From the Nov. 3, 1910 edition of the Vineyard Gazette:

Hallowe’en festivities this year have extended over an unusually protracted period, and witchery and weirdness have held high carnival. On Saturday evening Miss Evelyn Strahl was surprised by a party of nine ghostly visitors, and another Hallowe’en surprise party occurred at the home of Miss Gertrude Kimball on Pierce avenue. Monday evening the Woman’s Club inaugurated the season of 1910-11 with a social, at which Mrs. Frank W. Beetle was hostess. On Monday evening, also, Hallowe’en was fittingly observed at the home of Mrs. Wm. A. Black, where the lady named and Mrs. Raymond Walker entertained. Another Hallowe’en party was that given by Miss Kathleen Vincent Tuesday evening.

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There have been an unusual number of changes of location among the renting class this autumn. Mrs. E. G. Beetle having sold her Oak Bluffs home will reside in Vineyard Haven for the future.

Mr. George Norton has started to build a store on his house place, West Chop Road, near the end of North Main street. It is supposed he will carry groceries and meat.

We learn that the “smart set” at the north end of the village are giving and attending “horoscope” parties. O, horrors!

Mr. and Mrs. Henry Walker Daggett of West Chop have taken rooms at Mr. and Mrs. L. T. Norton’s for the winter months.

The pavements, walks and steps of the school building are fine specimens of workmanship and are really imposing in appearance. The new rooms are light and airy.

Mrs. Isadora Horton and son, Mr. Charles Horton, who have recently sold their cottage at West Chop are preparing to move up to the town for the winter. The purchaser of their place has already made quite extensive improvements, dormers, piazzas, &c., and will soon begin to enlarge the rooms by taking down partitions making them more spacious and airy.

Mr. Lindley Wing Mayhew and family of West Tisbury will occupy the Ellis Manter house for the winter months and may possibly remain in town through the school year.

Mrs. F. A. Gardner, of West Chop, and friend, have taken rooms at the Mansion House and will stay late.

Mrs. Marcus Cummings and sister are occupying a suite at the Mansion House for the winter months.

A very happy affair occurred Monday evening at the M. E. vestry when the young people of the Sunday School and some just a little bit older were given a hallowe’en party. It was under the auspices of Miss Nina Eldridge’s class of young ladies, Misses Mildred Renear. Esther Luce, Laura Look and several others.

A very amusing and rather thrilling program, consisting chiefly of games, was entered into with much spirit by all present. Ghosts were in evidence to some extent; telling of fortunes, doing stunts, bobbing for apples, serving refreshments and doing other equally ghost-like tricks. The human-ophone was in a measure melodious and everything went off right merrily. The decorations were stacks of corn, pumpkins, both lantern and plain, and autumn leaves. Eatables were simple but nice, apples, snaps and lemonade.

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Sch E. C. Gates loaded at Osborn’s wharf this week 1347 barrels salted alewives, which she will take to New York and which are destined for the West India export trade. The herring were put up this spring under the direction of William Tarr for the Gloucester Mackerel Co. and were a product of Mattakessett Creek.

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The weather here has been exceptionally fine the past week. The work of repairing the porch roofs and foundations of Union Chapel is now in progress.

The building, known in the early days as the Hartford House, owned by Mr. Harrison, then owned successively by J. T. Carpenter, Christopher Look, Kenney and Moore, and now by Messrs. Darling and Macy (so we have been informed), and recently used in the manufacture and sale of candies and popcorn, is being remodelled and will be coverted into two fine stores. A piece of land on the east side will be utilized to enlarge the store on the side. Mr. Arthur C. Smith is doing the work.

A moving picture show was given at Luce’s Hall on Circuit avenue on Tuesday evening.

Miss Vivian Silvey gave a delightful hallowe’en party one evening during the week.

Compiled by Hilary Wallcox
library@vineyardgazette.com