The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1873-01-05
Practical Joking.

The poet Cowper, though considered by
robust young men in full health as rather q
milk and water parsonage, had some IDEAS, .he
general adoption of which would carry CUT the
motto, Let us have peace" He hated rude'
ness and rough play, aud deprecated laying
aside the forms of politeness. even among mt
mate friends. while the afrsctation of over,
ridiculous, the neglect of true courtesy IS, on
the other hand, intolerable. "Taking ltbeI-
ties" is always unpleasant, and not unfrequent-
joker cannot be sure that his victim Is in the
humor for fun. But often o practical humorist
neither knows nor cares how his prankS VIII
be received, but rather hopes that the ind,gna,
ton of the person chosen as the butt VIII aao
point to the jest. Such practical joking Is the
cause in some cases of the estrangeInent o.
friends, and in others of blows, and even OF
assaults with murderous weapons. A recent
case now awaits judicial action in this cry:
One lad In q shoe fuctory dropped o handful OF
leather chips down the back of another. We.ds
"knife" was used. Serious injury is the con-
sequence Of this Joke" to say nothing OF pro-
bable imprisonment for assault to KILL. Even
death and punishment for murder may follow.
There is an old story of q German princes
amusement, which the reader may have seen
| 1t can be repeated, however, as sample JOKE
of the right kind. The prince, q lad, walking
with his tutor, saw o barefooted old man work
ing in field. To save leather, he had left his
shoes under q bush. The lad said it would be
good fun to hide the laborer's shoes, and wait
ana zee his anger anu pcTpio4AbS. h0 tueoA
suggested that it would be a better joke to put
o dollar in the toe of each. The prince fell In
with the hint, and the two hid themselves ana
watched the event. 1t is unnecessary to say
} that the pleased astenishment of the poor old
, peasant made fun" indeed. 1t was fun all
round. Whereas the victim ordinarily lacks
the appreciation of the humor of trick, the
, old man in this case, to use common expires
+ sion, had no difficulty in seeing "where the
laugh came in" >.
II is sometimes the case that an eccentric, OF
broken-down, or imbecile person, becomes sns
l and prosecutions of the boys and young mef
of o neighborhood. What may be the conse
4 auence Of such unkindness is shown in recen
n case given in the Ledger. A half ltted maj
lin London actually committed suicide to es
!; cape his tormenters. The remorse which ever!
u one of these boys must feel whenever he think
: of his share in producing such q consequence
IL such "fun" may have given him.
Q These remarks may seem to many person
i mere truisms. And others may think the SUI
l. iect below the value of q notice. But all civil
"a ization is o compromise, in which polite peopi
"a sacrifice their own selfshness to- the hapPlnes
% of the persons around them. The foundatio
y tesy may exist between people in every po.
sibie situation in life. To violate this courtes!
or in any way-and especially for joke-t
l. disturb the self-respect of others, is a danger
Ia ons liberty. The laugh which follows the PEI
n petration of q prank adds insult to injury
81 No matter how good a trick may be, no on
likes to be subject to it and to be laughed
g is to most people modification worse tina
is pain. 1t is pleasant to notice that the author
g. ties in colleges and seminares have rigidiy 81
if their authority against the custom OF "haZint
K "a cruel and somewhat ruffianly way of to
er menting new corners in colleges, which W,
III almost Invariably praoticed. The extent
nt which this reprehensible course has been ca
VI ried constituted it an evil of such magnitu'
r. that the Intervention of authority to supprTe
er it became absolutely necessary. Boys will
i'll boys" says the old proverb; but they need
a be bears.-Philddelphta Ledger.