South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-10-31
BY FRANK FARRINGTON.

In the old days-not so long ago as the calendar
leaves turn-but long with events and wonders-there
was an infable receipt for Halloween party. It
20 go out in the fields. gather dozens golden
pumpkins for jack-o-lanterns and pies. bring cider
wild grape wine and pippin apples with their
SKINS Irom the cellar engage neghborhood orches-
ira invite the guests and preparations were started
But today all Is different The city youth buys his
pumpkins from a market and he knows none OF the
delight Of brushing the dew the green leaves
he hunts for the yellow globes Of pie material Pippns
come 10 him in wooden box, cider bought jugs
evening clothed orchestra, his car perhaps
dresses in "rube" costume.
Pity the "rube' not bit-O We of rubber heels and
ledger lives. II he happy in the days Of which
write j. was due not much to his ignorance as
20 his quckened sense Of what right import
ant day OF the year Al-Hollows eve is intended 10
commemorate the dead what selfrespecting ghost
with 70 beauty would walk in streets OF
brick and stone when the country beckons
alurngly.
When the Ghost Walked
Sleeping in the maze Of an Indian summer twilight
was Wisconsin valley. Lamps shone through the
windows the shadows deepeneds and smoke curled
upward from farmhouses nesting IN their sheltering
ELVES 0ons 'he roao. A oog howled eeriIy as the
autumn moon rose over the tree tops and turned the
pointed shocks Of corn into Indian wigwams Down
toward the little stream the msts hoated
graceful CONGREGATIONS, like the skirts OF pirouet
ting miss of an earlier day. Could you blame shade
who chose such place IL which to walk?
Then too. the residence of the ghosts On
the brown a little HILL set in the corner Of
the farm on which we lived a tiny white church
and an old graveyard. The winter wind soughed
evegreens and the dry stalks OF the summers weeds
ratified when they clashed Shadows clustered thickly
beneath the tall old oaks which church
and the tombstones doomed Up like in the
semi darkness.
It was spooky spot, and many a youngster whistled
tune when he went past the place al night. If a
bough creaked in the wind the tune was apt to die in
his throat for breath-catching minute, until reas
surance Gained his fears Of the hOb-goblins
and ghosts there in abundance people
Of the mother countries but generations
always discounted the tales Of German Irish for
bear, and put II down o fancy
As Certain Santa Claus.
But Just Santa Claus came when we were
chidren-and he did with his white reindeers
his whskers and his pack toysso the ghosts came
troopng down. the lane Hallows eve II we were
70 them through the eyes of grown-ups we might
say that IT only shadows by moon beneath
the trees But the youth much that older
folks with thought for youth in fancy and
romance, more real and satisfying than reality
self.
The guests came with noise than did the
ghosts. Our hearth had been swept furnished
the fireplace sent out its cracklings and the smoke
cured and twisted in the corners Of the before
took its flight the stone chimney. Unlike the
modern Halloween party OF the city there was no at
tempt ape the cornheld the farm in the home
Cornstalks were constalks to US and why bother 10
pull down autumn leaves when the entire country
around OF color, varegated as the
colors Of gypsy's dress There grinnng jack-o-