The Portland daily press., 1867-03-18
Pleasing Miscellany.
An Extraordinary Hoax.

On Wednesday morning, cruel but not en-
tirely unprecedented hoax was played upon
nottingham tradesman. On Tuesday last,
nearly all the solicitors in the town received
a note couched in the following terms: w Ill
Mr.. - kindly call on Mr.. Rogers, 10y Mans
field road, at eleven o'clock tomorrow morn
iny. to make his will" In accordance with
tbiS reouest the various gentlemen "learned
in the law" bent their steps in the direction of
the residence of the individual who, as they
fondly imagined, was about to repose in one
of them that confidence which is involved in
the making of last will and testament
Visions of an old gentleman with thousands
at his disposal, OF possible chancery suits, to-
gether with complacens feelings of how his
practice was extending" may have filed the
minds OF the younger aspirants to legal hon.
ors as they FASTENED to fulfill the wishes of
their supposed client. Some Of the more
fashionable lawyers, we are informed, made
their journey in cabs and private carriages,
accompanied possibly by their clerks. Had
the matter been confined to the lawyers, how
ever, there is every possibility that the matter
would have been kept more secret than it I'M
fortunately was; but the perpetrators OF the
hoax seemed determined to do the thing thor
oughly, and circulars were sent to the mem
bers OF the medical profession, requesting
their attendance at the same hour, and they
accordingly directed their brOughams to pro-
coed in that direction. Nearly all the master
sweeps in the town were also desired, in
obliging terms, to present themselves OF their
deputies at Mr.. Rogerss disposal, and the coal
merchants politely requested to supply their
carts for the occasion. The cab proprietors
and livery stable keepers were not neglected,
and numerous vehicles were kindly driven to
the front of Mr.. Rogers's shop to await his
earliest convenience. The result was a
most extraordinary meeting. The doctors
wondered what peculiar case it was that re-
quired such Consultation" The lawyers
stared at the doctors, and asked themselves
whether they might not be too late for the
purpose OF making the will. The sweeps
hvurished their brushes, and grinned horribly
at one another; while the cabmen, rs a matter
ofcourse, took to chatting" the regular coach
men, and the coal-heavers to swearing. We
are unable to say which waslthe first to pres
ent himself as having "called in obedience to
the note he received yesterday" but it may be
taken for certain that after an interview with
the unfortunate MIR. Rogers, the "deed max
kers" and doctors lost no time in returning to
their offices and patients, the whole thing be-
ing hoax from beginning to end. Among
those who received invitatory notices ere the
sheriff OF Nottingham, the under-sheriff, MIR.
Heath, Mr.. HeathcOte, DC 1t is impossible to
describe the mutual establishment and contu
sion and amusement depicted upon the coun-
tenances of these gentlemen on finding them
selves all upon the same errand. Some of
them, we are informed, endeavored to get out
oil it by suggesting that they had merely
been up the road ON business" others were
met coming down the road bursting with un-
extIngulshabie laughter, while others again
were simply annoyed at being '.sold' in SO
cruel a manner. The chief victim OF the hoax
deserves the sympathy OF his fellow tradesmen
excepting the perpetrators themselves. He,
alone, probably suspects who was the prime
mover In this practical joke, and if te has not
seen a copy of the circular which went the
round OF the legal and medical world in Not
tingham, we may inform HIM that it was
written in feminine land, evidently disguis-
ed.-Nottingham Eng.l Journal