Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1851-02-01
The Fatal Joke.
BY HELEN c. gAgt.

A AQ3 dLa2 JOHes
ET HELEN c. GAGE
Twas once pfesent-:tere 4 small party Q
young persons were discussing the subject Q
practical Joking. After 4 long and interest
ing debate, the question seemed about to b
decided in its favor, when gentleman who's
q singular and melancholy and detected air a
once attracted onr attention, related the follow
ing story:
} In my younger days lawas remarkable 70
' my tondness Of practical joking, even to sucl
degree that | never allowed good oppor
1 tunity to pass unimproyed.
My orphan cousin, Robert, to when was
fondiy attached, was of a different nature from
this. lie was a sober, sedate and graceful
almost to fault, very thoughtful and very
bashful. This stupidity, as l. called it, was
often check upon my natural gaycty, and ii
was seldom that could induce him to join
in my boyish sports, though be sometimes did,
| merely to crafty me. Poor Robert the
|.green turf of his native valley, on whose bo-
som the fairest flowers that New England
could boast of, have blossomed and withered.
and passed away to eternity, leaving behind
them the impress of their loyeliness, now
| covering his mOulderng ashes. Yes; Robert
is dead, and ] am the cause of his untimey
death, the circumstances of which will serve
to convince You Of the folly of .practical jo-
king" s9
| 1t was late one evening in early September,
| that Robert and myself returned to our room
to talk over the exciting scenes of the day, for
twas the night after the election, and fine.
holiday had been to US. Ihad just returned
from visit to some friends in the city, and h.k
of course brought with me many curious
things which Robert had never seen nor Heard
Of Among them was mask, the use<oT
which Iexplaned to my nsophistie2ted De-
sin, who laughed and wondered 1Ffsy hfpeoE
pie could wish to look horribly enough 10 wea
II / was in my gayesl mood, just,esaf for al
adventure, and seeing he was 1sposed to my
fun of my mask, proposed al experiment.
"What !" exclaimed my cousiH syou do not
intend to wear it to bed, do YOUR s..
+ .Far from it," eplied, git is you should
wear the mask! not |, am quite ape enough
without it, s
.,A very just rsn., 9 {. 'hssa,, he observed,
had never seen him in better hnmor, and |
had thought it best to unfold my plans at
once. At our next door lived wealthy gem
tleman, with whose daughter my bashful con-
sin was already smitten. That very night, as
we passed by, on oursreturn from the village,
he had called and bade her good night, and re-
ceived in return one of the sweetest smiles
from The happiest eyes and most charming lips
lever beheld, IYas his BOSOM friend, and to
me he always entrusted his secrets, (alas! how
little have deserved such confdence) yet he
always blushed when spoke to Julia.
Some eyil spirit, Isknow not what else It
couldlaye been, prompted me when Ispro-
posed have a little sport at her expense.
Ny plans were these ;--H was to dress him.
self in a suit of clothes to correspond with the
mask, whch,,by thesAay, was the most fright
ful looking thing lever saw, repair to the dwel-
ling Of his friend, and call her to the door by
rapping. was to stand near to witness the
result, and participate III The joke fsss.e IS
He blushed, hung his head, and ofscourse,
refused had expected this, but flattered ,
myself that could easily persuade him to the
contrary. III was, however, . harder task than
had anticipated, for his unwillingness seemed
greater than ever; the reason readily under-lt
stood. sss gssNssSss +
Ipob'd and p'shaw'ed, and finally threatened II
o expose to all the boys his cowardly DISPOSE
ion, as pleased to term it, and tender feelings
o Julia, whichas yet, none Of them had dis. !
oyered. This lastargument proved more sue
essful than the other, for he well knew that l. q
leEered suffered the idlest threat remained un-.
He'd; and the fear of being laughed at, besides
'etraying that which Ismost wished to Conceal :
onquered, and he yielded, though reluctantly d
even exnlted, over my triumphs, though Il 2
ave often since wished my lips ) had been Il
truck dumb before had uttered these words .
hat sealed the after fate Of the two pure be- i
ngs. But in my thoughtfulness | rushed i
eedlessly on, id whatever undertook, regard d
sss of consequence. My wild reckless spirit 10
adsnever been tanned. sssz Ish
Finding that there was but onesalternatiye, Ey
I'd that, to submit cheerfully to my whi1n, he
Uttered himself to be arrayed as my fancy sug- Il
ested, with good grace, and even laughed IW
ute heartily as | added garment after gar T
ent, in order to make him look as frightfnl as
ossible; yet, after all, could see that his, j
ind wasill at ease, and half condemned my !,
If for being the cause of his nnhappiness.m =.
When at length all was arranged to s'my - -
placed the horrid mask over his :.
lex and ilyoluntarily placed his hand to his 5. :.
Nented. He even pleaded that the penalty
IA threatened to infict in ease he refused to
klltsbe spared him. ButsI Iswass sinexoras e e
was anxious tosseesth result, and the /, ~ ,
used by his unwilling gness yexed me. u J.
ewal Of my threatsp of exposure sue HI u
removing all sohstacles, and we I'M b, Il,
ediai set about our adj nture. Cautious tv -
- f6ieVesswe crept through the yard, and II
81 z Ills station, Robert at the door and r.
tlie dr passed him.