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Hallowe’en is a relic of pagan times or rather, perhaps, medieval superstition. It has always been re garded as the time of all others when supernatural influences prevail and as a night when there is a uni versal walking abroad of spirits, both of the visible and the invisible world. On this mystic evening it was believed that even the human spirit might detach itself from the body and wander abroad. In the northern part of England it is known at Nutcrack night and it clearly allies to Walpurgis night of the Ger mans. In Scotland the ceremonies of the evening were formerly regarded in a highly supertitious light and Burns’ “Hallowe’en” gives humorous and rich imaginative presentment of the usual ceremonies practiced in Scot tish rural districts in his day. In England they celebrate Guy Fawkes day November 5th in much the same manner in which we ob serve Hallowe’en. It marks a day when a plot to burn the House of Parliament was discovered. The plan supposedly was the work of Guy Fawkes, who turned traitor to his country. Bonfires fighted over the country eypify the spirit of Guy Fawkes and the same emblematical witches and elves, black eoats and terrifying ghosts with which we adorn our homes for Hallowe’en, greet the visitors to English parties on Guy Fawkes day. Little child ren are told that unless they mind their P’s and Q's the goblins will get them or they will find themselves riding away on a broomstick piloted by an old witch when the 5th of November rolls around. They play our popular games also, such as: bobbing for apples, burning .the candles, cutting ™~the cake form .pro phetic emblems and doing all stunts, with which we celebrate Hallowe’en. Popular belief in the olden, times ascribed to children born on Hal lowe’en the’ faculty of perceiving and holding’ conversation with superna tural beings. It has its appeal to the sentimental also and on this night anxious young people consult the future to discover who shall be their partners in life.. There are numberless superstitions, in regard to this all-important question. The number of pairs required to blow out a candle tells the number of years waiting before marriage... Generally the contestants are blindfolded. Three saucers, one filled with milk, one with water and one empty will provide an unfailing augery, accord ing to the old superstition. With out looking, one dips his fingers in to the saucer. .If water, a happy marriage; if milk, marriage but an early separation, and ,if empty, single blessedness. Another popular custom is to pull from the garden something in the nature of a plant of kale, to determine the character of the future life partner.A crooked stalk or a short one will tell its own story, and the amount of soil, cling ing to it will indicate the fortune in store. All fortunes must be tested just before the stroke of 13 if the seeker wishes a really reliable spook verdict.
Newspaper Details
Sullivan Union
Sullivan, Indiana, US
Wed, Oct 26, 1921
Page 1
Full Page
Clipped by
Chad L.
USA 04 Sep 2026
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