The Washington times., 1916-10-21
The Chdperon Plans q Halloween Party

Dear Chaperon: Please print In
your column OF The Times a good
suggestion for a Halloween party,
stating proper decorations for both
table and rooms. Is II proper to play
such games as postoffice. or Just
stick all sorts OF fortune telling
games?
We do not wish to 60 to much
expense. but we do wish good
time. What Is the proper break
ing up" time? Is 1t all right for the
host and hostess to mask along with
the rest? Please print the stamp
language. TWO INQUISITlvES.
TIRST OF all. is the emphasis to
- be laid upon games or dancing
at your party? If IL were to be
the latter. ! should advise you
to duplicate n very successful party ]
once attended-in Leap Year, too. as
IL happens. The boys were hidden to
come to a certain girls house on Hal
loween night. where they were greeted
by grinning pumpkin lanterns over the
door and by a sheeted form that ST.
lently pointed the way TO the room
where they were to leave their hats.
They were motioned 10 the parlor. and
when the stroke OF 8 sounded the girls,
In sheets and pillowcases, filed down
stairs, and each selected partner for
the first dance. The feverish attempts
OF the young men to discover the
identity OF their partners was one OF
the funniest sights that could be i'm
agtned. AS the girls took particular
delight In dancing with boys they did
not know very we'll, their perplexity in
creased.
Dancing lasted until 1880; then the
girls unmasked and the boys breathed
comfortably once more. This early hour
gave plenty of time for some OF the
usual Halloween games-bobbing for
apples, which had been slit. with brief
fortunes" inserted; trying to bite an
apple dangling from a long string In the
doorway; floating little burning boats
OF paper on tub OF water. to see
whether the owners would have happi-
witchcraft.
At 1880 the girls. warned by a prear-
ranged signal, ran to the landing up
stairs. and there found heap OF slip
dangled her little slipper over the rail-
Ing by Its long string, and each boy Sc
lected one. following the string up the
stairs until he found the girl who was
holding II. or course the strings were
tangled. but that added to the fun and
the suspense. The couples thus paired
went out to supper together
There are certain goodies that seem to
taste better on Halloween than any
other time. These include hot dough-
nuts, ginger cookies, molasses candy,
popcorn balls peanuts, and elder.
These are all Inexpensive II will add to
the picturesqueness of the dining room
IL the cider is drawn from n small key,
The decorations for Halloween are le-
gion. Much depends upon the amount
of patience OF the older members OF the
family, for It seems that the prettiest
decorations are those that are hardest
to clean up afterward.
Cornstalks, for instance punched I'm
graceful shocks. may be placed in the
corners OF the room. with squash or a
pumpkin at the foot OF each. III yoi
have no farmer friends, plenty OF au-
tumn leaves may be substituted for the
corn. Red leaves seem unusually scarce
this year, but get them II you can, be-
cause they light up so prettily, and the
pumpkin lanterns VIII supply plenty OF
yellow for the color scheme. Strings of
cranberrles and popcorn may extend
the room.
The same decorations may be used in