Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1875-07-28
A Successful April-Fool.

I IL
gercd for little talk. The two were cous-
ins, and were spending their vacation at
their grandnothcr's
q" can't hold in any longer" Fanny was
| saying. d" | have been good and prim lust
as long as can stand it, and must have |
some fun. Tomorrow is the first Of April. |
too; and what's Aprilfool day made for |
except for children to enjoy themseh es ?"
Let's make a vow not to rest tomorrow |
until we have April-iooled everybody in the |
family" said Phil.
So we will. Here's my hand, and sol. |
emily vow never TO rest How is it they do |
it in books Anyway, promise to have as
much fun as ! can" said Fanny.
The next morning at breakfast Phil asked |
lls Aunt Anstice, solemnly, il she knew that
the horses and cows had all escaped from
the barn during the night.
Mercy on us, no. How shall | get to |
| llillsboro to-day 2 When did it happen |
Why wasn't the barn lockcdy Where did
they go to "
didn't you notice them in the yard this
morning, dancing the lancers The horses
/ were very polite 10 the cows, and it was too
funny to see EN- do the grand right and left"
This was a little too much even for Aunt
Anstices credulity.
Philip" she said stenly, "you mustn't
tell stories. A boy who has once told lie
can never be believed"
You forget that it is the first of April.
sister" Aunt Deborah said mildly
After 50 prosperous beginning, the chill
dren took fresh courage. They told their
grandmother that they had heard that the
origin of Apri-fool's day was explained in
/ Obadiah ii Sd and ith verses, and caught
the dear old lady looking it up, when she
l tlnnFlff m l.ts l,ft
boxes rs express packages at the door
they tried every stratagem they had heard
of, or had sufficient ingenuity to invent but
do what they would, they could not April
fool their Aunt Deborah
"l've told her that her harris down." said
Phil; but she only said 1t never comes
down. I've invited her TO come into the
cellar and see the new kittens, but she knows
there aren't any. She won't be taken in at
all. What shall we do? We can't break
our vow. emust April-foo her some way"
"l'll tell you what" said Fanny, "we'll
write letter. and pretend it's from poor
| person who is suffering for food and clothes
/ Lots Of people ask Aunt Deb. for things. It's |
been very hard winter, she says, so she
won't think it strange"
| Get me some paper" said Phil, excit- |
edly, and III begin at once. You're a
| trump, Fan. What shall say 2"
Begin, Dear lady; that sounds well |
/ ] have heard"
How do yon spell that kind of heard 2"
inquired Phil
Herd, Of course. I've known that ever 1
since was as small--as small as-the small |
est thing you can think Of" added Fanny |
in want of better comparison. 81 can't |
spell very WELL but know such simple |
words as that If we make few mistakes |
it will be all the better for poor people are |
generally bad spoilers"
After much hard work letter was CON |
cocted between them, which Phil carried to
| Deborah received it. She read il with |
| puzzled face
This is the most singular composition | |
ever read she said to her sister; q but the |
/ poor woman seems in great distress lis |
ten and she read the following production. |
of which we give facsimile:
DEAR LADY II have herd You were kind To .
the poor 50 take the liberty Of ritng to ask Your
help. have three small children who have |
scarcely RAJ 10 their backs which are noery |
/ dyeiug Of staryashun | can't get work Ms /
| husband bcets me. Come and sucker me rcmcui- /
| herring the words Of the Bible, Throw your
bread into many waters and tier il has been gnrt
/ some days 1t shall return aud also the Scripture
| which seth LEND "a hand " live on Cottage |
street. No more At present nom yours in poverty
and affection, MRs SMITH
"A very singular epistle," said Aunt De
borah, as she finished reading "The gram
mar is quite good, but the spelling is bad, |
and she has mixed up the Bille and the
| Wadsworth motto in pecuiarRway. re-
member that Mrs. Grimes told me about a
| poor family on Cottage street, but have not /
been to see them yet have had so much /
to do that forgot them. | thought the
name was Flynn, but never can remember
names, and this is evidently the same person"
Phil and Fanny burst out laughing and,
capcrng around their aunt, cried in concert,
April-iool, auntie April-fooll"
If this is the best photography which
the combined knowledge of my niece and
nephew can produce, think shall have to
open a spellingschool during the rest Of
their visit" said Aunt Deborah, surveying
the note with mingled amusement and dis.
gust
at was splendid Aprilfool, " said Fanny,
presently, " because we fooled ourselves too.
Ia no idea there really was Cottage street
IN town. or that there was any poor person
living there
" How would you like to carry basketful
Of things up to the Mrs Flynn who really
does live there "
"Oh, it would be jolly And may We pin
a paper over the things marked April
fool : >" asked Phil not minding stops in
his excitement
" If you like
About an hour afterwards, Phil and Fanny
started ON their errand, the former carrying
large basket, containing all kinds of good
things to eat, and the latter q bundle Of old
clothes and doll. Both basket and bundle
were wrapped in papers, with April.fool
printed on them in large letters.
How nice that we should have reminded
Aunt Deborah Of these people, | wonder if
they are as badly of as those we made be
lieve about in our letter." said Fanny, with
a little sigh.
At last they reached the shanty where the
Flynns lived The children thrust basket
and parcel in at the door, and then hid.
" am going to peep in at the window,
and see how they like the things" said
Fanny, after moment.
When she did so a sad sight met her ewes.
The room contained some broken chairs. a
riokety table and miserable bed. There
were two or three ragged, hungry-lookinc
children hanging about their mother. and
elamoring for something TO eat. Through the
broken window Fanny could hear her saw;
You just shut up Hain't told YOU
enough times to-day that there amt nothing
In the house TO eat z"
amy NNui" pSAl ~ Ho longer,
Look in that basket by the door"
she called out but first read what il saws
on the outside" and then she scrambled
down, to join Phil in his hiding-place, before
any one should come to the window.
81 guess we've fooled ourselves again"
she whispered TO him, "for don't believe
they can read"
tdid Fanny's heart good, when she peeped
again, to see the happy faces Of the children 9
as the mother gave them sandwich apiece. q
Poor little things, they were half Q
starved" she said, as she and Phil walked
home; " and how the littlest girl stared AT the
doll don't believe she ever saw one before" !
"Why don't you talk, Fan 2" said Phil. I
at the end of long pause. s
81 can't get those poor things out of nv
mind. oh dear and TO think that there a
are lots more such people" a
Phil had never seen his merry cousin In >
so sober mood. lie thought she was going
10 cry, and Owed into his trousers pocket 10 n
get out his handkerchief to have it ready to :,
wipe away her tears; and then he tried TO =
say something consolinq: ~