The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-10-25
Preparations for the Celebra-
ton Already Under Way.
Hilarity Probably Will Be Con-
fined to America.
A NIGHT OF FROLIC AND FUN
The Date Falls on a Sunday
This Year.
Some of the Scotch Customs
Peculiar to the Time.

The fairies will hold their annual
grand anniversary in Topeka soon
Halloween, the night of nights for the
children, the night when witches and
misunderstanding beings are abroad on
baneful midnight errands, is desig-
mated for the last night in this month.
As the date comes on Sunday this year
the event probably Will be generally
observed the Saturday evening before
Topeka Riddles will have a lot of
fun that evening. Jack-o'-lanterns,
carved from big yellow pumpkins or
made from yellow paper, will be set
out to scare away the SpCoks. And
there'H be Halloween parties-plenty
of them. Many a 1fopeka home will
be decorated with natures handiwork
of autumn. Therell be trips by the
young folk to the country for big
stalks of corn and to the woodlands
around Topeka to gather leaves with
which the wind has been filling the
lap of the world. For Jack Frost has
nipped the leaves of summer and they
are falling in multitudes, yellow, black
and pale hectic red. Then with the
JACKIE Lanterns burning to scare away
the witches and the bright colors dis
played to entice the fairies, the tots
and young folk will join the celebra-
ton.
Only in America.
And listen kiddies, do you know that
the little boys and girls of America,
are about the only ones that will greet
the fairies this year. All the countries
over in Europe where big festivals and
children's carnivals are held on Hal
loween night for the aerial people, are
at war. There won't be much merri-
ment among these Riddles for all their
papas are away at Nar-trying to kill
some other little boys or girls papa.
The old, old custom of burning nuts
on the hearth by the laddies and lassies
of West Scotland to determine their
courtship will be lost. For the lassie's
hills of the hearth and cricket and
lasSie is wondering why the king sent
him away, and she's trying not to fear
that he won't be back next Halloween
eve.
The lassies and kiddies of all the
other big countries over in Europe
will not see their laddies or papas
this Halloween, because the king
wants riches and someone's papa o.
sweetheart must fight for them.
Do you know about Halloween and
about the old, old way of observing it?
This night was first originated in the
west of Scotland, hundreds of years
ago Proclamation that it be observed
was first issued by the Bruce of Car
rick
The Scottish Custom.
Following the ancient Scottish Gus
tom, the first ceremony of the eve
niEg's program is the pulling of the
cabbage. party of young people go
out, hand in hand, with eyes shut and
pull the first stalk of cabbage that
they find. Its size and shape is pro-
phetic of their future husband or wife
if big and straight the future mate
will be beautiful and handsome and
upright-if little and crooked the
prophecy is the opposite. If earth
sticks to the root, fortune will favor
the puller. The taste of the heart or
stem indicates temper and disposition.
The burning of nuts on the hearth is
a favorite charm. The crowd names
a boy and girl and each is given a nut