Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1873-11-13
Aumuruns department.
A PRACTICAL JOKER.

Of existing practical jokers, perhaps the
most remarkable is French musician. i
he has not arrived at the proud pinnacle only
attained by Hook, it may be because op
portunity is wanting, or such things are hard
ly regarded in the same innocent light now as
they were thirty or forty years ago, and are
horn player, whether his jokes are used as q
method of recLanae or not, we do not care to
determine about. As an artist he stands
without rival. On his instrument he pos.
sesses an ampleur, pureness of sound, de-
gree of feeling, power of executing, which
are unsurpassed. He has even accomplished
the impossible feat on this difficult instrument,
of fplayinga distinct first and second or an &C.
compartment, all at the same time. But
even the wonderful musical attainments he
possesses are subservient to his practical jokes.
Playing every known instrument with Won
derful skill, a true Bohemian, he has been
known to delight public fair, followed by an
attendant in cart, in which was piano and
a stock of instruments and to play on each
one in turn, only that instead Of receiving
money from the crowd he would distribute it
after the performance. Ofcourse this brought
such throng that all the booths were desert
ed, and the business of the fair had to be dis
continued until the gratuitous musician was
removed Going to London some years ago,
he became such nuisance that the guardians
of the peace were only glad when his musical
engagements were over and he left for France.
A favorite amusement Of his was to leave his
lodgings with dressing-case in his hand, and
going to a cab station to select certain ve-
hcle. Getting inside, he would direct cabby to
drive to some public square, selecting one OF
the most thronged in London. Having ar
rived there hewould order halt, and request
cabman to block the Wheels Inside the cab
our practical joker would take off his coat,
put on robe de chambre, and then proceed
to unpack his dressing case. A small mirror
would then be hung to the carriage windows,
and en- the seats would be arranged all the
articles necessary 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 COW
cred with lather, gazing at them in the most
undisturbed manner, this tiny nucleus would
very soon form the centre of large crowd.
Certainly from the deliberate movements OF
the gentleman in the cab nothing but the most
perfect shave would satisfy him. The assem-
blage would split their sides at the comical
way with which he approached the neighbor-
hood 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 policeman would
enter upon the scene, edging his way with
difficulty through the crowd, and the matter
would end by the arrest of the practical joker
as disturber Of the public peace. Before
the magistrate, when condemned to pay 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 house
step, he had thought that cab transformed
into dressing-room was not only the most
ingenious, but a very intelligent way of get
ting rid of his superduous beard" Never at
rest, travelling from one part of the CONT
nent to another, his chief object in life seemed
to be to worry custom house officials. Arriv-
ing at some particular country, where the
ideas of free trade were of the most enlight-
ened character, provided with quantity Of
baggage, an inimitable actor, he would pre-
tend to conceal two of them, a huge trunk
and smaller one, from the eyes of the off,
cials, only the more to excite their curiosity.
At last the large trunk would be opened.
1t would be found to contain thousands OF
secondhand pantaloon straps, an appendix to
trousers now perfectly obsolete In vain the
Custom.house people would cudge their brains
to solve the mystery. They had to be all
bundled out to the very last one, bot to their
amazement no two straps were found to be
alike. They had evidently been packed by
hydralic pressure, for the most frantic efforts
on the part Of the employees would not put
them back again into the trunk. In the
meantime, hundreds of passengers were storm
ing at the detention, while the practical joker
calmly looked on at the bother he was caus-
ing. But the second and smaller trunk was
now to be examined, and the Custom.house
people hoped there to find him in default.
They ask for the key. The practical joker
draws punches of ponderous keys from every
one of his pockets; none will fit, until at last
their patience exhausted, the Custom-house
officer threatens to burst the trunk open. Then
the possessor of this particular trunk, calmly
asks the angry oficerif he is married. "What is
that your business ?" is his surly reply. "Only
this, that before you open that trunk would
advise you to 60 home, shake hands with your
wife, kiss your little children, write your will,
and call lat an undertaker's as you come back,
there are rattlesnakes in that trunk. Inever
travel without them" Of course the man
leaves the trunk instantly, and messenger
has to be sent to the head director, who is
shrewd enough to be aware that he has to do
with some practical joker. Presently the Of
fetal returns, and asks pompously: "How
many snakes have you, sir" "Only six" is the
reply "Look for yourself" "Oh! only six.
The head of the department says six snakes
can pass, but that seven would have had to
pay duty. am also directed to state to you,
that if you do not leave this ofice-pantaloon
straps, snakes, and all-in FIVE minutes, you
will be forcibly elected" "And who is to re-
pack my precious straps, a collection unequal
ed in the world? The law entities me to all
my goods You took them out, put them
back again. The best period of my life is be-
ing devoted to finding pairs for those straps.
But am in the cruel grasp of the law, and
have no one defend my rights, save this, my
champion )" and here the practical joker un-
covers his head, surmounted by peculiar
high hat, from whence appears snow-white
diminutive Bantam cock The chicken raises
himself up from the joker's head, claps his
wings, crows three times, the hat is put on
again, the chicken goes to roost on his head,
and, having in about fifteen minutes driven
the Custom.house people to madness, besides
annoying host of anxious travellers, the