be in fun, and partly in earnest. The plan of proceeding
is as follows:--Nuts are placed on the bars of the fire grate, equal in
number to the young lady's lovers, and the nut that cracks first, and
jumps off the bar, represents her true love. She has, of course fixed in
her mind the lover each nut stands for. So common is this test that in
the North of England _All Hallows Eve_ is called "_Nutcrack night_."

_Gay_ describes the ceremony:--

Two hazel nuts I throw into the flame
And to each nut I give a sweetheart's name;
This with the loudest bounce me sore amazed,
That in a flame of brightest-colour blazed;
As blazed the nut, so may thy passions grow,
For 'twas thy nut that did so brightly glow.

_Burns_, in his poem of _Hallowe'en_ also mentions the nut divination.

The auld guidwife's weel-hoordet nits
Are round an' round divided,
An' monie lads' and lasses' fates
Are there that night decided;
Some kindle, couthie, side by side,
An' burn thegither trimly;
Some start awa' wi' saucy pride,
And jump out-owre the chimlie
Fu' high that night.
Jean slips in twa' wi' tentie e'e;
Wha 'twas, she wadna tell;
But this is Jock, an' this is me,
She says in to hersel':
He bleez'd owre her, and she owre him,
As they wad never mair part;
'Till, fuff! he started up the lum,
An' Jean had e'en a sair heart
To see't that night.

_The Apple Pip Trial of Lovers_.

The fair lady takes as many pips as she has lovers, and these she places
on the point of a knife, which she inserts between the bars of the fire
grate. Each pip represents a lover, and the pip that swells out and
jumps into the fire indicates that he is the best lover for whom the pip
stands.

SPIRITUALISM.

The next subject I shall treat of is curious, and partakes of the nature
of spiritualism. I hardly know by what other word to describe it,
therefore I will give particulars, so as to make the matter intelligible
to the reader, and call it "Spiritualism."

It was believed that it was possible for the spirit to leave the body,
and then, after an absence of some time, to return again and re-enter it.
The form the spirit assumed when it quitted the body was a bluish light
like that of a candle, but somewhat longer. This light left the body
through the mouth, and re-entered the same way.

The writer wa