Mary E. Blain

“ GAMES FOR HALLOW-E'EN Hallow-e'en or Hallow-Even is the last night of October, being the eve or vigil of All-Hallow's or All Saint's Day, and no holiday in all the year is so informal or so marked by fun both for grown-ups as well as children as this one. On this night there should be nothing but laughter, fun and mystery. It is the night when Fairies dance, Ghosts, Witches, Devils and mischief-making Elves wander around. It is the night when all sorts of charms and spells are invoked for prying into the future by all young folks and sometimes by folks who are not young. ”

“ Any one who is unable to explain why the thought resembles the object he mentioned must pay a forfeit.
TRUE-LOVER TEST Two hazel-nuts are thrown into hot coals by maiden, who secretly gives a lover's name to each. If one nut bursts, then that lover is unfaithful; but if it burns with steady glow until it becomes ashes, she knows that her lover is true. Sometimes it happens, but not often, that both nuts burn steadily, and then the maiden's heart is sore perplexed.
KISMET Take half as many apples as guests, tie two long strings, one red and one yellow, to each apple. ”

“ BOWLS One bowl is filled with clear water, another with wine, a third with vinegar, a fourth is empty. All are placed in line on table. Each person in turn is blindfolded, turned about three times, and led to table. A hand is put out and prophecy made by bowl touched. Water shows happy, peaceful life; wine promises rich, eventful, noble career; vinegar, misery and poverty; an empty bowl is a symbol of bachelor or spinster life. ”

“ If a maid wishes to know whom she is to marry, if a man of wealth, tradesman, or traveler, let her, on All-Hallow-e'en, take a walnut, hazelnut, and nutmeg; grate and mix them with butter and sugar into pills, and take when she goes to bed; and then, if her fortune be to marry a rich man, her sleep will be filled with gold dreams; if a tradesman, she will dream of odd noises and tumults; if a traveler, there will be thunder and lightning to disturb her. ”

“ Sometimes candles will huddle together as if talking to one another, while perchance one will be left alone, out in the cold, as it were. Again, two will start off and all the rest will closely follow. The one whose candle first goes out is destined to be old bachelor or maid. These nut-shell boats may also be made by pouring melted wax into halves of walnut-shells in which are short strings for wicks.
DUMB CAKE Each one places handful of wheat flour on sheet of white paper and sprinkles it over with a pinch of salt. Some one makes it into dough, being careful not to use spring water. ”

“ APPLE SEEDS Name two wet apple seeds and stick them on forehead. First seed to fall indicates that the person for whom seed is named is not a true lover.
PARTNERS The players divide themselves into ladies and gentlemen, if the ladies predominate some must personate gentlemen, and vice versa. The gentlemen then proceed to choose lady partners. One of the players next undertakes to question the couples. The fun consists of the questions being put to the lady and the gentleman answering for her. "Do you like your partner?" the lady is asked, and the gentleman may reply, "Yes, I adore him." ”

“ Whatever the reply the lady is forbidden to deny it; if she does, or if she answers for herself, she must pay a forfeit. But retaliation comes, for when all the ladies have been questioned the gentlemen's turn arrives, and the ladies answer for their partners. "What is your favorite occupation?" ”

“ RING AND GOBLET Tie wedding-ring or key to silken thread or horsehair, and hold it suspended within a glass; then say the alphabet slowly; whenever ring strikes glass, begin over again and in this way spell name of future mate.
MIRROR AND APPLE Stand in front of mirror in dimly lighted room and eat an apple. If your lover reciprocates your love he will appear behind you and look over your right shoulder and ask for a piece of apple.
APPLE-SEED TEST Cut an apple open and pick out seeds from core. If only two seeds are found, they portend early marriage ”

“ The lady and gentleman winding the same string will marry each other, conditions being favorable; otherwise they will marry someone else. Those who meet one of their own sex at the other end of the string will be old maids or bachelors.
The couple finishing first will be wedded first.
A prize may be given the lucky couple, also to the pair of old maids and the pair of bachelors finishing first.
PARTNERS
Partners for different games or for the midnight spread may be decided by the fates. Write a number on one side of a small slip of paper, on the reverse side write a bit of "fortune." ”

“ CYNIVER Each girl and boy seeks an even-leaved sprig of ash; first of either sex that finds one calls out cyniver, and is answered by first of opposite sex that succeeds; and these two, if omen fails not, will be joined in wedlock.
NAMING CHESTNUTS Roast three chestnuts before the fire, one of which is named for some lady (or gentleman) ; the other two, for gentlemen (or ladies) . If they separate, so will those for whom they are named; those jumping toward the fire are going to a warmer climate; those jumping from the fire, to a colder climate ”

“ Cellar-stairs' test is where girl boldly goes downstairs backward, holding a mirror, and trying to catch in it the features of him who is to be her mate.
AROUND THE WALNUT TREE
Of all Hallow-e'en spells and charms associated with nuts, the following is one of the oldest: If a young man or woman goes at midnight on Hallow-e'en to a walnut tree and walks around three times, crying out each time, "Let him (her) that is to be my true love bring me some walnuts," future wife or husband will be seen in tree gathering nuts. ”

“ Stop at each line to place a seed on a paper, and turn slip over to discover name of one you love or cast away. Continue matching apple seeds with papers as you count, until all twelve seeds and twelve papers are used.
HIDING RING, THIMBLE AND PENNY Hide ring, thimble and penny in room. To one who finds ring, speedy marriage is assured; thimble denotes life of single blessedness; penny promises wealth. ”

“ Impelled by attraction of gravitation, needles will act very curiously; some cling together, others rush to margin and remain. The manner in which one person's needle behaves towards another's causes amusement, and is supposed to be suggestive and prophetic.
WINDING YARN Throw a ball of yarn out of window but hold fast to one end and begin to wind. As you wind say, "I wind, who holds?" over and over again; before end of yarn is reached, face of future partner will appear in window, or name of sweetheart will be whispered in ear.
RIDDLES Few children think they will ever tire of playing games ”

“ BARREL-HOOP Suspend horizontally from ceiling a barrel-hoop on which are fastened alternately at regular intervals apples, cakes, candies, candle-ends. Players gather in circle and, as it revolves, each in turn tries to bite one of the edibles; the one who seizes candle pays forfeit.
JUMPING LIGHTED CANDLE Place a lighted candle in middle of floor, not too securely placed; each one jumps over it. Whoever succeeds in clearing candle is guaranteed a happy year, free of trouble or anxiety. He who knocks candle over will have a twelve-month of woe. ”

“ If seed named travel stays on longer, you will go on a journey before year expires. If "Home" clings better, you will remain home. Again, take all the apple seeds, place them on back of outspread left hand and with loosely clenched right hand strike palm of left. This will cause some, if not all, of seeds to fall. Those left on hand show number of letters you will receive the coming fortnight. Should all seeds drop, you must wait patiently for your mail. ”

“ If stalk comes up easily the sweetheart will be easy to win; if the reverse, hard to win. The shape of the stump will hint at figure of prospective wife or husband. Its length will suggest age. If much soil clings to it, life-partner will be rich; if not, poor. Finally, the stump is carried home and hung over door, first person outside of family who passes under it will bear a name whose initial is same as that of sweetheart.
NUTS TO CRACK
Pass pencils and paper to each guest with the following written upon it:—
(A Dairy product.) ”

“ CANDLE AND APPLE At one end of stick 18 inches long fasten an apple; at the other end, a short piece of lighted candle. Suspend stick from ceiling by stout cord fastened in its middle so that stick will balance horizontally; while stick revolves players try to catch apple with their teeth. A prize may be in center of apple. ”

“ Any ingenious person will interpret the shapes, and furnish much amusement for the listeners; thus, a bell-shaped drop indicates a wedding within a year; a drop resembling a torch or lamp signifies fame ”

“ Go to Market.—The culprit is ordered to go to market with some one of the opposite sex. They stand about eight feet apart, facing each other, and the culprit asks his companion if she likes apples (or any article he may choose) if the answer is "yes," she takes a step forward, if "no," a step backward. If something is liked very much or disliked very much a long step is taken. ”

“ Have red ribbon for the girls and yellow ribbon for the boys, with corresponding numbers. Let each guest draw a ribbon from the pumpkin and find their partner by number.
Another suggestion is to have the hall totally dark with the door ajar and no one in sight to welcome the guests. As they step in they are surprised to be greeted by some one dressed as a ghost who extends his hand which is covered with wet salt. ”

“ APPLES AND FLOUR Suspend horizontally from ceiling a stick three feet long. On one end stick an apple, upon other tie small bag of flour. Set stick whirling. Each guest takes turn in trying to bite apple-end of stick. It is amusing to see guests receive dabs of flour on face. Guest who first succeeds in biting apple gets prize. ”

“ If the paper band is used, the numbers may be written on them and partners drawn before the nuts are cracked and fortunes read.
There should be two portions of nuts and two sets of numbers, one for the ladies and one for the gentlemen. The lady and gentleman drawing corresponding numbers are partners.
A FEW SUGGESTIONS FOR FORTUNES.
You will meet your future husband (or wife) to-night.
Prosperity and love await you. ”

“ With hands tied behind them the young folks endeavor to extricate the apples with their teeth, and it is alleged that the name appearing upon the slip fastened to the apple is the patronymic of the future helpmeet of the one securing the fruit from the receptacle. ”

“ The Three Salutes.—The victim is required to "Kneel to the prettiest; bow to the wittiest and kiss the one he loves best." The easiest way to pay this forfeit is to kneel to the plainest, bow to the dullest and kiss the one for whom he cares the least.
Kiss the Lady you Love the best without letting any one know.—This is performed by the condemned kissing several ladies, or perhaps every lady in the room.
Imitate a Donkey.—The culprit must bray like one. ”

“ It is, however, very difficult to remember a number of good and laughable ones, so we will give a list of some, which will be quite sufficient to puzzle a roomful of little folks for several hours.
Why are weary people like carriage-wheels?—Answer: Because they are tired. ”

“ Place them in one large or several small baskets or receptacles on a table. The girls choose the red and the boys the yellow strings and at a signal they carefully pull the strings and follow them up until each finds his or her mate holding the string of the opposite color, attached to the same apple. The apples are then to be divided between each couple and the seeds in each half, counted as follows:
One—I love thee. ”