Werner's Readings & Recitations: No. 31, Hallowe'en Festivities
Examples of Entertaining Games and Mysteries for Hallowe'en
March to Supper:
Method of Securing Partners for Dinner
Supper Partners are secured by drawing lots from two baskets or dishes of English walnuts which have been prepared as follows:
Cut English walnuts open, being careful not to break the half shells; remove the meat and place inside one raisin, or one pea, bean, filbert, or one such similar thing; tie the two half shells together with fancy ribbon. Make the contents of two walnuts just alike and keep the walnuts apart, placing one in one dish and the other in another dish, making enough so that every guest will have one. When supper-time comes, pass one dish to the men and the other dish to the women, each man and each woman taking a walnut, and the man and woman whose walnuts have similar contents are supper partners.
When all have partners, they form in couples and march to supper to "Dead March" in "Saul." (Price 35 cents.)
Game of Fate:
Guests take part, seated in a circle. Three Fates are chosen, one of whom whispers to each person in turn name of his (her) future sweetheart. Second Fate follows, whispering to each where he (she) will next meet his (her) sweetheart; as, "You will meet on a load of hay," or, "at a picnic," or, "at church," or, "on the river," etc. The third Fate reveals the future; as, "You will marry him (her) next Christmas," or, "You will be separated many years by a quarrel, but will finally marry," or, "Neither of you will ever marry," etc. Each guest must remember what is said by the Fates; then each in turn repeats aloud what has been told him (her). For example, "My future sweetheart's name is Obednego; I shall meet him next Wednesday on the Moonlight Excursion, and we shall be married in a week."
Water Experiment:
A laughable experiment consists in filling mouth with water and walking around house or block without swallowing or spilling a drop. First person of opposite sex you meet is your fate. A clever hostess will send two unsuspecting lovers by different doors; they are sure to meet, and not unfrequently settle matters then and there.
HOME TESTS
New Friends:
Old Friends cannot be too highly valued, but new ones also frequently prove joys in our lives. To know how many new friends you will make ensuing year, count number of buttons on dress or coat of first person the fairies send to your room after twelve o'clock noon, October 31. Should some one enter whose clothing shows no buttons, you will be obliged to rest content for a whole year with the friends you already have.
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.
The Dreamer:
If a maid wishes to know whom she is to marry, if to a man of wealth, tradesman, or traveler, let her, on All-Hallowe'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.
Wood and Water:
A quaint book of charms, published in 1690, declares that an infallible means of getting a glimpse of future husband or wife is to go to bed on Hallowe'en with a glass of water containing a sliver of wood, standing on table by bedside. You will dream of falling from a bridge into a river, and of being rescued by your future wife or husband, whom you will see distinctly. This charm is alluded to by Gay:
Last Hallow Eve I looked my love to see,
And tried a spell to call her up to me.
With wood and water standing by my side,
I dreamed a dream and saw my own sweet bride."
Dry Bread:
Dreams mean much on Hallowe'en, but certain ceremonies must be carefully followed in order to insure the spell. Before going to sleep for the night have some one bring a small piece of dry bread. No word can be spoken after this; silence must prevail. Eat bread slowly, at same time making a wish and thinking the pleasantest thing imaginable. Then drop off to sleep, and your dreams will be sweet and peaceful, and your wish will come true, if the charm works.
Combing Hair Before Mirror:
Stand alone before mirror, and by light of candle comb your hair; face of future partner will appear in glass, peeping over your shoulder.
Excerpt Taken From:
Schell, Stanley. Werner's Readings & Recitations: No. 31, Hallowe'en Festivities. New York, NY: Edgar S. Werner & Co., 1903.
More Games and Mysteries
Witches Dance
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