collect the proper tax for the year. Prudent folk

collect the proper tax for the year. Prudent folk withdrew and barred their doors or lit huge bonfires to frighten away the evil spirits being called forth. In Europe festivals grew around the bonfire rituals, and the louder the celebration the less inclined-it was hoped-were the Spirits to hang about. Now many countries have religious festivals and solemn celebrations at this time of year to honor the dead. No longer believed to be wicked, the dead are now regarded as the dear departed who might still need the prayers of the faithful. This switch was, no doubt, the attempt of the early church to adapt pagan practices to Christian custom. Accordingly, November 2nd is known as All Souls Day and in France and Germany people flock to the cemeteries to offer flowers and prayers. In remote regions the more superstitious believe that the dead souls revisit their homes and partake of earthly food. Supper is left on the table for them after the family has retired. Such folk also, making dead sure the annual meal is not skipped, take milk to the cemetery and pour it over, the tombstones. Perhaps that is what thfe black cats are looking for at night on Halloween. Do you suppose this was the origin of the midnight snack?

Now the spirits that visit our homes on this last night of October have such healthy appetites that they demand an offering from each family, and need big bags to carry off the kindly loot, Festivals and parties scare up a big din in many places, and sure enough, no evil spirits come near. I don’t spend much time in cemeteries on Halloween to check on the presence of spirits there; but I can tell you it is not the best place to find doughnuts and cider, or candy apples either, for that matter. Or milk.

As for bonfires, all the romance has been taken out of them by the permits required. Before the world was quite so regulated, we