n one
side of the wheel, and you catch an apple in your mouth as the wheel
turns, marm, or else get smutched with the candle, marm, which is more
likely, and then you gets laughed at, marm. And you pare apples, and
throw the paring over your right shoulder, and it makes the first letter
of the name of the man that you are to marry, marm."

Mrs. Miller lifted her hands.

"And you eat an apple before a looking-glass, holding a candle in your
left hand, and the one you are to marry comes and looks over your
shoulder into the glass, marm. And they tell you to find fern-seed, and
you will become rich, marm. But there ain't any fern-seed to be found,
marm. And they do lots of things."

"'Liza, what do the saints have to do with such doin's as these?"

"They like to see young folks enjoy themselves, I expects, marm."

"It is the ghost of the living that seem to come, 'Liza."

"All the more interesting, marm."

"Oh,'Liza! 'Liza! such things bode no good! Mercy! what was _that_?'"

There came a succession of loud raps on the door.

"I hope that Halloween is not coming here," said Mrs. Miller.

The door suddenly opened with a gust of wind. A tall girl appeared out
of breath, and said, "Please, Mrs. Miller, Mrs. Hopgood's very sick. Ma
wants to know if you'll let Obed go for the doctor?"

"Yes, yes, yes. Obed, you put the horse into the wagon, and go!"

"Yes," echoed Mr. Miller. "Obed, you go!"

Obed's face was filled with pain and terror. English Eliza saw the
expression, and she understood it. Obed stood up, but did not move.

"Why don't you go?" said Mr. Miller, severely.

"It is that night!"

"What?"

"Halloween," he added. "And I'll have to go by the way of the
grave-yard."

English Eliza's heart was full. "I'm sorry I said these scary things,
marm. Let me go with him, marm. I ain't afraid of anything, marm, and I
do not wonder that Obed is afraid after such stories as they tell in
this new country, marm."

"Yes, 'Liza, you may go. I can trust you anywhere."

Obed's cords seemed to unloose, and his feet flew. In a few minutes Obed
and English Eliza were mounted on the carriage seat, and were soon
speeding away towards the doctor's, which was in the centre of the town.

"Now, Obed, you shall keep Halloween. Young people in England sometimes
ride on this night by lonely places just to test their courage. Obed, I
believe that you have only one fault, and that is what my poor mother
would have called sup