Fig. [448].—Apple witch.
A glimpse into the future showing the disposition of your sweetheart may be had by
Tasting Apple-seeds
which have previously been dampened and each dipped into a separate flavoring. The moisture will cause the spices, etc., to cling to the seed, giving various flavors. Those dipped in liquids must, of course, be afterward dried. If to your lot falls a seed which has been powdered with pulverized cloves, your life companion will never be dull and uninteresting; pepper denotes quick temper; sugar, affection and kindness; cinnamon is lively, buoyant and bright; vinegar, sour and cross; gall, bitter and morose; molasses, loving but stupid; lemon, refreshing and interesting. Add as many more flavors as you wish. When the seeds have been prepared and dried wrap each one in a small piece of white tissue-paper and pass them around to the young people, allowing each girl and boy to take two of the prophecies; then all the children must be quiet while each in turn tastes first one, then the other seed, telling aloud as he does so the particular flavor he has received. Should a player find the first seed sweet and the other sour, it would mean that the disposition of the future wife or husband will vary, partaking more of the stronger flavoring. If the taste of the first apple seed is pleasant, the married life of the player will be reasonably happy. If the flavor is very agreeable, the married life will be very happy; if the flavor proves unpleasant, it is best to remain single.
A very jolly time may be had with
Fortune Bags.
Purchase or make a number of brown paper bags of medium size. In each place a simple little gift such as a tiny home-made doll, a paper toy you have manufactured or a picture of a young woman or man cut from a newspaper and pasted neatly on a half sheet of fresh writing-paper, drop a nut in the fifth bag and add other home-made gifts for other bags, and label each appropriately. Pin a piece of paper on the doll with these words written on it, "Dorothy's new doll" (if none of the girls happens to have that name use another in its place). Under the young woman's picture write, "Marie when she is grown," and under the young man's write, "This is Malcolm when he is a man." Change the names if they do not represent any of the party. After a gift has been dropped in, take the bags one at a time and blow them full of air, do not allow the air to escape while you wind a string around the openings and tie them securely. The bags, being puffed out with air, will appear much the same, rendering it impossible to tell, by merely looking at them, which contain the largest gifts. All the bags should be tied on a strong string, forming a fringe of bags stretched across the room. The young people should draw lots for first choice of the fortune bags, then each player in turn must point to the bag selected, no one being allowed to touch a bag until the leader has clipped it from the string. Only one bag can be given out and opened at a time, in order that all may see and enjoy the contents of each separate fortune. All young people enjoy the fun of trying their fortunes. Even when convalescent and not yet quite strong enough to join in the general frolic, they may, in a quiet way test many old-time and some new prophecies. The three saucers is one as in the illustration. The apple seeds charm commencing with "One I love" is another and for new ideas there is The Feather test, Witch Writing, etc.