Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1869-02-12
Practical sexes.

The fun Of q practical jokes consists in
opportunity given to enjoy the ply steal
or mental suffering Of the victim or course
such enjoyment is cruel ina greater or less
degree, and Just so far as viiization grows
towards pertectie the disposition to en-
Joy tie pain Of others disappears. Practi
cal Jokes will always probably be enjoyed
BY boys-who are naturally yeung sava-
yes, and delight in tormenting ell weaker
animas-but, We are glad 10 see, are oeas-
ing to be popular amcng "eiewn up peo>
pie" Chambers Journal has = collection
Of practical j,kes, which are, for the most
part. quite new
"The ancients used 70 indulge In prscti-
teal jokes 70 . considerable extent ; for
instance, the Thracians, At their drinking
parties. sometimes played the game Of
hanging They fixed . round moose TO the
beugh Of tree, and placed underneath 1t .
stsas Of such shape that it would easily
tsra round when any enc stssd on it. Then
sAev drew leta and he Who drew ths lot
tosk sickle In bis hand, stood % the
stone, end put his neck into the halter.
| The stens Was kicked away aud il he
could cut himself down with ehis sickle.
" ell and good but il be was not quick
enough be was hanged out right and the
rest laugh, thinking II good sport
"Nero's tests were likewise very practi
cal. What fat fellow that Senator is J
he observed one day 10 . courticr; see me
cut him in two = and he did it in the most
facetious manner.
"a French auditor OF accounts in the
seventeenth century was great practical
joker all his life, and even played trek
after he had lost the power OF enjoying IT.,
| for be left four srge candies to be carried
a, his funeral, which had no. been burning
iftcen minutes before they went CT -
fireworks.
nv hen a lady condesends to practical
Joke, it is generally a very neat one. II.
Boacourt, the rich Hnancier, was very
stiney to his wife in the matter Of pin
money. Ono day LADY, closely yelled
and very AM ious not to b recognised, eAI,
led upon him and borrowed . large sun,
leaving her diamonds as pledge. II was
his wife.
"Ths French thieves sometimes used 10
steal so funnily that even the victsms were
hall inollasd to psrdea them.
The Duke Of Fpousss, nephew Of Mar
shall Richelieu, was coming out Of the opera
one night IN splendid dress embroidered
With pearls, when two thieves managed ia
cut of his coat tails. He turned int his
club. where every bsdv laughed 1t him and
SO he found out what had happened aud
went homo. Early the next morning well
dressed man called ct the Dukes hotel, and
demanded to see him ct oncs, on . matter
Of most vital importance. Monsieur d.
Froosae was awakened. 'Menssi gusur,
said the visitor, I en- an efiess Of police
Monsieur the lieutenant Of the police hs.
learned the accident which happened ysu
yesterday on leaving the opera, And hava
been sent BY him . rsqusst you to ordsI
the coat to bs placed in my hands, that VI
may convict the slFsndsrs " comparing il
with the mutilaaed tails. The dress wal
given up, and the Duke WAS in rapture.
with the vigilance Of the police. But il
was . new trick Of ths rogue who had sto
len the tails, BY which he possessed him
self Of the entire garment"