Games for Hallow-een | Page 3

guest who cuts off the slice containing the ring will be married first.
LOVER'S TEST
A maid and youth each places a chestnut to roast on fire, side by side. If one hisses and steams, it indicates a fretful temper in owner of chestnut; if both chestnuts equally misbehave it augurs strife. If one or both pop away, it means separation; but if both burn to ashes tranquilly side by side, a long life of undisturbed happiness will be lot of owners.
These portentous omens are fitly defined in the following lines:
"These glowing nuts are emblems true Of what in human life we view; The ill-matched couple fret and fume, And thus in strife themselves consume; Or from each other wildly start, And with a noise forever part. But see the happy, happy pair, Of genuine love and truth sincere; With mutual fondness while they burn, Still to each other kindly turn; And as the vital sparks decay, Together gently sink away; Till life's fierce trials being past, Their mingled ashes rest at last."
PERPLEXING HUNT
In this game the seeker for a prize is guided from place to place by doggerels as the following, and is started on his hunt with this rhyme:
"Perhaps you'll find it in the air; If not, look underneath your chair."
Beneath his chair he finds the following:
"No, you will not find it here; Search the clock and have no fear."
Under the clock he finds:
"You will have to try once more; Look behind the parlor door."
Tied to the door-knob he discovers:
"If it's not out in the stable Seek beneath the kitchen table."
Under the kitchen table he finds another note, which reads:
"If your quest remains uncertain, You will find it 'neath a curtain."
And here his quest is rewarded by finding the prize.
APPLE SEEDS
Apple seeds act as charms on Hallowe'en. Stick one on each eyelid and name one "Home" and the other "Travel." 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.
Put twelve apple seeds carefully one side while you cut twelve slips of blank paper exactly alike, and on one side of each write name of friend. Turn them all over with blanks uppermost and mix them so that you will not know which is which; then, holding seeds in your left hand; repeat:
"One I love, Two I love, Three I love I say; Four I love with all my heart Five I cast away. Six he loves, Seven she loves, Eight they both love; Nine he comes, Ten he tarries, Eleven he courts and Twelve he marries."
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.
PULLING KALE
All are blindfolded and go out singly or hand-in-hand to garden. Groping about they pull up first stalk of kale or head of cabbage. 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:--
1 (A Dairy product.) 2 (A Vegetable.) 3 (A Country.) 4 (A Girl's name.) 5 (A structure.) 6 (A name often applied to one of our presidents.) 7 (Every Ocean has one.) 8 (That which often holds a treasure.) 9 (The names of two boys.) 10 (A letter of the alphabet and an article made of tin.)
Explain that the above describes ten different nuts, which they are to guess. The nuts described are (1) butternut; (2) peanut; (3) brazil nut; (4) hazel nut; (5) walnut; (6) hickory nut; (7) beechnut; (8) chestnut; (9) filbert; (10) pecan. A prize may be awarded to the one first having correct answers.
RAISIN RACE
A raisin is strung in middle of thread a yard long, and two