HALLOWE’EN PRANKS

Hallowe’en is the night when the youth dress up in costumes, and go about the neighbourhood and receive treats. Some might put soap on the windows, or decorate the trees with toilet tissue, but in general, the damage they do is minimal.

In the early forties, the custom was a bit different. The children didn’t dress up, or go to the houses in the community soliciting treats. They went out and played tricks on their neighbours.

The first stop would be at the residence of Dolphie Burke. Dolphie and his wife, Maggie, had no children, and they never did appreciate the visits from other children, especially on Hallowe’en. They had two apple trees at the front of the house which were guarded closely. On a particular night, the youngsters assembled around the trees, and were just ready to fill their pockets with the luscious fruit when Dolphie appeared. He had a whip in his hand, one with an exceptionally long lash on the end of it, and if you were a marathon runner you could get away. If not, you suffered from the stroke of his whip wherever it might hit you. One older resident still remembers the anguish caused by that whip. While Dolphie was out chasing the youngsters, another group went through the field and took the truck- wagon, leaving it in the ditch. It was merely moved from the property, but never damaged. Dolphie was so upset, that he left it in the ditch all Fall, and used the drag-sleigh to take in his harvest. The next year, Dolphie was prepared for Hallowe’en. He tied a bucket of stones to the wagon wheel, so when they moved the wagon, the stones fell on the ground alerting Dolphie, who scared them off with his whip. They returned later on, when the bucket was empty, and they managed to take the truck-wagon. It was sitting in the ditch when he arose the next morning. Hallowe’en wouldn’t be the same if Dolphie’s truck-wagon

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