National Republican., 1873-04-02
TIL f FIRST OF APRIL
BRIEF HISTORY OF ITS OBSERVANCE

Modern Illustrations - The splendid
joke Of the "Repubiiean,-sccne and
Iucidents In Connection with 1.-THE
Town Talk sf the Dsy-Let U. Have
Peace.
Why the ist Of April has been set apart for
All-fools Day has been the theme Of much In
vestlgation and much learned dissertation. Like
nearly all customs Of q similar character II dates
Its origin back to the most ancient Of civillza.
tons, and In all ages Of the world and In all
countries II has been enjoyed. But n II had
Pagan birth II also had q Christian one. Those
yersed In oriental lore say that the custom Ia
derived from Hlndoo feast called the Hui.
That festival was certainly celebrated by send
ing people on on errands in which they were
sure to be disappointed, and by raising In varl-
Gus ways a laugh at the expense Of some one.
The
CHRISTIAN BIRTH:
Of the day Ia referred by NEST scholars TO the
trinlnR action Of Herod, Plate and the priests
In sending our Saviour from one to another for
decisive Judgment. The very best writers, how.
ever, agree as TO one thing, and that Is this,
that
A little nonsense now and then
Ia rellshed by the wisest men.
In other words, folly Is not altogether unde.
slrable at times, and u ls an essence quite as
Lamb has said, with much force and truth, that
no man should object to being called fool on
the ilrst Of April. These are
CHARLES LAMBS IDEAS
"Beshrew the man who on such day as this,
the general festival, should Affect to stand aloof
- Stuiius SUM, Translate me that, and
raS. ke 'nS wSs MAN. oi we have f%nr quarters Sf of
the globe on our side, at the least computation"
Then as to the cause for blushlns, even 4 on, one
should be i9cl be says IN soGer verify ,do NJ
naturally as III were Of klth and kin to him:
when a child, with chllilike apprchenslons that
dlyed not below the surface OF the matter, !
read those PARALLELS not guessing at the involved
wisdom. | had more yearninRs toward that
simple architect that hullt his house upon the
sand than entertained for his more cautious
II grudpcd at the 'hard censure pronounced
upon the quiet soul that kept his talent, ant
pTizing their simplicity beyond the more ptoyi-
dent, and, TO my apprehension, somewhat m
feminins wariness OF their competitors-felt q
kindllness that almost amounted TO fcndrc for
those ave thoughtlcss virgins. | have never
made an acquaintance since that lasted, or q
friendship that answered, with any that had no,
some tincture Of the absurd In their characters.
I yenerate an honest obllquity OF understanding
The more laughable blunders q man shan conf
NIT in your company the more tests he Rivcth
| you that he will not betray or Oycrreach you.
al love the safety which palpable halluclna.
ton warrants; the security which word out oi
l
reader, and say fool told II you, u yoa please,
that he who hath not dram Of tinlltln his mix
| ture hath pounds Of much worse matter In MS
composition. II Is observed that the foolishei
the fowl or nsh, woodcocks, dotterels, Gods
heads, &c, the inner the resh thereof and whal
are commonly the worlds received fools, but sucf
you wrest my words beyond their fair cOnstruc.
tion II Is you, and not that are the April Fool.
THE SANE JOKES,
| From the "Book Of Days" the following eNtrac
| IL Ia fnffhlnU tha ObaaTVangRa a the IaV
| The book was published more than forty yean
ago, but II will be noticed that the style OF thu
Ordinary Jokes has not varied much;
Thirty years ago, when buckles were worn Oi
shoes, u boy would meet person In the stree
with sir, " you please, your shoe Ia unbuckled,
and the moment the accOsted individual looked
toward his feet the informant would cry, 'Ah
| you April fool Twenty years ago, whct
| buckles were wholly dlsused, the urchin crJ
was, 'Slr, your shoes untied;' and " the shoe
buckled predecessor had been, with the said, 'Ah
you April fooll Now, when neither buckles moi
strings are worn, because In the year 1870, whet
| no decent man has shoe to his foot, the wAg
gery OF the day is 'Sir, there Ia something out 0
| your pocket 'where7' There 'WhAtG' You
hand, sir! Al! you April fool! Or else som,
lady Is hnmbly bowed TO, and gravely a1dresset
something on your face. indeed, my man, wha
Is it7' You nose, nia'anl. All! you April foOl!'
sEwsPArKR JOKES.
| As time advances, however, April fool joke
are attempted on q grander scale, and II has be
come recognized custom for newspaper men Il
rival each In the production Of something tha
| ignorant and learned A Joke OF this characte
was perpetrated In the REruBLICAs Of yesterday
and with results so perfectly good that specia
the selection Of the theme Of the Joke ami III,
work Of writing II up was assigned 10 ons attnch
Of the paper ANY one OF our attaches could hay,
done Il as well, perhaps betterl and Tor th
reason that too many cooks In such an aftlcl
/ would at once spoil the broth.
The foundation Of the Joke was the arrival a
Washington hotel Of delegation Of princel
men from India and the burning by them Of
dead body. Such story, In order to be believed
as this one was, by nine tenths OF the people VIII
read It, must not only have an absolutely harmo
nious outline and perfect proportions, but a
exactness In detail and minutcness In descrip
tion. II Is no uncommon thing for delegation
TO arrive In Washington from tue East; henc
there was nothing Absurd In the statement that
HindoO delegation had arrived; but II woull hay
been an easy thing, without careful study, u
have bOtched the whole performance In givlnl
names TO the delegation.
characteristic Of India. Alter getting them reg
istered at the hotel the next dlfflculty In ayOdn
exposure OF the Joke was TO get the dead bod
into view. II would never do TO have the yOun
princess die here after their arrival for reason
that are apparent. II was reasonable story
however, that she should die at sea and be EN-
balmed. After that fiction was Invented It wa
easy sailing through the rest OF the story, slmpl
requiring knowledge OF Eastern styles and Gus
toms and fertile Imagination In description.
The aid Of police authorities and the tim
fXed for the cremation scene were preCautlOn
ary fctions and aided much In the general dc
ceptlon OF the whole affair. OF course the en
tire article had to be skillfully clothed Wit
much Of Eastern lore, and with much Of tn
gorgeous and romantic style OF their expression
IhE SCENES AND INCIDENTS.
II Is impossible to convey vivid or even
funny idea OF the scenes and Incidents whiC
transplred In Monument lot durlI the mOrnln
or at WOmley's hotel, where the young princes
was supposed to be ''lying In state,p for tn
reason that II would be improper TO give III
names Of the parties essentially sold.
Eminent doctors and men Of science viste
WOrmleys at about 500 yesterday morning, an
seriously asked permission to view the "rt
mains" oficers Of the army and navy wer
also there, together with several members Of III
diplomatic corps. Iilgh-born ladies' and leader
Of fashion at the West End drove up to the hot,
In their carriages, and made polite requests /
see Deria Lodi before she was burned or he
silken cerements removed.
Hundreds visited the hotel during the day an
asked TO be shown the room which had ten
porariy been converted into a Pagan chape
aud large crowd gathered there In the mOrnln
to catch sight OF the palanquln and prOcessio
as II moved from the hotel.
great number OF ladies' and gentlemen drOv
In carriages to the lot where the burning was
take place, and thousands wendell their wa
there on foot.
House-tops commanding a view Of the ground
near the Monument were occupied by anxiou
spectators with spy-glaSses In hand. The roc
OF the Paymaster Generals ofilce was CoveTc
with anxious clerks, and all the windows Of tn
Treasury facing south were occupied.
A great number visited the once OF the chic
os police To request pass TO witness the Intel
estlng scene, and some went there to protes
against permission OF the act.
At the breakfast table more than one nOtet
journalist Rrayely aud seriously discussed thl
matter, and took sides with each Othef as TO IL
prOpriety In Christian country.
The cOlored population became intensely eX
cited, and domestics hurried with all posslbl
speed from the breakfast table 10 see the sight
II Is also astonishing TO learn how many peopl
went to Monument lot "Iust to see, you know
who was there, and to enjoy the Joke" Durin
the day II was the talk OF the town, and up /
late In the evening therewere not few VIII
really bellved the affair had taken place. Liz
everything that Is successful II was good.
Joke IL q Joke, and In this one there Is nOlhin
to leave an unpleasant memory.
The Emancipation Celebration.
4 meeting OF citizens Of the Sixth district wa
leld at Williams hall, on Pennsylvania ayenu,
I = Il nj l.