What's Your Biggest Fear?

It's a chilly Halloween in western Nebraska and it may be hard to make out the true identities of masked ghouls and goblins, superheroes, cowboys and princesses knocking on our doors in necessary layers of warm clothing. Nonetheless, cold or mild, it's a night of fun and fellowship.

But in the distant past Halloween was darker and more serious. Hundreds of years ago, fall festivals were more about warding off evil spirits, evading curses and spells, and placating spirits of the dead than they were about treats and festive gatherings. The darker side of Halloween seems to be reemerging in W...