Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1869-10-02
Practical Jokes.

jokinw is at Il discount. Practical jokes
are voted vu gar, wtlrss, stupid, ill-'ia-
tured and it is really impossible to deny
that the popular verdict is Il correct one;
but how amusing they are. And after all,
is that not the great thing! Man, look
you, is the only animal (the hycna except
cd) that can laugh. and is not this laugh
ter at least as valuable Il boon as either of
his other characteristics \ fine use he
often makes of his reason. The gitt of
speech is an edged tool which frequently
cuts himself. aud is always doing mischief;
but who ever failed to receive benefit both
bodily, and mentally, i'rona hearty laugh ::
1t assists the digestion, clears the brain,
and soitcns the heart.
Now. | think | receive as much y cas-
urc as any one from any witty r"parcc or
humorous descriptions; but--'lid you cy-
cr see any enc trying to get into an apple
pie bed: Did they call absence Il. your
schoo! on holidays, to prevent the bays
from straying too far? Thcy did at ours,
and on fine summer days, when the master
read the names over in the playing fields,
| it was Il common trick .or one OF us to
creep on his hands and KEGS behind Il boy
whose turn was coming, while another
gave him slight pn.h ON the chest at the
critical moment. 10 see Il lad hold up his
| hat and shout "i!erc. sir" and smulta-
neo,.slv take back somcrsau!t, was really
very comical.
You must, in your youth have either set
or fallen into Il :" booby-trap.' 1t consist
cd, you may remember, OF books, boots,
etc, balanced on the top of Il door. which
was left ajar. 50 that the first incomcr got
Il solid showcr-bath.
Another trick was to pour water into
stone ink bottle, cork it tightly, and slip it
between the bars of II boys CRATE on awn-
tcr's evening. when he WAS returning to his
room after temporary abscncc-,hc nozzle,
OF course. directed toward his chair. The
tenant returned, and sat down to his verse
or translation; presently the water began
to boil, and the steam fired off the cork at
him.
The fun of the practical joke consists in
the surprise of the victim and this was
certainly attained by gently turning up II
cupbrard-hcd with its inmates. The AS
.l | IL
himself standing on his head ina cur hoard
is very great indeed; but it is 4 mercy
that no boy was ever stt'cd.
Ch:.lrN, indeed, are probably as much
given to practical Joking now a. ever they
we're it is to hc hoped 50, i',r only in cX-
rcptional cases do boys understand any
other kind of jest, ani Il l'sman being
without fun is in Il morbid, unhealthy con-
dition.
The same remarks apply to thosc cla@scs
OF the community who have received least
intellectual education. 1t is shallow to cry
out against their hor$e-play; horsc-p!ay is
ten thousand thousand times better than
no play at all. The newspapers arc always
very harsh when treating of the little &c
ccntricities of army men; and whcthcrthls
pressure of public opinion has cowed them.
or competitive examinations have sohcrcl
thcm or an undue proportion OF service
made them languid, for il is the fact that
even in crack cavalry regiments there is
very little practical joking now.
Certainly they used to carry the thing
too far; there seems to an outsider but lit
tie humor in cutting off the tail of Il mans
charger or smashing his barrack furniture.
An acquaintance OF mine, with Il some
what saturinc disposition, who entered the
army late, met the ordeal to which newly
Joined cnsigns in his regiment were Gus
tomarily put in very dangerous manner
Having been warned that his barrack.
room would probably be invaded in the
middle of the night. and all his clothes
and chattels subjected to Il hay-making
process, he barricaded his door, and when
his brother officers began to burst it in, he
sent pistol bullet through the panelabout
; half a foot over their heads. They left
him alone after that
A young French gentleman, who led a
very ..ay life, going to bed late and getting
up late, lodged in an entrcSol. \ miikwo-
man took up her position under his WIN
dow, and the chattcring of her customers,
with the brayiny of her donkey, cflectual-
" destroyed his slumbcr In vain he re-
monstrated; the milkwoman said she had
a right to the pavement, and that place
suited her. lie got ur, went out, and rca
soncd with her. No good. What, then,
would she take to select another station?
Nothing; he was an aristocratic, and she
made It Il point of honor to stand upon her
right.
"Well, then" said he at last, /" since
you will not listen to reason, l must ap-
peal to your donkey
And he whispered in Neddy's ear, the
crowd which had gathered round laugh
ing at him till he ran in
Presently, however, the donkey began
to kick and plunge as ifit were possessed,
spiling all the milk, butter, cheese, etc:
The woman cried out Witchcraft," and
the crowd took up the cry; and there was
such riot that the police came.
What is the natter" asked the COM
nlissary.
"a young man who lives in on the en-
trcso has bcwtchcl my donkey,' replied
the milkwoman.