Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1868-09-18
az dropped lighted fusee in the brute's

az dropped lighted fusee in the brute's
ear" said he.
A French auditor of accounts in the
seventeenth century was great practical
Joker all his life, and even played a trick
after he had lost the power of enjoying it,
for he left four large candles to be carried
at his funeral, which had not been burn
ing fifteen minutes before they went off as
fireworks.
When lady condescends to practical
Joke it is generally very neat one. NJ
Boncourt, the rich fnancier, was very
stingy to his wife in the matter of pin
money. One day lady, closely yelled,
and very anxious not to be recognized,
called upon him, and borrowed a very
large sum, leaving her diamonds as q
pledge. 1t was his wife.
The French thieves sometimes used to
steal so funnily that even their victims
| were half inclined to pardon them.
The Duke of Frousac, nephew of Mar
shall Richelieu, was coming out OF the
| opera one night in splendid dress en-
broidered with pearls, when two thieves
| managed to cut off his coat tails. He
| turned into his club, where everybody
| laughed at him, ard so he found out what
had happened, and went home. Early
| next morning, well-dressed man called at
| the Dukes hotel, and demanded to see
him at once, on matter of most
vital Importance. Monsieur de Frou-
sac was awakened. Monseigneur,'
said the visitor, / am an officer of po-
| lice. Monsieur, the lieutenant of police,
has learned the accident which happened
to you yesterday on leaving the opera,
and 1 have been sent by him to request
you to order the coat to be placed in
my hands, that we may convict the offend
ers by comparing it with the mutilated
tails" The dress was given up, and the
Duke was in raptures with the vigilance
of the police. But it was new trick OF
the rogue who had stolen the tails, by
which he possessed himself of the entire
garment. s.ft
The ancients used to indulge in practical
jokes to a considerable extent; for in
stance, the Thracians, at their drinking.
parties, sometimes played the game OF
hanging. They fixed a round moose to
the bough of a tree, and placed under
meath it o stone of such shape that it
would easily turn round when any one
stood on it, Then they drew lots; and he
who drew the lot took q sickle in his
hand, stood on the stone, and put his neck
| into the halter. ,iThe stone was kicked
away; and if he could cut himself down
with the SICKLE well and good; but if he
was not quick enough, he was hanged out
right; "and the rest laugh, thinking it
good spsrt" ''7i
Then there was some old gentleman
forget his name and nation-who pre-
tended to make friends with his enemy,
and asked him to dinner; and, for the last
course, a large dish was brought in, which
proved, when uncovered, to contain the
heads of the guests wife and family. This
was carrying joke almost too far.
| Nere's iests were likewise very. prac-
tical. "What fat fellow that senator
isl" he observed one day to courtier
"see me cut him in twol'' and he did it in
the most facetious manner.
Indeed, in the early stage of civilization
practical wit is apt to be grim; as society
advances, jokes at other peoples expense
are not quite so heartless; when we reach
a certain pitch of refinement, nothing
gives us pleasure which causes pain to
another, and then there is chance OF
practical joking dying out altogether-ex-
cept in the case of boys, who will proba-
| bly, never. be humanized.-C Chambers
| Journal
: :. z Z +.