davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-10-27

scarcely finished reclting mis- mysterious
dosgerel the common folk belief in the
Witch's power was confirmed.
In Scotch folk lore there is story that
a butcher once bought d COW from d
stranger. When endeavoring to fell the
creature with his AK the blows made no
impression on the animal. When an old
man who happened that way inquired
into the cause OF such an unusual Circum-
stance he discovered red string tied
around the cows tail When this was
removed the butcher killed the COW with
one blow, for the witch charm had been
removed.
To counterfeit evil spells invoked by
the imag inary enchantresses the super
stitious peasants invented an elaborate
system OF charms of prevention Or coun-
tercharms. Thus juniper, pulled in a
certain manner and in a, special way, was
burned before cows and put on the tails
to prevent the witches from taking away
their milk On Lamas day. or on the
THURSDAY after every housewife dropped
a ball of hair ito her milk pail. SO as to
insure the milk on her farm furnishing
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-10-27

This strengthened the ignorant to be-
lieve in the powers of the pretenders.
but If the same peasants had connected
the fact of the witches having butter
and cheese with the fact that on certain
morn ngs their own COWS gave no milk
the witches thefts would have been dis
covered and the secrets of their power
unmasked. So varied were the powers
attributed to these half-craZed old women
that there was scarcely anything that
they were not supposed to be able to ac-
complish. They could bring fish to their
own posts, give success to fishermen,
raise storms, sink ships. drown whom
they would and even sell winds to mari
nerS.
AS they themselves were reputed to
travel by magic, the ignorant people be-
lieved that the witches could cross the
sea in such crafts as egg shells, bowls
and feathers. In producing disease, way
laying and plundering travellers their
charms We're said to work with great
success. Nothing was impossible in
witch lore, for superstition even went
so far as 10 claim that withered old
witches coeM turn themselves into
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-10-27
MN M{.

WIT CHLIK E Actions
w Would Have Meant
Sure Death in the Old Days
Witches Have Now Ceased
to Possess Actual Personal
tiles - Hallucinations That
Certain Persons Were En-
dowed With the Power of
Conversing With Evil Spirits
I'm the Little Colony of
Salem-Tottering Old Men
and Women Were Executed
bad Luck in Killing Ger
tain Anirnals-The Witches
of Various Sections of Europe
Cats Are Always Connected
With Halloween Celebrations.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-10-27

Halloween, as it will be observed this
coming Thursday, will be a night of in
calculable joy to many a youngster No
longer are superstitions characteristic of
Halloween as of yore: no longer are
witches, COLLINS, apparitions and bon
fires a part of the day. The small boy
and girl, not the older people, are the
chief actors in a present-day Halloween
celebration. The women of today do not
make soul-cakes for poor travellers. In
fact, the Halloween of today is a to-
tally different Halloween from that of
the Irish and Scottish peasantry of the
days gone by.
Yet it has lost none of it's mirth and
jollity, even though it does not hold as
festival the Importance it once did. Re-
gardless as to whether COLLINS or ap-
partitions really do appear on Halloween
eve, there is no night in the year which
popular Imagination has stamped with
such a peculiar character. 1t is a might
set apart for the universal walking
abroad of spirits says The Book of
Days" but we nloderns associate it
rather with youthful jollity and missing
gates. There will be ghosts make believe
or sham ones, weird lights-magic Ian
terns-and various representations, but as
for the real weird Halloween personages
as conceived by the Irish and Scotch, not
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-10-27
&7NaN GIL

cd "nl,tcrscly night on account of the
usual refreshments of the evening anu
from the custom of using nuts IN seek
ing fortunes. If you are an lnqulsltlVe
maiden who wishes to know which OIL
your loves is most ardent in his aHec-
lions you may ease your NINA OF oil
doubt by placing three cnestnuts upon
the bars of CRATE or upon an iron bar
heated on a gas stove. Name each nut
after an admirer. If one of the chest
nuts cracks or jumps 1t is a sign that
the one after whom it is named is indlf-
ferent. If one nut blazes the person 1t
represents has high regard for you. nut
If a third chestnut burns, then you VIII
surely be married TO the man whose name
you gave to the nut.
In olden times damsel who was i'm
patient to know her fate would wet
shirtsleeve and hang it up by the fire
pace and lie in bed watching it until
midnight At that hour an apparition of
her future husband would come in and
turn the sleeve. Although time has pass
ed for fireplaceS in our sleeping rooms.
radiators or heaters might be substituted
bv those who wish to try this expert
ment.
The hostess who gives d Halloween
party usually finds that the most diff
cult mart of the evening is in getting her
guests to throw off all stiffness and en-
ter into the spirit of the fun in the early
part of the evening. If she is wise she
will arrange for some form of entertain
ment to include every one present right
from the start, and nothing answers this
purpose better than the "witch'S decree"
OF course, for this game there must be
a. witch dressed in long black cape and
a high. pointed hat made of two pieces of
wrapping paper, one for the high cornu-
copia-like crown and the other for the
wide round brim, both b.ackened with
shoe polish. When the guests are all
seated the lame old creature, carrying an
iron pot in imitation of caldron, hob-
bles in with her stick. muttering:
This Halloween's a witch's night.
But I'll be gone by mornings light.
Come see what the future holds in store.
I know your fate, and a great deal more
Fortune does come unbidden,
But III tell you where your fate lies hidden.
Then the witch walks around among
the guests carrying her caldron in which
there are as many cards. face down, as
there are persons present. Each guest
tons are written on it. When these .'di-
rections," which tell where the real for
tunes lie hidden. are al drawn, each
person in turn reads his a oud, and then,
following the hint given on the card, finds
his fortune and reads it to the entertain
ment of all others present. The follow
ing directions may be used or they sug-
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-10-27

ITH every Hal
loween the scrawny,
hagLke witch 10
brought into great
prominence for the
purpose OF giving
an atmosphere of
mystery 10 the
evenings fun. At
frOlicS on that
night mock hon.
age is paid to these
b ! a c k-r o b g q.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-10-27

F all nights in the
year Halloween is
the one W h e n
supernatural inf1u-
ences are said to
prevail. It is the
time for spirits to
walk abroad and
the time to seek
ones fortune. For
merly this season
of fantastic shapes
and deeds was call
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-10-27
eDEOo

ShadoVy creatures " no are respectfully
consulted upon the all-absorbing subject
OF love and marriage. But when the fun
is over, the ugly creatures of fantasy
vanish for another year. to be forgotten
with their mystic prophecies.
Time was when the masquerading of a
maiden in a somber gown and her act of
stirring a caldron such as is provided
at our Halloween fetes would have meant
certain death to the luckless one. She
might have been carrying out pretenses
o. sorcery, or the accomplishment of GER
tain ends by mock magic, but in that age
imagination and superstition changed
such decisions into real acts and their
agents into real creatures of magic
II has not been until modern times
that the witch ceased 10 possess an actual
personality in the everyday life of the
people. She was supposed to be in league
with all satanic forces and to walk
abroad casting her veneeance upon ali
who would not divide their living with
her In many cases the approach of old
age especially II it was accompanied by
poverty or heIpleSSneSS. changed a kindly
disposed. harmless old woman into a
witch in the eyes of her neighbors
= x
II she was deformed. toothless or un-
kempt so much stronger were the argu-
ments for converting her into creature
OF fantasy who might conjure the powers
of evil against those about her. When
such charGes were made against these
unfortunate villagers the women were
frequently made more helpless because
The parishes which had previously sup
ported them then refused to give them
help. When needy and fr.endless these
poor, decrepit mOTtals began to believe
that they really could summon the spirits
OF evil TO aid them in revenging them
selves upon the accusers, but, whether
they believed in this power or not the
witches demanded bride fer their good
VIII IN order TO Obtain substance to keep
hcdy and soul together
Even in our own country the hallucina-
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-10-27

In almost every village throughout Eu-
rope there was some old man or woman
supposed to be wiser than his neighbors
by knowing the secrets of healing and
bcstowing luck or warding off danger. or
of aiding his fellow-creatures. This sor-
cerer resented association with black
witches. for lie even claimed the power of
counteracting their evil. Usually these
benevolent creatures. who gained their
livelihood by imposing upon their neigh
bors. were versed in rhymes, incantat!ons
and ceremonials.
They had knowledge of plants. theN
could recite stores with high morals and
could make most amazing observations OF
the weather In some localities time has
but recently removed such humhugs VINO
were sought TO cure sick cattle 10y means
of ministeri1g a few bottles OF water oVe
which few meaningless verses were
said. For rheumatism the white witches
urged that The sufferer rec lie certain
verses on Thursdays and sundays. wnll"
the recitation of various religious rhymes
was supposed TO relieve one OF the tooth
ache al any time.
In our age il is almost impossible to
realize that many nohlemen OF scotland
and Europe finished their education ny
Y sting these wise old characters in the
hope of learning their secrets. Even the
literature of that time was affected ~
this peculiar superstition Of the people.
One old book written about hundred
years ago is unique in our age in that the
whole volume is devoted 10 teaching hun
dreds of strange secrets. from how to
know a persons thoughts in h 5 sleep 10
the method OF rendering ones self In
visible. and this book was probably taken
seriously by thousands
Thanks to en!igh eminent. our modern
70 lie forms LOGON
monographs, airships and wireless sta
tons for these inventions accompli sh
wonders more staggering to the compre-
hension than any of the miraculous feats
attributed to the sUperna tural abilities a.
the departed cnchantresses-
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-10-27

ka!ing procedure blindfolded persons of
one sex go out into the fields and after
pulling up the first stalks they touch tell
the size, appearance and character of
their future mates by the size, straight
ness and crookedness of their stalks
The dirt or yird clinging to the stock
denotes the dowry or fortune, and the
taste of the pith the temper of the hus-
band or wife-to-he. They are then put
one after another over the door and the
names of the persons in the succession
of their entrance through it are the same
as the names of the mate of the holder
of that particular stalk.
In the Toomdish" or "Lugeies." three
dishes, one filled with ctean water. an
other with dirty water and the third
with TO water. are placed on a table in
ID row. blindfolded person then dips
his hand into the first dish he touches,
and if he succeeds in locating the clean
water his wife will have been unmar
ried, if he touches the dirty water his
wife Will have been a widow, and if he
plungeS his hand into the empty dish he
will remain Il bachelor.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-10-27

gest others which an Ingenious hostess
may originate.
Pinned upon curtain Of lace
Tells who will win in matrimonial race.
Upon fine rail that's made FOR plates
Your fortune rests. twas sealed by the fatcs.
The black umbrella out in the hall
Tells the secret after The inaugural ball.
Where music issues forth its charm
You'll md. the muse predicts no harm.
Under the sugar bowl beneath the sweet
Tell the kind of fate you soon will meet.
Textbook tick took
Look behind the cuckoo clocS
When the real fortunes are found in
the places suggested by the directions
they may rese mble any of the coup cts
given below and they may be writer
with white ink on black cardboard cut in
the shape of a witch cap:
If you'd only quit wearing such enormous hats
You might keep beau and avoid many spats.
If you wish TO be happy BRIDE
Smile to your right on your next car ride.
She paints her cheeks she blends her hair.
But her disposition sweet, what do you care
You would not have James. You would not have
Willie.
So it's old maid for you. willy nilly.
A life Of and luxury, and girls pictures on
the wall.
But NOT wife for you, boy-your friends have
taken them all.
She has little doggie that growls at you each
night;
When you elope TO Baltimore twill serve that
dog just right
By little care the hostess may easily
avert having a lad draw the fortune
which lassie should have.
Another game of fortune which should
be tried by every unmarried man on Hal
loween is fortunes glass. Provide three
glasses, one empty, one filed with clear
water and another containing water
colored with vine gar. One by one as each
persons turn comes bl.ndfold him and
turn him around three times before letting
the player seek his fortune by endeavor-
ing to place his finger in one of the three
glasses. If a youth is successful in put
ting his finger in the glass OF Gear
water he will marry d maiden. If his
finger dips into the colored water he may
expect that his matrimonial choice will
be widow. But if he chooses the empty
glass he will remain a bachelor all the
days of his life. The cand e of fortune
affords another sure way of determining
ones fate. y number of players stand in
a circle around a lighted candle suspend
ed by a fine wire. Each person in the
game takes a turn in lighting the taper.
swinging il and calling another person to
blow out the fame while the candle is in
motion. Each person who lights the
wick also gives the candle the name of
some friend of the person upon whom he
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-10-27

When this game is over and each person
has enjoyed her own fortune as we'll as
those of her friends, all take partners
for the dining room. carrying their apple
fortunes and singing "Oh. You Beautiful
DOLL At supper the pie of fate is served
first. This small. deep pie is cut into
slices and passed around while the guests
have their eyes closed. Each person helps
himself to one piece. When all have been
served the guests open their eyes 10 en-
joy eating the pastry. but their chief con-
Germ is i'm locating the ring or thimble
baked between the crusts. She who finds
the ring in her pie will be married be-
fore any of the other guests present. but
the thimble foretells that its finder will
be the last to marry.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-10-27

In order the clean hearthstane
The luggies three ranged.
And every time great care Is ta'en,
To them duly chan yed;
Aud Uncle Josh. VIVA wedlock'S joys.
Sin nais' year did desire.
Because he Sat the toom dish thrice,
He heayed them the fire
IL wrath that night.
The ''Sarksleeve' method consisted of
dipping the left shirt sleeve in a stream
at nj httime. Then upon going to bed
in sight of fire, the shirt sleeve being
hung up to dry. at midnight the future
partner in life of the owner of the shirt
glides up and turns the sleeve from the
left side over to the right to dry. Need
less TO say there have been many weird
ard interesting stories due in most part
to the barley brue' with which the
swain had screwed up his courage. The
''Hempseed'' superstition as described by
Burns lies in the sowing of a handful of
hempseed at night, and then narrowing
with anything conve niently drawn, and
afterward repeating a prayer. The APP
partition being summoned duly appears
upon ones looking over ones shoulder.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-10-27
Suggestions
ff s {7':if;]E &c MIEs

calls TO eXtinguiSh the light. but he does
not reveal the name until after theeother
PLAYER has made his or her trial at the
Blowing. \ successful extinguisher VIII
marry the person after whom the candl"
was named. To add interest and mts-
terry each fortune hunter must repeat the
following before attempting to blow out
the candle:
Burn high. burn low. swing. candle. swing:
out You must 90 il give gold ring
When a girls turn comes she suhsti-
tutes "If | wish a gold ring for II L
give gold ring
The old apple bob cannot be improved
upon for real fun. but splashy tubs Of
water are no longer welcome al evening
gatherings where guests appear in hest
bib and tucker. As a substitute the game
of apple throw may be entered into with
just as much enthusiasm and little less
wear and tear on those participating IN
the evenings frolic. Ii you are 10 he
the hostess use apples for heads Of doll
babies dressed in crepe paper As theS'.
dolls are TO be hung up IN d row at dlf-
ferent heights across the upper part or
the doorway they need BE- nothing but
heads and dresses. no arms or bodies be-
ing necessary Provide each player with
an arrow made OF a meat SkeWer with -
needle stuck in the end. Then, when all of
the PLAYERS are assembled IN one room, lei
each take his turn in aiming al the back
of the dolls heads in trying TO capture
one for his own. The girls, OF course aim
at the boy dolls and the men at the young
lady dolls. As every apple doll his a sip
of paper in a tiny envelope pinned To n.
each must read his fortune as he gets II.
These fortunes may serve as suides n
making others but much fun may De add
ed to the game by having the fates suit
the guests invited:
Y0u hum and haw. you linger and wait
But answer that letter; IL seal, your fate.
II VIII he 4 man with bright red hair:
You'll have big wcddins-now that's on ihe
square.
When the days were hot ard -sultry and yoG saw
your base ball fan.
You said you would. YOU know YOU did. deny it
if you
4 loving husband you will never get
As long you remain a marching suffragette.
Twas al the seaside when first you met
But you've never sent her ring, Ia like 70 bet.
He'll never come back oh. what pity:
He has a girl IN another city.
lie is short and, oh. 80 fat.
In q touring car and high six hat
This is the girl you'll never get.
Cnless YOU give up your cigarette.
You'll 20 across the ocean wide.
But you'll never become a happy bride.
Oil your sewing machine, your dressmaker is
coming 10 town;
She'll need LOT Of satin and lace when sso
makes your wedding gown.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-10-27
even a thought will be given other than
in the games of the younger folk.

even d tHouSHL Will De given Quiet TIA
in the games of the younger folk.
Night of eeriest wonder
Is the eve of Halloween
Then things befall too dear TO doubt,
For all the fairy world is out
And in the dusk or moonlight clear,
Miracles once more appear.
Kobold, elfn, pixy, sprite,
Flock to celebrate this night;
Franks they play with nuts and yarn,
And from the garden, field and barn,
Masked they come, keen tricks they try,
With fortune telling riotry.
Now youth and maiden by the fire,
Watch the flames rise and expire;
Chestnuts put upon the Goals,
To see what augruy controls
Their love-or where the apples float
In Il tub the 0mens note.
We, too. who may not wander more,
On youths iridescent shore,
Still beside the fireside sit.
Amidst loves coquetry and wit,
And dream of our lost joyous teens.
Over uncoInted Halloweens.
This poem is a suggestive description q
a rural celebration of Halloween. TIL
tub of apples. the chestnuts on the coal:
around which the village youth gather
make a typical present-day scene. Ho'
different it is from the pagan observanc
of long ago.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-10-27

Although Halloween by the Teutonic
and Celtic peoples was observed in fun
making and frolic, to the Latin peoples
it is a religious vigil. All Saints day
on November ! Is universally a Catholic
festival. 1t had its origin in the year
go A. D., when the old Roman temple,
Pantheon, that had hitherto been dedi-
Gated to the pagan gods, was consecrated
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-10-27

that a cat washing its face foretcEs
rain. and sitting with its back TO a.
fire prophesies a storm. are relies OF
the age OF superstition.
OF the many cat fables In witch lore
none is more amusing than the "Hur-
rah for London" story Ii happened
that twenty cats came in ana seated
themselves about the hearthstonc OF a
hishlarder First one and then the
other put on a cap. SAYING 'Hurrah for
London" and with that vanished Whom
they had ali gone The old shepherd
himself put on the cap. repcatin- t'.e
same words. When he had finished
he. too. sailed through the air never
stopping until he found himself seated
in a wine cellar in London There he
INDUCED 50 freely that the next morn
ing he was taken TO Jail
The day after the judge pronounced
n death sentence of hanging upon him
and the moose had been adjusted when
he asked that ne be allowed to wear
a cap To his doom. and 50 the judge
unknowinely ordered the cap If magic
placed upon the shepherds head This
was favor enough. for as soon as The
Highlander wore the cap again he cN-
claimed 'Hurrah for kiutail" ard DIS
appeared TO his mountain home, 10 "a
own fireside. To laugh at the dismay he
knew had fallen upon his would be cN-
ecutioners.
1t would seem that the old adace.
Never trouble trouble until trouble
troubles You. would have suttlced 10
have kept the ignorant peasants from
inquiring too closely into the lives pf
the supposed witches. but CURIOSITY was
stronger than reason The super
stitious people even sought 10 frd the
homes of the witches. For this pur-
pose they would rise early on the
morn Of the first Monday of each quar-
ter year and 20 upon some hil TO OBJ
serve the cabin chimneys On mat
morning the smoke from the witches
houses was said to go against tho wind