The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1878-05-24
..SeIls.,.

1t would puzzle philosopher to give
IA exact definition of the word sci"
Nearly related TO the hoax, IL differs
T from it in being more innocent in its
inception and less mischieyous in its
: consequences. Some little ingenuity is
required to cOncoct happy sell; :" but
any one may perpetrate hoax who is
equal to lending lie the confidence of
truth" The latter is a deliberately
planned deception, oftenest attaining its
end by personation or forgery or some
thing closely akin to it whereas a sell
needs no such playing with edged tools,
and may not only be unprecedented,
but even unintentional.
The Irishman who undertook 10 show
an exciseman a private still, and intro
duced him To bis brother, who had been
I twelve years in the army and was a
private still, sold the guardian of the
revenue very neatly; although it Is
possible the victim of the Joke did not
see the fun of the thing, any more than
the official Of the north London railway
company did, when overhearing
/ third-class passenger aver that any one
could travel from Broad street to Dals-
ton Junction without r ticket, As he had
done only the day before, he inter
viewed him when he alighted. The
traveller not proving communicative,
the Jealous railway servant conveyed
coin into his hand, and then asked
How did you go from Broad street to
DalstOn Junction yesterday withous
ticket9' "Oh," was the unwelcome
reply, 4" walked :"
As readily trapped was the amateur
musician who responded to the adver-
tisement: Z" Wanted, trombone player
for Barnum's balcony band, by waiting
upon the famous Snowman without delay.
You want trombone player 2' in
quired he
Yes" said Mr.. Barnum.
What is the place worth 80 asked
the applicant
On, about twenty FIVE dollars a week,
I suppose"
+" Very well, l should like it"
All right" said Mr. Barnum; and
the trombone did frightful execution
through the week. Saturday came, and
with i Mr.. Green Tor his salary, instead
OF drawing which, he received a paper
on which was written g Mr.. Green to
Mr.. 2. L. Barnunl. To playing the
trombone on his balcony one week,
twenty-five dollars" The recipient
smiled.
"It's all right, isn't it % asked Mr..
Bafnum
Why" said the musician, you've
made an odd mistake you've made me
the debtor instead of you"
No mistake at all" said Bsrnum.
g You see this is how it is. There are
great many men In this city fond of
practiciDg on brass instruments; but
they cannot do it at home because OF
their neighbours objections So / find
them room on my balcony during so
many hours day, where the street is so
noisy that il does no harm, aud they
give me so much a week for nv trouble
in keeping the organic ition complete
You dom think me such fool as to pay
such 4 wretched lot of players, surely? I
However, as you seem to have been hon /
estiy mistaken. you can pay me ten dol I
lars this week, but hereafter | can make I
no reduction" There was a vacan in I
the balcony band the following Men I
dsy.
Many an unprecedented sell has teen
perpetrated from inability to resist sud-
den temptation. One of the judges OF
the supreme court of New York state,
visiting the centennial exhibition, sat
down In a quiet corner apart from the
others, to listen 10 great comet player,
and. as was his wont IN court, drew his
gray coat about his head and ears as a
7 rejection against possible dTaughts.
His motionless figure soon attracted at
tention, and the whisper ran that it was
the statue OF some wonderful character.
Tie Judges sister wickedly told those