Weekly Trinity journal., 1876-12-16
A JOKE IN A PALACE.

A JOKE IN A PALACE.
Amongst the artists OF celebrity be-
longing to London in the last century was
Biachio Rebecca, who was famous for his
eccentricity and tricks of deception in
painting. He was great favorite with
the King, and many amusing anecdotes
are extant concerning him he was in
deed kind of modern court-jester. One
of his tricks at the Palace, as it concerned
piece of furniture, may interest our
readers.
In one of the public apartments al
Windsor two pier-gasses of dimensions
then regarded as extraordinary, being the
largest that up to that time had been
cast in any British factory, had been
newly put up. To all the male and fe-
male domestics who occasionally were
appointed to show the state apartments,
solemn injunction had been given to be
specially careful in guarding them from
the remotest chance of injury, so much
were they thought Of and so highly were
they valued.
just before these rooms were opened,
on one of the mornings appointed for the
admission of the public, then specially
attracted by the fame of these wonderful
pier glasses, Rebecca by stealth obtained
admission to them, and, taking a wax
candle, drew on each an artificial fracture
beginning from the center of both, and
throwing out radiating lines with the
most realistic effect.
The chief Snowman, whose appoint.
ment was Immediately under the lady
house-keeper, entering, e.r-oWciO, short
after, to see that all was in order, caught
sight of the supposed fracture, and uttered
cry of horror and dismay which at
once brought the house maids from the
adjoining rooms, where they had been
busy with their busters and brooms.
(Which of you devils did this ?" cried
he, savagely, pointing to the pier-glass
which had first attracted his attention.
The women stared at the supposed
damage, dumb with fright.
"Now, its no use denying it! What
the devil could you have been at ? What
will Lady say, do you think when
she sees it !"
"La how shocking" exclaimed one;
"Oh how unfortunate" cried another
and then in breath they all cried out
Indignantly, "You can't lay it to me,
remem ber."
A fiery scene ensued, in the midst oi
which loud scream burst forth, and Il
female voice crying, "Why the others
broken, too ~
1--WE shall be discharged for certain,
cried one maid, wiping her tears away
with the duster, and That's fat, " echoed
another dismal voice.
They all stood pale as death, when
10 his majesty entered from the queens
staircase.
The chief showman's tongue clave to
the roof of his mouth, and the maidens
looked to the ground, trembling and
speechless. At length the former ad-
vanced, bowed, twisted his hands togeth-
or like one in agony, and, gasping, point
ing in true tragedy style first to the glass
at one end Of the room, and then to that
at the other.
His majesty looked at one, then at the
other, frowned, said nothing, and hur-
riedly left the room.
The news of the calamity spread
through the royal establishment like
wld-fre; the very walls had tongues.
The smash reached the ears of the lady
housekeeper, who was at her toilet ;
aghast, she left her mirror, and hurried
to the wreck Of the mighty mirrors col
majesty. Her grief and horror were ter
rible to witness, and she hurried to the
queen.
Directly after her departure, in stole
the prankish painter, and with damp
sponge and dry dolly he wiped the aw-
ful fractures clean out,
Presently, in solemn conclave met the
king, the queen, and the royal family,
the lady houseEeeper, the lords in wait
ing, the equerries and the pages, all anx
ious to witness the fearful fractures one
of the latter-an ancient one-decaring
in whisper that in all his "born days"
until that 'present blessed moment" he
had "never heard Of such thing !"
But who shall describe the astonish-
ment of the group of great ones when
all being prepared for condoling COM
ments and exclamations suited to the
tragic nature Of such a strange occur.
rence-lo each of the magnificent plates
Of glass were found-whole
Such is the story by contemporary per.
sonages of the two first really larg,
sheets of plate-glass silvered in Grea
Britain. .-Fu1nit,tr Gazette.