Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1854-06-02
ApTii FDOIg.

Our friend o. the A lbany Register carries his eyes
IN his head as he walks the streets of that quiet viii
lage and relates many curious and amusing incidents
Sometimes we suspect him Of great inventive facul-
ties but the following story Of an April Joke is as
good as any we have seen:
"Speaking of the beginning of April. will any
body tell Us where the custom came from which
makes everybody try to fool everybody on the first
day of that caprcious month We saw Il funny
thing Oh the first day of April down in Groen street
Did anybody ever seo anybody pass by an old hat on
the sidewalk without giving it a kick We do not
believe such thing ever happened Well, wag
seized upon this characteristic out Of which to make
little amusement on g all fools day SO he pro-
cured boulder, weighing some twenty pounds or
o,e, and, laying it upon the sidewalk placed over
1t an ancient weather, beaten hat The first person
who passed that way was jolly rollicking young
man who went whstIing " Jordan is a hard road to
travel, and as ne came opposite the hat placed SO
emptingly in bis way, he gave it rousing kick ex-
pecng OF course to see it skving into the middle
Oithe street. But it didn't move, and the kicker
picked up his toe in both hands, and hoped about
and became emphatic in his language, in manner
that made the perpetrator of the joke dodge around
the corner. In a moment afterward Il gentleman
came that way, with cricket club on his shoulder
which he brought down with swoop against the
hat expecting to see it take hoist over the lamr
post on the adjacent But it didn't, while The
cricket club as II rung against the stone, dew half
way across the street. and the striker fell to dancing
about, blowing his fingers if they were cold, and
using great many words not found in any religious
work of the day. We staid long enough to see
dozen or more assaults perpelrated upon that Old ha
that concealed The boulder, and every time the al
tacklng party got the worst of the bargain
GRATEFUL You've AMERIcAN-A day or two since
an adventurous boy, numbering some ten summers
undertook 10 skull skf, across the Ohio, iron
Cincncinnali to Covngton. When Il little over hal
his voyage had been accom- plished. German gen
lleman, standing the Kentucky side saw the frai
bark capsize and the boy struggling in the angry
tide In moment he divested himself of co am
! boots, plunged into the stream, and swan to th
| youths assistance. He reached him just as he wa
sinking the last time, and caught the youngster b
the head, which the latter seized him by the arm
and for moment both were in danger Of being lost
! Happily the gentleman possessed great presence 0
mind, and gave the boy sudden Kick. the effect O
which caused him 10 release his hol1, and enabled
his preserver to bring him safely 10 shore Again Oh
dry land, Young America shook himself like tru
water dog, and, turning his preserrer, said, il
emphatic tones, What the ID did you kick me for
| you id old Duchman /" and with this expression
| OF thanks The youngster started off, leaving hi
"Dutchman staring after him with mingled feeling
of surprise and admiration at such "a genuine an
fervent expression of gratitude from young hand
| Cincinnati Commercial.