davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-31

have joined the Serbian forces and to
have gained an important victory over
the BulgarianS at krivolac, a place
estimated to be about forty miles north
of where the Nish-Saloniki railway
crosses the frontier between Serbia
and Greece. However, the great pur-
pose of the central powers is reported
to be primarily to force route through
northeastern Serbia and Bulgaria to
Turkey, and to obtain possession of the
railroads at all hazards to prevent the
French and British forces landed at
Saloniki from reaching the SerbiaAs in
time to prevent their humiliation by
the three great armies which now en-
compass them.
In the valley of the BriganitZa river.
recent reports state, the Rulgarians
are making another drive against the
Nish- Saloniki railroad in the neighbor-
hood of Istib. which is about twenty
five miles west of StramitZa an inn
portant town in the southwestern cor
ner of Bulgaria. where Che frontiers of
Serbia. Bulgaria and Greece come to-
gether. Ystib is IN the comparatively
open country of the foothills of the
Balkan mountains, not far from Uskub,
on the Nish- Saloniki railway town
which, according to most recent reports
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-31

the nuts burn steadily and the maiden
is sorely perplexed. Gay has written
some pretty Halloween lines in refer
ence to this particular custom.
Two hazel nuts threw into the flame,
And to each nut | gave a sweetheart name;
This with the i0udest bounce me sore amazed
That in fame of brightest color blazed.
AS blazed the nut, may thy passion grow,
For twas thy nut that did so brightly glow.
Pulling the kale is still part of
the Halloween divinations among the
young folks, who go into the kale patch
blindfolded, and pull up one of the
green stalks. They then return to the
iireside to inspect the prize and learn
of the form of their future husband,
also whether or not he will be possess
ed of worldly goods. According as the
stalk is big or little. straight or crook
ed, so shall be the future husband of
the party by whom il is pulled. The
quantity of earth sticking to the root
denotes the amount of fortune he will
possess, and the taste of the pith in
dicates his disposition. Finally, the
stalks are placed one after another
over the door, and the Christian names
of the persons who chance thereafter
to enter the house are held in the same
succession to indicate those of the in
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-31

dividuals whom the parties are to
marry.
One of the weird rites of Halloween
as practiced in rural Ireland is to wet
a shirt sleeve, hang it up by the fire
to dry and then lie in bed watching
it until midnight. when the apparition
of the individuals future partner for
life will come in and turn the sleeve.
maiden happens to learn that she is
going to try this test he can easily
slip in and turn the sleeve.
In the south of Ireland the three
plate test prevails, and on each Hal
loween night three dishes are set out
one empty, one filled with clean
water, and the third with foul water.
They are set side by side on the
hearth. when the parties. blindfolded.
advance in succession and dip their
fingers into one of the dishes. The
young men come first, and If they dip
into the clean water they will surely
marry a beautiful maiden. If they dip
into the foul water widow will be
their fate, and if into the empty dish
they will not marry at all. When the
test is made by the girls. touching the
clear water means that the future hus-
band will be handsome youth. dip
ping into the foul water, a widower,
and if in the empty one it is a sure
sign that the girl will never marry.
This test must be made by the freight
and near midnight, when the witches
and spirits are lowering about, the
good trying to overcome the evil. A
cake made of seeds and -four is usually
served at supper before the young peo-
pie try out their fate.
The mysterious trial of the roses is
a famous rite. and this, too. is carried
out with great ceremony in Ireland.
After the Halloween party is over each
maiden takes home two long stemmed
roses, naming one for herself and the
other for her sweetheart. She goes
directly to her sleeping room without
speaking to any one, and, kneeling be-
side her bed. she twines the stems of
the two roses together and repeats the
following lines as she gazes intently
on the rose named for her lover:
Irvine. Irvine and intertwine.
Let my love he wholly mine
II his heart be kind and true
Deeper grows his roses hue.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-31

fusing to make public even the number
of their dead so that the fcrlorn and
heartbroken women whose loved ones
had gone to the front did not know
often until the end of the war whether
they were wives or widows.
The Bulgarian and Serbian women, it
is said in the last Balkan war against
the Turks bravely sent their husbands
and sons against the Moslems. believ-
ing it holy war. They placed around
the necks of their loved ones little
amulets and medals blessed by the
priests. which were believed to protect
them from bullets and all the dangers
of war.
In times of peace the Balkan women
do their share of the manual labor of
filling the soil. In Montenegro and
other countries the women from child
hood do the greater part of all work,
war being the only vocation fit for
men, as King Nicholas warriors pub
licly explain. The women are prema-
turely aged by their hard lives. The
latest dispatches state that numerous
women in Serbia are fighting side by
side with their men in heroic attempt
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-31

the families feast on the fruits of the
harvest and have a merry time. Some
times nuts are thrown into the fires in
the belief that if they burn well pros
perity will follow for the coming year,
but if they merely blacken it betides
i'll luck.
In Scotland they still have the I'M
canny practice of placing a stone in
the fire for each member of the family.
and left for the night In the morning
these stones are examined. and should
any be found missing death in the fam
lily may be expected during the coming
year. AS it is easy for ill-disposed per-
sons to get at these stones, one or more
of the rocks are frequently carried
away. and there is great sorrow and
fright in the family which happens to
own the fire
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-31
The W'ohhIes.

GIT TIE British volunteer army is nat
urally Il little wobhly-h~ave
enough but little wobbly in connnarI-
son with the highly trained conscript
armies of Europe"
The speaker was Alexander Powell
war correspondent. He continued:
Proofs of the British army's wob.
bles come from all sorts of directions.
Thus they tell about a young territorial
who. the first day of his arrival in
Boulogne, passed an officer without sa-
luting him.
~ say, you the officer roared You
didn't salute, and I'm going to report
you. What company do you belong to-"
pale and conscience stricken. the
poor territorial stammered: -
THE Westminster Gas Light, Coal
and Coke Company, SIR"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-31

to defend their country from the in
vading hosts.
X !;
AT the time of the war with Turkey
the women's league. known as the
League OF Death was started by a
Serbian woman, who was herself sixty
two years Old, the mother of four
grown children and the grandmother of
nine husky youths serving in the army.
The league practiced shooting daily,
and old women and young. peasants and
women of a higher class could be seen
standing shoulder to shoulder, day
after day, learning the arts of war.
Armed with heavy rifles they We're drill
ed like men, and lying fiat on the
ground could be seen eagerly following
the instructions of the officer COM
handing them. A Berlin oHicial in a
la tie dispatch is quoted as stating that
Il number OF Russian prisoners We're re-
Gently discovered to be women when
t. lsar' 10 tho German detention camps.
The Rilo-Daeh is mountain ~roup
in BULGARIA. about FORTY miles south or
Sofa. which connects the Phodopa and
Balkan mountains Tho Rio r'onas-
terv is famous. and pious Bulgarians
come from distant PARTS OF the country
on pil"rir'aceS TO its Sh~ire soma ov
is only q DAVIS Journey from Pilo II Is
tvnical Turkish town with the in
evitahle nnosoue ard fountain nut IL
also boasts the largest American COL
le~e in outhAaste~n Eu-opn outside of
CouSt - M inonle II is conducted by
American pci-ei . ma RIGS. "n'onn- whom. at
one tive was Miss TllH~ " stone She
left 90 ma kov IN .Tri1v rgn1. 70 With
a ma rtv ~ othe- r>-ie~iora -io : 10 Diu.-a-
hala about ti*.v-N'a r,,i1ae f-o~> sofia
She wa" seized -"ith he~ co'r'na Man
Mre ci1ln nv Pri~a RAN h~ir-ards and
ha15 E,, ha
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-31

which no male in the Balkans consid-
ers himself dressed"
Thousands of gypsies invest all the
Balkan states. They do no work and
usually live by what they are able to
beg or steal. Reports state that the
Tziganes have been called to the colors
by King Peter, but those familiar with
the nomadic. thriftless traits of the
gypsies realize that the Serbian gen.
erals are wise to restrict them to the
band. AS musicians the Tziganes are
world renowned. In Belgrade. Sofia,
Vienna and Budapest the Tzigane or
chestras are among the most popular
in the finest restaurants
A story is told by couple of Wash
ingtonians who visited Budapest which
proves the quick-wittedness of the,
gypsies. AS the guests of member of
parliament, they visited a restaurant
to enjoy the music Of it's famous
Tsigane band. However, shortly after
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-31

is to see a woman driving her herd of
cows or sheep while busily weaving
gown for herself on the handloom she
carries as she walks along. Few peas
ants lack the voluminous white petit
coat edged with homemade lace or
tatting. the gaudy apron stiff with
crude embroidery, the cheap bracelets
and rings, as well as the inevitable lit
tie shawl which covers the head no
matter how warm the weather, often
being worn over n little Dalmatian cap
like those frequently seen on the men
throughout Herzegovina and the Bal
kans in general. Although both the
Serbian and Bulgarian women always
cover their heads, their lower extremi-
ties are often seen with neither shoes
or stockings.
The Balkan herdsmen are sturdy
looking as well as picturesque. Above
their crudely made and heavy boots
their legs are wound with strips of
cloth. which often look like soiled
bandages. Their long white smocks,
like shirts. hang out over their trous-
ers. being partly covered by a little
sleeveless black Jacket or vest. which
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-31

If her swain is faithful the color OF
the rose will grow darker. There are
people in Ireland who declare that one
may see the color deepen in the rose.
If, however, the flower does not change
the girl usually has fit of Mysteries
and the lover is sometimes called on by
some member of the family to learn
just whether or not he intends to
marry the young lady.
What is regarded as the final and
most convincing test is for the maiden
to place glass of water containing a
small silver of wood beside her bed.
In the night she will dream that a
witch has pushed her off a bridge into
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-31

and a candle in the other. When the
last step is reached the girl will see
either her future husband or a witch
looking into the mirror beside her. II
the witch appears this is a sign that
she will be old maid.
All sorts of love tests are made with
nuts. such as putting several hazel nuts
into the fire giving each the name of an
admirer. If nut bursts in the roast
ing this lover is unfaithful, but If the
nut burns steadily he is a true lover and
will surely marry the one who has made
the trial. Sometimes it happens that all
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-31

bands name. OF course fine mag
nation is required to do this trick
SUCCESSFULLY.
Still another is to eat an apple before
a mirror at midnight on Halloween
The room must be Ii GIFTED with candle
only. which is set in front of the mir
ror. Before the apple is finished the
girl is supposed to see her future hus-
band peering over her shoulder.
The most uncanny apple test, how
ever, is to walk down the cellar steps
backward with mirror in one hand
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-31

as the man at the inn. But knowing the
loneliness of the road and the sort of
cutthroatS he had to deal with, the
money demanded was paid to avoid
more serious trouble.
The railway station at Sofia is far
from impressive, but the city. which is
reached by tram car or carr iage, being
several miles from the station, is more
inviting. 1t is an up-to-date metropo-
lis, with all the modern comforts, while
peopled with citizens of every nation
ality, CARRIED in all kinds of bizarre
clothes.
one of the usual sights in the Balkans
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-31

being served. the leader of the band
recognized the statesman and quickly
noted that his guests were Americans.
To their surprise and cha grin the
Tziganes at once struck up the tune OF
"Rastus Ragtime Band and for the
rest of the evening, to honor and please
the Americans, they were regaled with
other rag-time ditties instead of the
soulful music they desired to hear.
In the last war it is known the Bull
garians issued no lists of their dead
and wounded. w tn the most rigid Sc
crecy they concealed even the barest
facts of their engagements, sternly re
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-31
TRYING ONES LUCK WITH CANDLES.

the river, but scarcely will she touch
the water when her future husband.
whose face she can plainly see. will
jump in and rescue her This is re-
garded as infallible
In some places where the people are
particularly superstitious the celebra-
ton of Halloween is anything but
pleasant, for queer noises are heard,
rappings in cupboards and means of
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-31

on fete days is gorgeously adorned
with the gilt tinsel braid of which all
Serbs seem to be so Unfortunately
proud.
On their heads, in place of the brim-
less cap with a button on top. the
herdsmen wear big felt hats with broad
brims, not unlike a child's sailor with
the brim turned down, and every mans
costume is completed by gay sash
known as a ''cummerbund," which not
only holds in place his baggy trousers,
but provides receptacle for his
numerous knives and pistols, without
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-31

E7HE Austro-German forces in the
first ten days after having
Ill forced their way across the
q Danube and Save rivers, accord
ing to reports, have advanced but a
little more than ten miles into Serbian
territory. owing to the desperate re-
sistance encountered, but London dis
patches admit that it is feared the
Serbians must soon give way under
the enormous pressure exerted by the
Austrians and Germans attacking on
the north and west, and the onslaughts
of the Bulgarians, who are said to be
concentrating their attacks on Vranya
and Vilandoro where the Nish-Saloniki
railway most nearly approaches the
Bulgarian frontier.
Military experts agree that the Bull
garian forces are not alone surely
driving toward Nish, as was at first
anticipated. but have as their goal also
the possession Of the important Ser
bian railway which joins Belgrade with
Saloniki. and, by the branch road from
SaIoniki TO Dedea ehatch, unites il with
Constantinople, the sultan's capital
vranya, one of the points of attack
by the Bulgarian forces, is 4 small
town on the Nish -Saloniki railway.
about sixty miles south of Nish The
town lies in a valley surrounded by
heights, which make it of strategic
Importance. A small force on the hills
can control the valley and defend the
railway which runs through II.
Zaiecar. or Zaietchar as it is called by
the Serbs. mentioned in the dispatches.
lies at the junction not only of the two
roads going north, but also of the
road and railway going west through
the Morava valley to the main line. II
is also here that the important high
way which passes through the noun
tains to Nish connects with the tram
way to kniajevatz. This latter place
is reached from Bulgaria by way OF the
high road through the mountain pass
OF kadibogas, which fact materially
adds TO its military importance.
The town of kniasyevac is only a few
miles inside the Serbian boundary and
about nineteen miles from Zaiecar and,
ike II, Is also on the Nish-S aloniki
railroad which runs almost parallel to
the frontier and at Nish forms "A juno
ton with the Orienta! railway, the
most important road in the Balkans.
The Oriental railway is not only the
most direct route connecting Belgrade
with the network of well known
European roads TO the north. but also
links Bucharest with other cities in
Ruplania by the branch road which
runs to Varna on the Black sea- while
below Gar Ferdinands capital the
Oriental line extends through the heart
of Bulgaria In a southeasterly direc-
ton, connecting Sofia with Philippolis
the capital of eastern Rumania. an
important trading center situated on
the Martha river. and AdrianopIe, cap
itai of the vilayet of Adrianople
finally reaching its terminus. Constan-
tinople.
The Oriental railway not only bisects
Bulgaria and Turkey from northwest
10 southeast, but at Tirnova about =
hundred miles to the east Of Philippolis,
connects with branch road extending
northward through eastern Rumania.
passing through the important towns
OF Yeni Segrs. Jamboh and Altos, to
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-31
Evolution Of the Weird Old Festival Of II

STRANGE Celebrations Other Centuries Have Developed
Oor the Young People Todays Surrounded
Imagination Fyeda Big Part Various Halloween
otOcober Were Claimed Possess Strange Powers
With Which Dnaton
B Held Store Unmarried
Man O Maiden
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-31
Railway Card Came

the port of Burghas on the Black sea,
while at kulelu BuGg s lie II
railway forms a Junction with the
Dedea ghatch line from Saloniki, thus
linking the Nish- Saloniki. and Oriental
line, the two Balkan railroad systems
Zaiecars strategic importance, mill
tary experts agree, lies in the fact that
IL is not only a well fortified town on
the Timok but also its position on the
railroad makes it control the approach
to the line from the east, at which
point reports state the drive of the
Austro-German forces is now being
hurled.
The Importance of gaining possession
of the Oriental railway and the Nish-
Saioniki line is fully realized by the
contending armies, for both roads fol-
low closely the winnings Of the Ma
rita. Morava and Vardar rivers through
the great gorges between the noun
tains in both Serbia and Bulgaria
According to reports, the advance of
the AuStrO-German forces and Bulga-
rian troops has been frequently arrest
ed not only by the fierce defensive of
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-31

In some of the country districts the
Scots carry torches of fire through the
villages, which are regarded as typical
of the immortality of the soul; also
sign that souls are being lighted out
of purgatory.
::
W lille this is going on, the young
people are busily engaged in seeking
knowledge of the future, and the boys
are ducking for apples-a sport which
is regarded as the real thing on Hal
loween. A number of apples are set
afioat on a tub of water, and the young
sters by turns duck their heads with
the view of catching an apple. This is
done amid shrieks of laughter as the
fruit wriggles from side to side in the
tub and the boy finally loses his bal
ance and tumbles into the tub. Some
of the apples have stems. and these are
which the stem Is removed, but the boy
who cannot catch the StemleSS apples
receives no prize.
another apple trick is that of young
men sliding over a bench and ducking
for an apple without losing their bal
ance. The young man who succeeds
in this is sure of a wealthy WIFE
Zhis is an Irish trick, as is the one of
string and a lighted candle on the other
and then trying to catch the apple
while 1t is whirling about The candle
invariably hobs up at the wrong time
and the contestant bites into tallow in
stead of the fruit.
In England the maiden peels an apple
round and round without breaking the
string of pairing. While she is working
on the fruit she keeps repeating Il
rhyme which is said to help the witches
in their work.
pare this pippin round and round again,
Ny sweetileart's to flourish the pa ms.
fling unbroken pairing o'eH my bead
Ny sweetsearts letter the ground is read.
Then she throws the string of rind
over the shoulder and when it falls
it takes the shape of her future hus-
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-31

came they lighted fires in honor of
Saman, the lord of death, who on that
night called together the wicked souls
that within the last twelve months had
animals The priests told the people
that Saman might he propitiated by
means of gifts and lamentations to miti-
gate the sentences of these unfortunate
people SO while the fires were burn
ing the spirits We're wandering and
everywhere supernatural Influences We're
at work. The people of those days
seem to have possessed a remarkable
imagination, for the legend tells how
they saw the spirits of their friends
leave the bodies of animals and float
away into space. followed by witches
who besought them TO do evil. While
this going on the living friends
made all sorts of lamentations before
the fires and besought the white-robed
Druid priests to intercede for their
loved ones. Others begged for a peep
into the future, and sometimes Saman
granted their reuuests-thus we have
the foundation of the spirits wander
sng on that night and assisting in for
June telling.
November the first was the feast of
Pomona, the goddess of fruits and
seeds, and on the night preceding the
stores which had been laid up for the
winter were opened and a harvest cele-
bration was held. Hence the appro-
priateness of the use of nuts and apples
on this occasion.
Even today the Welshman mixes his
harvest festival with the belief of the
ancient Druids, and after he has opened
his winter stores lights his fires on the
nearby hills. While they are burning
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-31

lost spirits, which mean that the
witches will rule the family, are in
order and sadness prevails. Happily,
these scenes-relics of Druidism-grow
less each year, and the festival, while
weird in a way, has now taken on
more sportive character and has be-
come night of innocent amusement
for our young people, who carry out the
customs of the olden days in a spirit
OF mirth instead of superstition.
Copyright. 1915. by International Syndieats)
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-31

a STRANGE mystery pervades
IN the celebration of Halloween.
IN for there is perhaps no night
q q i'll the year which the popular
imagination has stamped with a more
peculiar character than the evening of
legends. but the one most often told is
that on this particular evening super
natural influences prevail--when the
spirits of the dead are loosed from the
grave and permitted to wander abroad
and mingle with the witches and mis-
chief-Taking elves. Joining them in tor
menting the mortals who inhabit the
earth. Children born on this night are
said to possess strange powers being
the only ones who can see and con-
verse with these weird spirits which
fly through the air on Halloween. It
is night of divination. too. and said
TO be the very best time in all the
year to learn what the future holds in
store for the unmarried man or maiden.
The festival is a strange mixture of
classic mythology. Druidic beliefs and
religious superstition. and it's begin
ming is clearly relic of paganism with
4 snattering of the mystic. 1t has
however, nothing to do with the church
observance of the following Day of All
Saints.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-31

Away back in the days of the Druids
the people believed in the transmigra-
ton of the soul, and when the autumn