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<p>FORTY FORT &#8212; When a caretaker named Josiah welcomes you to the Nathan Denison House on the weekend before All Hallows Eve, don&#8217;t be surprised if he hands you a horseshoe.</p><p>A superstitious fellow, Josiah believes witches are afraid of horses. That&#8217;s why they ride broomsticks, you see. If you don&#8217;t shy away from the horseshoe, chances are you&#8217;re not a witch and he&#8217;ll feel safe around you.</p><p>Josiah&#8217;s little test is just one of many glimpses into 18th century life that visitors will encounter if they attend the &#8220;Colonial Superstitions, Folklore &amp; Witchcraft&#8221; candlelight tours of the historic homestead on Denison Street.</p><p>&#8220;It will be very educational,&#8221; coordinator Sherry Emershaw said, explaining the presentation won&#8217;t be an exact replica of last year&#8217;s inaugural event. &#8220;We&#8217;re keeping it fresh.&#8221;</p><p>New this year will be a fortune teller who will greet guests outside under a canvas tent and offer to read their palms.</p><p>Astrology and fortune telling were popular pastimes during the Colonial era, Emershaw said, especially in larger cities such as Boston and Philadelphia.</p><p>&#8220;I&#8217;m not saying people in the Wyoming Valley all lived by hocus-pocus superstitions, but when you came to America in the late 1700s we&#8217;re talking about wilderness, very dark, mysterious woods,&#8221; Emershaw said. &#8220;People were scared. They would &#8216;keep one eye open&#8217; all the time.&#8221;</p><p>In dealing with situations they didn&#8217;t fully understand, such as illnesses, people might have turned to a healer/midwife whose herbal remedies may have seemed very mysterious &#8212; so mysterious that the same people who sought aid might turn against a healer and accuse her of witchcraft.</p><p>Visitors to the Nathan Denison House will meet a healing woman named Achseh who is concerned for her safety. &#8220;She&#8217;ll keep denying that she&#8217;s a witch,&#8221; Emershaw said.</p><p>They&#8217;ll also meet Goodwife &#8220;Goody&#8221; Walter, a servant in the kitchen who is, naturally, concerned with food production and preparation.</p><p>&#8220;She&#8217;ll explain how important the pumpkin was for feeding people and cattle,&#8221; Emershaw said.</p><p>Goody Walter is also well-versed in the story of an Irishman named Jack whose interesting adventure led to our present day jack-o&#8217;-lanterns.</p><p>&#8220;The tours are family-friendly,&#8221; Emershaw said. &#8220;There&#8217;s no blood and gore. They&#8217;re suitable for small children, and they&#8217;re fun.&#8221;</p><p>Last year, Emershaw said, 450 people attended the first &#8220;Colonial Superstitions, Folklore &amp; Witchcraft&#8221; tours and raised $2,800 that was used to repair a broken sewer line. Barring any emergency repairs this year, Emershaw said, the Denison Advocates hope to use the proceeds to replace windows at the homestead.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">While the upcoming tours of the Nathan Denison House will be held right before All Hallows Eve, they are designed to be educational and not really scary. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/web1_denison.dark_.jpg</photo0><caption0>While the upcoming tours of the Nathan Denison House will be held right before All Hallows Eve, they are designed to be educational and not really scary. </caption0><photoCredit0>Submitted photos </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/web1_denison.mystery.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Organizers plan to use tour proceeds for repairs to the Nathan Denison House. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/web1_denison.mystery.jpg</photo1><caption1>Organizers plan to use tour proceeds for repairs to the Nathan Denison House. </caption1><photoCredit1>Submitted photos </photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/web1_denisoncandle.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">The &#8216;Colonial Superstitions, Folklore &amp; Witchcraft&#8217; tours, set for 6 to 9 p.m. Oct. 28-29, will be led by candlelight. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/web1_denisoncandle.jpg</photo2><caption2>The &#8216;Colonial Superstitions, Folklore &amp; Witchcraft&#8217; tours, set for 6 to 9 p.m. Oct. 28-29, will be led by candlelight. </caption2><photoCredit2>Submitted photos </photoCredit2></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/web1_denisonlantern.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Costumed volunteers will give visitors to the Nathan Denison House a glimpse into Colonial times. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo3>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/web1_denisonlantern.jpg</photo3><caption3>Costumed volunteers will give visitors to the Nathan Denison House a glimpse into Colonial times. </caption3><photoCredit3>Submitted photos </photoCredit3></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/web1_denisonlight.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">The historic Nathan Denison House dates back to 1790. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo4>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/web1_denisonlight.jpg</photo4><caption4>The historic Nathan Denison House dates back to 1790. </caption4><photoCredit4>Submitted photos </photoCredit4></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><subheadMeta>Candlight tours of Denison House designed to give not-so-scary taste of All Hallows Eve.</subheadMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p><strong>By Mary Therese Biebel</strong></p><p>mbiebel@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><factboxMeta><p><strong>IF YOU GO</strong></p><p><strong>What:</strong> Second annual &#8216;Colonial Superstitions, Folklore &amp; Witchcraft&#8217; candelight tours</p><p><strong>When:</strong> 6 to 9 p.m. Oct. 28-29</p><p><strong>Where:</strong> Denison House, 35 Denison Street, Forty Fort</p><p><strong>Admission:</strong> $7 for adults, $5 for ages 6-12 $5; free for ages 5 and younger</p></factboxMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Mary Therese Biebel at 570-991-6109 or on Twitter @BiebelMT</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Nathan Denison House to hold Candlight Tours Oct. 28-29