The daily gazette., 1875-03-30
For the Ga=ette.
The First Day of April I
All Fools Dsy..-Origin of ITS Gus
tOms.-.Sone Practical JOkess

All Fools, Day..-Origin Of ITS Gus
tOms.-.Sonie Practical Jokes
There are fools and fools, and we ex..
pect there will continue to be many OF |
all sorts and kinds until the end OF the
world. The particular genius known as
an April fool is usually victim OF some
practical joke and suffering from mis-
placed confidence He is oftentimes less |
to be pitied than the joker who puts HIM
in his iinenyiable position. The fools OF |
every day life who are erratic and fool |
ish not only for day but from month
| to mouth and from yearto year are the
| ones to be cominlserated.
| "The first of April-all fools day,
You'll grant me this fact? Nay, sir; nay.
| The first of every months the same; Il
| Ditto the last-the more the shame.
| Every year, past or to comes fools years \
| Folly never halts in her career ~
| When time is DER and worlds have fed,
Then, only then, is folly dead,'
The origin of the peculiar manner in
which all fools day is kept is really not
known, and among the many accounts
given We think the following is the most
| likely: Until the seventeenth century
the year commenced with the Spring
equinox, and it was the custom to pre-
sent New Years gifts to ones friends at
that time, which was about the first of
April. When the opening of the year
was changed to its present time this
custcm was still continued; but instead
Of useful presents it was made q bur-
lesque affair, and the boxes would be
filled with straw, &c. From this begin
ming came the present custom OF send
ing persons on useless errands and the
various kinds of practical jokes which
are practised. The custom extends
throughout the domain of civilization,
and according to Col. Pearce, ia kept in
full force among the Hindoos at their
celebration OF the Hull Festival on the
3lst of March. In France the victim is
called poisson d Aril, the name of a
very foolish fish which is easily caught
by any bait, often biting at a bare hook.
In Scotland he is called goack, the name
OF the cuckoo, it being considered q
foolish bird from its egotistical habits
Francis, the Duke of Lorraine, made his
escape from prison by attempting it on
the first of April. He and his wife were
confined in the prison at Nantes, and
early on the morning of all fools day
they left the prison disguised as peas;
ants; he with hod on his shoulder and
his wife carrying large basket of rub.
bish. They walked through the streets
and passed out of the gates of the town
d guarded by @ sentry, in safety. But
just outside they were recognized by a
S woman who ran to the guard and told him
what she had discovered. He laughed
: at her and said, 'you can't April fool
me-" with q significant motion of his
hand. The remainder of the guard came
up and the sentry told the good joke
"Ha, ha; woman cam, foo! u.s.. cried
the sergeant, and they all joined in the
laugh. The joke was afterwards told tc
the Governor and he ordered an investi
CATION and discovered the mistake; bu'
N IL was too late, the Duke was far away
- In Lisbon, in 1911, few days before th'
y first of April, which occurred on Mon
day, the following circular was distribu
ted through every part of the city.
NOTICE.
An officer of the British army ha
deposited $500 sterling, that he walk
i across the Tagus river. on Monda,
n, next, at one o'clock, or about the mid
die of the day, in pair of boots mad
of cork, from the tower of Belem, or
- posite to the Tore Velha. These boot
: are of an admirable construction an,
l. very curious, invented by the Office
y. who will make us of them.
w 1.-THE day came, and so did thcpeopl
y from all parts of the city, in carriages
,y in boats and on foot. The river ban
,s, was lined with spectators, and Ever
lS high prices were paid for boats and fc
windows commanding view of tn
:. water. From ten o'clock in the mori
ID. ing until sunset this vast crowd {
- people, all clad in holiday costume
, / waited for the appearance OF the rive
IL walker No one appeared and the
went home disappointed. Old boot
- gaily decorated, hung out from col
a. spicuous windows to catch their gaz'
~. did not tend to sootho their feelings
tb In March, 1880, numbers of aristocr;
inhabitants of London and the adjoiI
ing country, received official lookin
envelopes. imprcssively sealed, an
,ss each containing this invitations;
TOWER OF LONDON,
Admit the bearer and friend to vie
the ceremony of washing the whit
lions, on Sunday, April /, 1860. Al
me mittance at the white gate. 1t is pa
sat al, ticularly requested that no gratuiti
ho riven to the warden or their ass
ciates.
The bait took and the elite of Lo
don came to Tower Hill in great nuI
are hers. For the whole day the streets e
res the Tower were blockaded by the CO
,ns RACES of the people who were tryir
ger anXiously to find the white gate, an
ssssa which / am afraid they have sot y
ny found.
I'VE In Philadelphia, few years sine
''- many ladies received circulars whi'
ran thus: -,
:, The attention of the ladies of I'll
'e' city is called to the opening of lar
= lot of damaged kid gloves, on ne
Thursday, the 1stprox. The immen
stock will be comprised OF the We
to latest shades, in one, two and thr
sh buttons, at the low prices of 25, 40 a
Il 60 cents per pair. Ladies are partic
r larly requested to call on the openil
day, as many of the gloves are so
tie damaged that it can only be dett
ted by q connessieur.
This was followed by bogus nul
Der on Eighth street, in n iashional
the shopping quarter, and a bogus III
ing name Many ladies, VINO nau DC
ing ....ot, of oroftipo fine harVninS. we