nine o'clock
The Hilton House indulged in an old-fashioned country Hallowe'en , with a spelling match , dancing to `` Roger de Coverley '' and `` Money Musk , '' apple-bobbing and all the other traditional methods of finding out about your lover on All Saints ' Eve . The Westcott gave a `` spook '' party , one of the other houses a play , still another a goblin dance , to which everybody carried jack-o ' - lanterns , and the rest celebrated the holiday in other characteristic and amusing ways . The campus resembled a cross between the midway at a World 's Fair and the grand finale of a comic opera ; for ghosts consorted there with ballet dancers and Egyptian princesses , spooks and goblins linked arms with pirates in top-boots and rosy farmers ' daughters in calico , and nuns and Puritan maidens chatted familiarly with villainous and fascinating gentlemen , who twirled black mustaches and threatened to kiss them . By nine o'clock everybody had seen everybody else , and congratulations for successful costumes , clever acting , and thrilling ghost stories were nearly all distributed . Toward the end of the evening there were a good many small gatherings , met to talk over the fun in detail and enjoy the numerous `` spreads '' that had been sent on from home , -- for the college girl 's family becomes almost as expert in detecting a festival afar off as is the girl herself . Nan never let the Wales household forget its duty in such matters , and a merry party was assembled in Betty 's room to eat the salad , sandwiches , jelly , olives , cake , candy , nuts , and fruit that her mother had provided . `` How time flies , '' observed Mary Brooks sagely , helping herself to another sandwich .