The Book of Hallowe'en Part 16

"'Miss Jeanette, that's such a fine trick! You must swallow a salt herring in three bites, bones and all, and not drink a drop till the apparition of your future spouse comes in the night to offer you a drink of water.'"

ADAMS: _Chrissie's Fate._

If, after taking three doses of salt two minutes apart, a girl goes to bed backward, lies on her right side, and does not move till morning, she is sure to have eventful dreams. Pills made of a hazelnut, a walnut, and nutmeg grated together and mixed with b.u.t.ter and sugar cause dreams: if of gold, the husband will be rich; if of noise, a tradesman; if of thunder and lightning, a traveler. As in Ireland bay-leaves on or under a man's pillow cause him to dream of his sweetheart. Also

"Turn your boots toward the street, Leave your garters on your feet, Put your stockings on your head, You'll dream of the one you're going to wed."

Lemon-peel carried all day and rubbed on the bed-posts at night will cause an apparition to bring the dreaming girl two lemons. For quiet sleep and the fulfilment of any wish eat before going to bed on Hallowe'en a piece of dry bread.

A far more interesting development of the Hallowe'en idea than these innocent but colorless superst.i.tions, is promised by the pageant at Fort Worth, Texas, on October thirty-first, 1916. In the masque and pageant of the afternoon four thousand school children took part. At night scenes from the pageant were staged on floats which pa.s.sed along the streets. The subject was _Preparedness for_ _Peace_, and comprised scenes from American history in which peace played an honorable part. Such were: the conference of William Penn and the Quakers with the Indians, and the opening of the East to American trade. This is not a subject limited to performances at Hallowtide. May there not be written and presented in America a truly Hallowe'en pageant, ill.u.s.trating and befitting its n.o.ble origin, and making its place secure among the holidays of the year?

HALLOWE'EN

Bring forth the raisins and the nuts-- To-night All-Hallows' Spectre struts Along the moonlit way.

No time is this for tear or sob, Or other woes our joys to rob, But time for Pippin and for Bob, And Jack-o'-lantern gay.

Come forth, ye la.s.s and trousered kid, From prisoned mischief raise the lid, And lift it good and high.

Leave grave old Wisdom in the lurch, Set Folly on a lofty perch, Nor fear the awesome rod of birch When dawn illumes the sky.

'Tis night for revel, set apart To reillume the darkened heart, And rout the hosts of Dole.

'Tis night when Goblin, Elf, and Fay, Come dancing in their best array To prank and royster on the way, And ease the troubled soul.

The ghosts of all things, past parade, Emerging from the mist and shade That hid them from our gaze, And full of song and ringing mirth, In one glad moment of rebirth, Again they walk the ways of earth, As in the ancient days.

The beacon light s.h.i.+nes on the hill, The will-o'-wisps the forests fill With flashes filched from noon; And witches on their broomsticks spry Speed here and yonder in the sky, And lift their strident voices high Unto the Hunter's moon.

The air resounds with tuneful notes From myriads of straining throats, All hailing Folly Queen; So join the swelling choral throng, Forget your sorrow and your wrong, In one glad hour of joyous song To honor Hallowe'en.

J. K. BANGS _in Harper's Weekly, Nov. 5, 1910_.

HALLOWE'EN FAILURE

Who's dat peekin' in de do'?

Set mah heart a-beatin'!

Thought I see' a spook for sho On mah way to meetin'.

Heerd a rustlin' all aroun', Trees all sort o' jiggled; An' along de frosty groun'

Funny shadders wriggled.

Who's dat by de winder-sill?

Gittin' sort o' skeery; Feets is feelin' kind o' chill, Eyes is sort o' teary.

'Most as nervous as a c.o.o.n When de dawgs is barkin', Er a widder when some spoon Comes along a-sparkin'.

Wha.s.s dat creepin' up de road, Quiet like a ferret, Hoppin' sof'ly as a toad?

Maybe hit's a sperrit!

Lordy! hope dey ain't no ghos'

Come to tell me howdy.

I ain't got no use for those Fantoms damp an' cloudy.

Wha.s.s dat standin' by de fence Wid its eyes a-yearnin', Drivin' out mah common-sense Wid its glances burnin'?

Don't da.s.s skeercely go to bed Wid dem spookses roun' me.

Ain't no res' fo' dis yere head When dem folks surroun' me.

Wha.s.s dat groanin' soun' I hear Off dar by de gyardin?

Lordy! Lordy! Lordy dear, Grant dis sinner pardon!

I won't nebber--I declar'

Ef it ain't my Sammy!

Sambo, what yo' doin' dar?

Yo' can't skeer yo' mammy!

CARLYLE SMITH _in Harper's Weekly, Oct. 29, 1910_.

HALLOWE'EN

Pixie, kobold, elf, and sprite All are on their rounds to-night,-- In the wan moon's silver ray Thrives their helter-skelter play.

Fond of cellar, barn, or stack True unto the almanac, They present to credulous eyes Strange hobgoblin mysteries.

Cabbage-stumps--straws wet with dew-- Apple-skins, and chestnuts too, And a mirror for some la.s.s Show what wonders come to pa.s.s.

Doors they move, and gates they hide Mischiefs that on moonbeams ride Are their deeds,--and, by their spells, Love records its oracles.

Don't we all, of long ago By the ruddy fireplace glow, In the kitchen and the hall, Those queer, coof-like pranks recall?

Eery shadows were they then-- But to-night they come again; Were we once more but sixteen Precious would be Hallowe'en.

JOEL BENTON _in Harper's Weekly, Oct. 31, 1896_.

[Ill.u.s.tration: NO HALLOWE'EN WITHOUT A JACK-O'-LANTERN.]

HALLOWE'EN

A gypsy flame is on the hearth, Sign of this carnival of mirth.

Through the dun fields and from the glade Flash merry folk in masquerade-- It is the witching Hallowe'en.

Pale tapers glimmer in the sky, The dead and dying leaves go by; Dimly across the faded green Strange shadows, stranger shades, are seen-- It is the mystic Hallowe'en.