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Halloween Customs, Superstitions & Traditions

For my Halloween entry I thought I would enlighten you as to some of the traditions and games that people participated in back in the early 1900's. Enjoy~ and Happiest of Halloween to all of my readers!

A Party Of Departed Spirits: Ask each guest to come as the ghost of some famous deceased character. Each must bring a pumpkin lantern as their ticket of admission. When all guests are assembled, announce that the first game will be guessing the ghosts. Number each person, then furnish pen and paper for the contest. Award a prize to the one who guesses the most correctly.

Ducking For Apples: Place a dime in one apple, a ring in another and a button in the third. These denote fortune, marriage and single blessedness. Mix these apples in a large tub with as many others as will fit. Players try without the use of hands to secure an apple in their mouth. Everyone must then pare their apples, trying not to break the paring strip. The apple paring is thrown over the left shoulder and is then said to form the first initial of the parer's life mate.

Sailing Walnut Boats: Boats are made from the empty walnut shells. In each is fastened a short piece of brightly-colored candle, along with the name of someone at the party. Light the candle and set it afloat with others in a tub. The boat bearing the candle first extinguished on its own will denote a bachelor or an old maid.

Candle Blowing: Blindfold players and let them blow out a candle, the number of puffs required to extinguish the flame governing the number of years before the player's marriage.

The Luggies Or The Three Bowls: Place three dishes on the floor. One containing clean water, one containing milky water and one to be kept empty. Blindfold and the spin each player, asking the player to place his or her fingers in one dish. If clean water is touched, then there will be marriage to a gentleman or a maid. If milky water is touched, that signifies widowhood or separation. If the empty bowl is touched, then there will be no marriage at all.

The Looking-Glass: If a maid walks backwards down a stairway by candlelight, while gazing into a looking-glass, she may see the face of her future mate.

Pumpkin Fortress: "Twirl a Pumpkin, then strike true, For the name depends on you." Paste gummed letters on a pumpkin. Hand it by a string and twist it a few times before letting go. When it starts to spin, players stick it with a hat pin. Whatever letter they strike will be the initial of the player's intended.

Secret Messages: Stuff large, halved walnuts with fortunes written in lemon juice, which will become visible when held over a candle.

A Gift Of Charms And Talismans: Each guest picks a small sack tied with orange and black ribbon. Inside each bag is a strip of paper bearing an individual charm for each guest. They are told that the bags are blessed by Titania, Queen of the Fairies, and her blessing would serve to keep away the witches for a period of one year.

Mystery Cake: "Cut the Flour Cake of fate, It your fortune will dictate." Pack dry flour tightly in a deep cake tin and insert small fortune-telling charms attached to strips of paper. When ready to play, turn the cake out onto a board. Each player must cut a slice and remove what he or she finds with his or her teeth.

Posted by spirits at 01:17 PM | Comments (0)

Haunted Castle Follow Up - Pictures

I thought I would follow up on the story about Kimball Castle which was my first entry a few months back. I have some pictures that illustrate the description of the castle, which I took in August.

The first image is of the post that once supported a grand entrance gate. It is just crumbling away into dust.

http://www.newenglandcuriosities.com/images/gatepost.jpg

This is image of the doorway to the castle. You can almost imagine a spectral figure looking out, keeping watch.

http://www.newenglandcuriosities.com/images/kimballdoor.jpg

This is the entire castle - in a sad condition. The sunlight is the only warmth it currently knows.

http://www.newenglandcuriosities.com/images/kimballhor.jpg

The view from the Castle of Lake Winnepausaukee. A million dollar view of one of New Hampshire's summertime playgrounds.

http://www.newenglandcuriosities.com/images/viewlake.jpg

Comments always welcome and encouraged.

Posted by spirits at 01:14 PM | Comments (0)

Lady In White

Well, we talked about the lady in Red in our last entry, I thought it might be time to talk about the Lady In White. I find it interesting that there are many ghost stories around the country that often include a "Lady In.." I've seen probably most often black, the lady in blue, and other tales of a lady in white. I think that gives the ghost or lost soul in the story a different kind of appeal. It instantly romanticizes the woman and makes her tale more intriguing. I thought I would start this entry with those comments. Because the tales told of the Lady In White of the Isles of Shoals are romantic and of course are intriguing.

She is also known as the Captain's Lady and the Watcher of the Isles of Shoals. She has been sighted on White Island (where the lighthouse stands) and also on Smuttynose Island. A lot has been written about her over the years. Of course there are many tales of pirates out on these 9 islands, so named for a shoal or school of fish (fishing was very abundant in the area). If you can just imagine Pirates out amongst the Isles waiting for some unwary ship. Now, some people tell the tale that she was a companion of the infamous pirate Blackbeard, or a companion to one of those who sailed with him. Whomever she is said to accompany she was left behind on the Isles. It is said she was told to guard a great treasure buried somewhere out amongst the rocks. She was told to watch over the treasure even if it "was until doomsday" awaiting her lover's return. As the story goes he sailed off looking for another adventure. In his travels he encountered a warship and refused to surrender, so he blew up his own ship's magazine with all hands on board. *Which does relate to the story of Edward Teach (Blackbeard). So, she was left to be the lady in waiting on the Island. She is often described as a woman in a long white gown, wearing a long sea coat, who stands on an outcropping of rock staring out to sea. Many people have claimed that they have heard her say "He Will Return."

There have been numerous sightings of her out on the Isles throughout the years. In fact in 1978 a young Coast Guardsmen was out on White Island securing the boats and the dock and claims to have seen the Lady. If you remember how quickly the storm blew in and with such ferocity, I'm sure that you could understand his fright in not knowing if he and the rest of the Guard would survive. He says as he turned around from the boat, standing before him was the woman in white. He told her about his fear of survival and asked about his own fate. In a reassuring way she told him that everything would be all right and for him not to worry. He returned to the shelter on the island and didn't see her again. He says he felt a sense of calm wash over him, much like the waves that glide over the rocks, and he wasn't so frightened after speaking to her. When the storm finally passed after unleashing quite a fury, he and the rest of the men on the White Island were safe and unharmed.

It sometimes makes me wonder, if on some foggy night while I am standing on the coast looking out to see the flash of White Island lighthouse, if she's out there guarding treasure and reassuring those who need it. Is she doomed to be forever lonely as she stands at her post, waiting for someone who will never return. A ghostly sad, but romantic tale, but don't all stories of romance have a shadow of sadness to stir your emotion - and don't many ghosts linger in places they hold dear?

Posted by spirits at 03:33 PM | Comments (1)

Reader Request...

Per reader requests I am posting the following: Watch for the upcoming Travel Channel broadcast of "Destination New England" 11/5/05 @ 2:00 p.m., 11/6/05 @ 10:00 a.m., 11/9/05 @ 10:00 a.m., and 11/22/05 @ 4:00 p.m featuring a walking tour hosted by your truly, Legends and Ghosts Tour of the downtown Portsmouth area and the Point of Graves burial ground.

Feedback is always welcomed here at Shadows and Spirits.

Posted by spirits at 09:52 AM | Comments (1)

Lady In Red

Off to another "haunted" Fort, this time in Kittery. Fort Foster located on Gerrish Island is one of the last fortifications built on the Seacoast and was completed in 1872. It's a wonderful place to go bike riding, or to take your dog for a walk. It's beautiful on fall days, when you are looking to take a seaside walk and take in some color. As you enter the fort, you are surrounded by a jumble of trees of all sorts. Some trees are completely engulfed in wild vines and are very interesting to look at. Amongst some of the craggy trees you will see others that have been blown over, perhaps by gusty nor'easters. You'll also notice the old lamp posts as you walk along the road to the fort, that are very ornate, but no longer work. One of the delights of this walk is that as you get closer to the end of the paved road, the Piscataqua seems to open up to a wide expanse and is just beautiful. You'll notice foundations from former buildings and gates on the site as you make your way closer to the end of the road.

A quick history lesson - Fort Foster was once associated with Fort Constitution (which we covered in our last article.) in New Castle. The current construction on the Fort commenced in 1899 and a fair amount of the buildings were completed by 1902. The Fort was closed in 1948, all of the weapons were dismantled and scrapped. It then became a recreational site for the Naval Shipyard through the 1950's, it was then later transferred to the town of Kittery. There are great places to explore inside the along the Fort walls. All buildings are closed to the public, except the Mine Observation Tower, which is used as the public restrooms, the upper part is closed off. There is a great pier that you can walk out onto and you will get a great view of Whaleback Lighthouse and the old Lifesaving station. As you look out from here you will see large concrete blocks that go out to the island where the lifesaving station is. Contrary to popular belief, that was not a bridge out to the island. That is where submarine nets were placed to capture German U-Boats - during World War II. There is a great view of New Castle, and the boat traffic that goes by is always interesting. It's also a wonderful spot for a summer picnic, with a nearby playground.

The Fort is rumored to be haunted by the "Lady In Red". She is said to wander the Fort in the evenings around dusk, and it quite often seen from the water and from New Castle. She is said to always be alone and wrapped in a long red coat. The Lady wanders the shore, nearly gliding across the land, like her feet don't touch the ground. While I have not been able to find out more about who she is, or what her name is, there have been sightings of her for over the past 25 years. Perhaps she just enjoys watching the beautiful sunsets from this spot, or maybe she is just waiting for a lost love to return.

Posted by spirits at 03:20 PM | Comments (4)