THE AMERICAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS.

HALLOWEEN FAGOTS.

BY EMMA J. GRAY.

A heavy farm wagon was lumbering along, raising clouds of dust, as the children, each with a bag suspended from his or her arm, hailed the driver for a lift. They were so tired, for they had been scouring the woods for hours, each striving to see whose bag would be the heaviest when they set their faces homeward; and now, as the yellow gold of the afternoon sunset was fast deepening into night, and there was yet many a weary mile between these Thornton woods and their supper, for which everybody had over and again testified that he was "just starving," they begged for a ride.

The driver was a middle-aged man, somewhat crippled and bent with toil. His shoulders were round, his chest hollow, his hair a mixture of brown and gray; but his big honest blue eyes shone with a kindly light, that softened the harsh skin as he called "Whoa!" and the children hurriedly climbed, some over the wheels, and others by the back and front—any way to get in—and a moment later the indulgent if homely man had a wagon-load of pleasant company.

"Well done, gals and boys; many's the time I wuz jist as spry, but I haven't done it for nigh unto twenty year." And he pointed to the large knots on his hands that showed the effect of rheumatism. But his misfortunes had not soured him, for he was anxious to learn all about the happy day. And they all had a turn in telling him.

And thus it was that he soon learned the nutting party had been planned from away back, back as far as last October, and that a gayer set of young people he had never seen in all his life than they were when they met, luncheon in hand, at the cross-roads that morning. They had taken their luncheon, they explained, because they wanted to make a full day of it this time.

What a day! What a tramp! What bags of nuts! The boys had climbed trees like the veriest of nimble squirrels; ran along the branches too, and shook the ripe beauties down, while the girls were anything but quiet underneath; and now, simply because it was night, and they were so tired and hungry, they had to go home. Otherwise they would have liked the day to last a week at the very least, so that they could have a longer run, watch out later for the rabbits, woodpeckers, and squirrels, and try and find bigger bouquets of red berries and autumn leaves.

It was even confided to this man, before the last one got out of the wagon—for he indulgently stopped at the nearest points for all—that Robert and Sophie McLaren, who sat near the driver's seat, were to give a fagot party on All-Halloween, to which they were all invited, and that some of the nuts were to be saved for that particular occasion.

A week later one of the boys, who was studying art, walked along the same road. He had been sketching the distant woods, and again met the driver of the comfortable though heavy farm wagon. This time the man's keen far-sightedness saw him first, and having recognized one of "the jolly young'uns," as in telling his wife of his adventure he explained was "a fittin' name for 'em," he whipped up his horses the sooner to hail the boy, hoping for companionship. And he was not disappointed, for the drawing materials had grown heavier with each step. And thus it was that the benevolent if curious man heard all about the fagot party.

The boy commenced by explaining the meaning of the word fagot, a bundle of twigs; and there were just as many twigs as there were girls and boys, "the idea being that we should each draw a twig from the bundle as our names were called. And they were all called by the hostess, according to the letters of the alphabet. For instance, my name begins with A; therefore I had to draw the first twig. Having drawn the twig, I put it on the open coal fire, and at once commenced to tell a story. As long as the twig lasted I had to talk; but when it was burned up I had to stop; and as it burned very fast towards the end, I wound up in a jiffy. As soon as I was through, the next name was called, and that person did exactly as I did, only told a different story of course."

The story part of the explanation seemed rather mystifying, so the boy said, "I'll tell you the story I told, and then perhaps you'll understand. The title was 'The Professor.' Place, a boy's room in college. Time, an hour before recitation.

"Duty is a grim taskmaster, and sometimes I don't fancy obeying him. This was one of the times. I thought, what's the use of algebra, anyway?—lots of people have lived and died without even knowing there is such a study; so, in the hour allowed for preparation of multiplying 2a+5c by a-c, and all the rest of the rubbish, I decided to close the window-shutters, draw down the shades, light the candles—in fact, make believe it was night, and have in all the fellows for an out-and-out spread. With this idea I had made preparation; the mince pie was on the table, pumpkin pie ditto, a big pitcher of milk, some apples, bananas, and hickory nuts; when all of a sudden, just as I was expecting the boys to file quietly in, who should I hear tip-toeing along the hall but the Professor? My hair almost stood on end, wondering what his next move would be, so sure I was that he was sniffing these questionable odors. I had but a second to wonder, however, for the door-knob turned and we stood face to face. He did not look at all surprised. I drew a long breath. Neither of us spoke. He seemed, I thought, to take a certain sort of delight in watching me. The longer he watched, the more uncomfortable I felt. I thought if there was any way of getting out of this! The dreary hopelessness of my situation was appalling. Every second seemed an hour, for the cool steel-colored eyes never lifted; they seemed to read me through and through.

"After what seemed to me to be an eternity of time he slowly asked, 'Where are the boys?' And back of him, through the open doorway, I saw them stand. They had all come together, hoping in this way the better to escape detection; their feet had silently fallen all at the one time, for they had practised marching in unison.

"After lingering for my answer he teasingly turned towards them, for they were so petrified at the sight of the Professor they stood irresolute, and he, quite conscious of the situation, then changed into a smiling host, and welcomed them to the feast. He made us all sit down and eat until the pie was entirely gone. I never made so uncomfortable a meal. I thought I would choke; the food stuck in my throat, and the silence, the torturing silence, was agonizing. I tell you, none of us fellows ever forgot that meal; it was the heaviest punishment we ever endured.

"When we were finished, our host's manner changed. He was again the Professor. In clear-cut sarcastic words he stated that in five minutes he would be in the algebra room, and would expect particularly well prepared papers.

"The remembrance of that feast thrills me yet. Oh, how we recoiled before him!" and the boy seemed to tremble and shrink while he talked. "Yes, that feast will keenly and uncomfortably thrill me always."

The boy having ended, looked gayly up at the driver, and was surprised to see how pained he looked. The man had believed every word, and could scarcely understand what was meant when he was told that the story was all imagination, that it never really happened, but was only made up to tell while his twig burned.

However, the man soon heartily laughed, and then asked, "Wha'd ye play next?" And so interested was he in hearing the merry games that he did his best to delay his horses so as not to miss too many of them.

The first that the boy explained was "The Fortunate Apple." On several pieces of wood, thin as paper, write in ink or paint girls' names. Use only first names, and, after including all the girls to be invited, make up others. Slip each name into an apple. This set will do for the boys; make similar ones for the girls. Fill three portable tubs with water, and set an even number of apples floating in each tub. Fasten the arms of three boys securely back, and cover them entirely with water-proof cloaks. Lead each boy to a tub and ask him to repeat distinctly,

"Witches and wizards and birds of the air, Goblins and brownies, all lend me your care, Now to choose wisely for once and for all, And ever your names in praise loudly I'll call."

Then each boy must put his head down and try to catch in his teeth an apple. In it he'll find the name of one of the girls present, and she will be his fate. If the name is a strange one, there will even then be teasing enough for him. After the boys have all tried the game, then it is time for the girls.

Lead a girl up to a tub and blindfold her; lead her around while she repeats the rhyme, and with the words "loudly I call," she must bend down and try to catch in one hand an apple, or, if she prefers, she may try to spear an apple with a fork. If the latter way, only one drop of the fork will be allowed. If it sticks far enough in an apple not to fall altogether, her fate is sure.

Another game was called "The Three T's," or "The Tumbler Test."

Fill three tumblers with water. One must hold blue water, such as the laundress uses for clothes, another must hold soapy water, and another clear water, while still another must be empty. These tumblers should stand on a table directly before the individual who is to be blindfolded. After he is blindfolded, change the position of the glasses, placing one where the other one stood, and so on. Then instruct the party to dip his fingers into one of the tumblers. Having felt around, his fingers are dipped into clear water, and thus he learns that he is to marry a beautiful rich girl. Had he dipped into the soapy water, it would have meant that he would marry a poor widow; if in the blue water, he would be a noted author; if in the empty glass, he would die a bachelor. This game is played in the same way with the girls, only, of course, changing the sex, as, example, marrying a rich, handsome man.

As the boy was now very near home, he had only time to explain one more game, called "The Walnut's Fortune."

A quantity of walnuts had been carefully opened in half, and inside each one was slipped a narrow piece of paper which predicted the future. The nuts were kept from opening by having a small elastic slipped over each. The boys' walnuts were put in one basket and the girls' in another, and the girls' basket was first offered. As each girl held her hand over the basket she repeated,

"Steady, good fairy, I am wary; Pray let my hand make no mistake; I would only the right nut take."

Then, having put her hand down, she lifted up a nut, removed the elastic, and taking out the paper, read her future aloud. Example: "You will travel around the world. At the age of twenty-three you will sing before two thousand people." And thus the future was predicted in similar style for all the players.

But the boy was at his destination, and therefore his new friend and himself had to part company, not before the driver said, however, "I'll come along arter you some day, fer I can't git over feelin' glad to see you ag'in; no knowin' what you'll hev ter tell nex' time."