The Hickman courier., 1868-12-12
Dem ands JOYOUS.

| HOW our ancestors managed to pas:
\ the long winter evenings in the oldcf
time, says the Proof- Sheet, has never
been satisfactorily explained They had
no new books, indeed but few books OF
any kind, to read or talk about. News
papers were unknOwn wandering beg
gar, minstrel, or peddler circulated the
very small amount of news that was to
be told. The innumerabe subjects OF
interest that form our ordinary topics of
conversation were then utterly unknown.
| So we can only conclude that our ances
tors, like some semi savage tribes at the
present day, passed their spare hours in
relating often-told stories, and exercised
their wits in asking each other puzzling
questions or riddles Many copies of
what we would now term riddle books.
are found in both the French and Eng
lish collections of old manuscripts. and
some were printed at an early period
One Of these, entitled Demands Joyous
which maybe rendered Amusing CUES
tions, was printed in English, in 1911,
by Wynkyn de Worde. From this work,
of which one copy only is said to be ex
tant, are taken the following demands, "
with their responses -
Dem What bare the best burden that
ever was borne?
~. u SIC sIea with our Lord into Egypt.
Dem. What became of that assr
Res. Adam mother ate her.
Dem. Who was Adams mother2
Res The earth
Dem. How many calves tails would it
take to reach from the earth to the sky
Res. No more than one, if it be long
enough.
Dem. What is the distance from the
surface of the sea to the deepest part
thereof2
Res. Only stones throw.
Dem. When Antichrist appears in the
world, what will be the hardest thing for
him to understand?
Res. A hand barrow, for of that he
shall not know which end ought to go
foremost
Dem, What is it that never was and
never will be?
Res A mouse's nest in a eats ear.
Dem Why do men make an oven in
II town?
Res Because they cannot make
town in az oven.
Dem. How may a man discern a COW
in flock of sheep?
Res. By his eyesight.
Dem. Why doth a COW lie DOWN.
Res. Because it cannot sit.
Dem. What is it that never freezeth |
Res. Boiling water
Dem. Which was first, the hen or the |
egg?
Res. The hen, at the creation.
Dem. How many straws 90 to a
goose's nest?
Res. Not one, for straws not having
feet cannot go anywhere.
Dem. Who killed the fourth part of
all the people in the world?
Res. Cain when he killed Abel
Dem. Which are the most profitable
saints of the church?
Res. Those painted on the glass win
lows, for they keep the wind from vast
ng the candles.
~. Why doth dog turn round
Rssaa-e he lsnoweth not his beds
head from the foot thereof
Dem. What is the worst bestowed
charity that one can giveI
Res Aims to a blind man for he
would be glad to see the person hanged
that gave it to him. -,
Dem. What is the age of field mouse
Res. A year And the age of hedge,
bo, i three times that of mouse, ana
tbe life of dog is three times that OF
Ladaa hoo and the life of horse Is
,bree times that of a dog, and the lie OF
- man is three times that OF horse, ana
tha life of goose is three times that oil
.n and the life of swan IS three
t;mes that of a goose, and the lite OF a
smallow is three times that of swan,
ond the life of an eagle three times that
of = swallow, and the life OF serpent
.bree times that of au eagle, and the iiie
ea raven is three times that of a ser
oant and the life of hart is three times
tha, Of raven; and an oak groweth hve
hundred years, and fadeth five hundred
years.
TIE President in his forthcoming mes
800 i is understood, will discuss al
18th the railroad system, and thell
areat influence on the prosperity ana pro
sress - of our people. He favors mos
eio'' -. railroads under pro