seemed probable
that IL she married she would be
chosen by oDe of them, for no one else
ever came to that region. She did not
expect to look into a mirror and see
reflected there over her shoulder the
face Of a stranger. She only hoped to
know which of three young men of
her acquaintance would ask her to
marry him. She had no reason to sup
pose that any of them would ask her.
but in case any ono did she wished to
hllON Which IL WAS 10 De.
A new moon stood In the west which
she took pains to sect being the first
time-over her right shoulder. In her
time these little supersdtions counted
for more than they do in this realistic
age, and she felt quite sure that If
she saw the moon over her left shoul-
der she wouldn't have any luck during
the month. Having seen it Alright, she
passed on over field, then through a
wood and stood on the margin of the
river.
Now, it happened that Philip Brooks.
student in a college situated across
the state line and distant an hours
journey on train, had been caught a
few weeks before hazing freshmen and
was rusticating at little town on
the river a few miles above where
Farmer Auchincloss lived. The sopho-
more had been studying on this very
afternoon and shortly before Ethel
had emerged from her home had
pulled down the stream in his wherry
for exercise and recreation in the
cleaning
The first thing Paul knew he saw
lighted taper passing him. Sur
prised, he ceased rowing and eyed it,
wondering what it meant. He turned
his face upstream and saw another
lighted taper dozen yards ahead and
another still farther up the river.
Then it suddenly occurred to him that
it must be Halloween and some
girl was trying to find out which of
three young men she would marry.
Giving a few back strokes, he
dropped down beside the taper that
had floated farthest and blew it out.
then, not desiring a rival for the I'M
known maids favor, picked up the
second and the third taper and blew
them out at breath. Then he pulled
cautiously on upstream with muftied
rowlocks.
Ethel, standing on the brink. saw the
first taper 20 out and remarked to
herself, ut isn't Fred" When she
at once she exclaimed: 1T isn't any
of them. I'm to be an old maid"
When about to return to her home
she glanced up to the sky and saw
the new moon just passing out of
sight in the west She appealed to it
in the following words that have been
familiar TO lads and lassies for many
years:
New moon, true moon. tell unto me
Who my true lover shall be;
The color OF his eyes. the color of his
hair,
The color OF the coat that he shall wear
The day he marrles me"
Not dreaming that any one was near
to hear her. she spoke the words in a
tone loud enough to be readily heard
in the surrounding stiffness. What
was her surprise to hear a voice com
ing from out in the river:
New NOM. true moon, tell unto me
Who my true love shall be;
The color of her eyes. the color OF her
hair,
The color of the dress that she shall
wear
The night she marries me-"
Ethel stood mute till she heard
the sound Of oars, and in another mo
ment the dark form Of a man sitting
in narrow boat appeared. The boat
grated on the pebbles at her feet, and
the man stepped on shore and said i'm
pressively
"My future bride, l greet you"
1t was not so dark, the two being
close together. but what they could
distinguish each other. There is no
greater aid to the Imagination than a
cleaning. and each pictured the other
inordinately beautiful. 1t may be said
truthfully that Ethel was fair and
Phil, If he was not good, was at least
good looking. He was not lacking In
audacity. and. stealing an arm around
Ethel's waist, he earnestly imprinted
kiss upon her lips.