The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1930-10-17

the Roman Pantheon to the Virgin and
all the saints and martyrs Of the
church. The latter day assignment
was made by Pope Gregory Nv in $50
in order that the crowds which came
up each year to Rome for the religious
services might be fed sufficiently from
the bountiful harvests of the year In
the Tenth century November was
made All Souls Day.
Since America is the melting pot Of
the nations it is only natural, perhaps,
that this observance like so many 9th
ers, partakes of the customs and tradi
lions of many lands. Hence our Hal
loween lore is a combination of Irish,
English. Scotch and German tradi-
lions, not to mention contributions
from the French, Dutch, Spanish, Por-
tuguese, Austrian, Italian and Slavic
states as we'll as Nordic. The original
celebrations in this country were
mainly English in origin. even though
in Colonial times the day was not
much celebrated. A few of the Eng
lish in the colonies kept up the moth
err country tradition but for the most
part it was let pass. This was due
largely to the wide settlements, the
hardship of communal association and
the necessity for the colOnists to be
busy at this time of the year laying
in the harvest and provisions for win
ter. But despite this one could find
now and then old Halloween customs
in full force. There followed then
such games as apple ducking and APP
pie swapping as we'll as apple peeling
and throwing the peel over the left
shoulder, comb and mirror tests and
ballads topped off by a round of ghost
stories.
A party of twelve may learn their
future If one will get from church,
yard clod of earth and set twelve
candles in it. naming them as he
lights them. The future of each is
governed by the light the candle emits,
wavering, steady, suffering or going
out.
Fairies come in for especial atten-
ton in Ireland. Good and bad they
hold the Irish heart in their power.
and, so the story runs, st. Patrick was
not immune to their wiles. One lulled
him to sleep before Samhain. These
spirits dwell in grassy mounds and in
streams and on the eve of All Saints
Day troop forth to work their will on
countryside. To this day one may
hear authentic accounts of the ap-
pearance of fairies in Ireland and the
necessity of doing certain things in
order to hold their good will.
Scottish Halloween traditions seem
to be more clearly defined and more
purposeful than the Irish ones. There
is lightness in Irish character that
is not to be found in the Scottish,
and for this reason the Scots take
more seriously the traditions in regard
to witches. evil spirits and fairies, all
of whom they believe to be abroad on
Halloween.
The Scotch invented the idea of
"Samhainach," a goblin who comes out
just at "Samhain." 1t is he who in Ire
land steals children. The fairies pass
at crossroads, and in the Highlands
whoever took three-legged stool to
where three crossroads met, and set
upon it at midnight, would hear the
names of those who would die in a
year. He might bring with him arti-
| eles of dress, and as each name was
pronounced throw one garment to the
fairies. They would be so pleased by
this gift that they would repeal the
sentence of death.
"a. 1882 Western Newspaper UnIon.l