Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1873-08-28
A Peculiar Practical Joker.

OF existing pfactioa4s jolSers, perhaps
the most remarkable is French musi-
clan. If he has not arrived at the proud
pinnacle only attained by Hook, it may
be because opportunity is wanting, or
such things are hardly regarded in the
same innocent light as they were thirty or
forty years ago, and are punishable
Otfenses. BY profession a French horn
player, whether his jokes are used as
method of reC}ame or not, we do not care
to determine about. As an artist he
stands without a rival. On his instru-
ment he possesses an anpleur, pureness
Of sound, a degree of feeling, power of
executing, which are unsurpassed. He
has even accomplished the impossible on
this difficult instrument, playing a dis
tinct first and second, or an accOmpani-
ment, all at the same time. But even the
wonderful musical attainments he pos
sesses are subservient to his practical
jokes. Playing every known instrument
with wonderful skill, true Bohemian, he
has been known to delight a public fair,
followed by an attendant in a cart, in
which was piano and stock OF lnstru-
ments, and to play on each one in turn, only
that instead of receiving money from the
crowd, he would distribute it after the
such throng that all the booths were de-
serted, and the business of the fair had to
be discontinued until the gratuitous mu-
sician was removed. Going to London
some years ago, he became such nuis-
anee that the guardians of the peace were
only glad when his musical engagements
were over, and he left for France. A
favorita amusement of his was to leave
his lodging with a dressing-case in his
hand, and, going to a cab station, to
select a certain vehicle. Getting
inside, he would direct cabby TO
drive to some public square, selecting one
of the most thrOnged in London. Having
arrived there he would order a halt, and
request the cOaChman to block the wheels.
Inside the cab our practical joker would
take of his coat, put on robe de cham
bre, and then proceed to unpack his dress
ing case a small mirror would be hung
to the carriage windows and on the seats
would be arranged all the articles neces-
sary for a most luxurious shave. Calmly
unconscious of the first two or three little
boys, who were watching the operation,
somewhat amazed at seeing mans face
covered with lather, gazing at them in
most undisturbed manner, this tiny nu-
cleus would very soon form the center of
a large crowd. Certainly from the delib-
crate movements of the gentleman in the
cab nothing but the most perfect shave
would satisfy him. The aSsemblage would
split their sides at the comlcal way with
which he approached the neighborhood
of his nose, when shaving his upper lip,
or shrek with horror, fearful that they
would witness suicide, as he would
draw his razor across his throat. At last
the street would become impossible, and
a policeman would enter on the scene,
edging his way with difficulty through
the crowd, and the matter would end BY
the arrest of the practical joker as dis
turber Of the public peace. Before the
magistrate, when condemned 10 pay a
fine, the musician would allege ''that
London was so dark, so foggy, that he
never could see to shave himself except
in the street, and not liking to sit on the
curbstone or on a house steps, he had
thought that cab transformed into a
dressing-room was not only the most in
ingenious but very intelligent way of
getting rid of his superfiuous beard"
Never at rest, travelling from one
part of the continent TO another,
his chief object in life seemed
to be to worry custom-house officials.
Travelling with quantity of baggage, and
being an inimitable actor, he would pre-
tend to conceal two of them, huge
trunk and a smaller one, from the eyes of
the officials, only the more to excite their
curiosity. At last the larger trunk would
be opened. 1t would be found 10 contain
thousands Of secondhand pantaloon