Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1880-04-15
= ae':,..sAHzFoeIs' Day.

- qsi:5s.s f>HSr ~ e2!s o2is .lHiay. .Uuet eie
Of the present generation it 1s onl,
the small boy who takes any promlnen
part in the customs and ceremonies o
+" All-fools' Day" Nischieyous ur.
chins play pranks on each other and OF
their elders but adult humanity, o.
rather that port ion of it which is pos
sessed of modicum ofcommon-sense and
cultivation, agrees in denouncing the
practical joke as an abomination. If
wewass evidence of how much ou1
race has improved In delicacy, in man,
ners, and in sentiment, we have only to
look through old records, and find how
our ancestors, recent and remote, took
advantage of this anniversary to de-
mean themselves after fashion which
noaadaysSewoulda cause them to be
thrust outside the. pale of respectable
society = - -
The various tricks by which the wit
of the community used formerly to
manifest itself would. make up long
list, but the following are few of the
pastimes by which persons fully arrived
at yeasaof discretion used to entertain
themselves. Awaggish young lady, aware
that her dearest friend Eliza Louisa had
rather empty-headed youth dangling
after her with little encouragement.
would send him billet desiring him TO
call upon the object of his affections at
particular hour, when, instead of re-
ceiviHg a. welcome, he finds himself
treated as an intruder, and by-and-by
discovers that he has not advanced his
reputation for sagacity, or the general
prospects of his suit. The great object
was to catch some person off his guard;
to pass off upon HIM as simple fact
something barely possible, and which
has no truth in it; to impose upon him
SO as to make him appear absurd before
a laughing circle of by-standers. OF
course for April-fooling it was necessary
to have some degree of GOODNESS, and
an ability to control the features. 1t
may also be remarked that large pro
portion of, the business was effected be-
fore and about the time of breakfast,
while as yet few had had occasion to
remember what day Of the year it was,
and before successful effort at victim
izing some one person lad warned the
rest of their danger.
Sometimes an opportunity was taken
by ultra-joeular persons to carry out
some extensive hoax upon society. For
example, some twenty years ago large
number Of people in London received
through the post card having the fol-
lowing inscription. with seal marked
hu ipyartoH SYv,opoa opa of
angles, thus having, to superficial OBJ
servers, an official appearance 'sTower
of London Admit the Bearer and
Friend to view the Annual Ceremony
of Washing the White Lions, on Sun
day, April l, 1850. Abundance only
at the White Gate. 1t is particularly
requested that no gratuities be given to
the heuSVardens or their Assistats. The
trick is said to have been highly sue
cessfuL Cabs were heard ratsling about
Tower Hill all that Sunday morning
vainlys endeaYoring to discover the
Whitei Gate. 3 1t is remarkable that any
such trick should have succeeded in
imposing upon a large number of per
sons. A few might naturally have been
deceived, but the smass,one would think,
were not likely to be SO unwary.
The literature of the. last century is
full Of illusions 30 tricks played on All
fools Day. The Spectator, that amia-
BILE locker. on upon the vices and follies
of mankind says "A nelghbor of
mine, who is a haberdasher by trade,
ard very shallow, conceited fellow,
makes his boast that for these ten wears
successively he has not made less than
hundred fools. My -landlady had a
falling out with him one fortnight ago,
upon some sleeveless .errand, as she
termed it. Her eldest son went to buy
a halfpenny worth of ink at shoe
makers the eldest daughter was dis
patched half a mile to see a monster !;
apd,lin short, the, whole family of in.
nocspt children made April fools. 49, rf
Swift, in his Journal to Stella, enters
under the date March 81, 17ls. the
interesting fact that he, DR. Arbuthnot,
and Lady Mhsham had been amusing
themselves that evening by contrir1pe
ga lie for tomorrow" A person named
Noble had been hanged few days be-
fore. The lie which these three laid
their heads together teeoncoet was that
Noble had come to life again in tfle
hands of his friends, but had been an
rested by the sheriff, and was then al
the BlaeE Swan, in Holborn,D in the
custody of q messenger. '"sWe ;are all
says Swift, t'to send to our friends tc
know whether they have heard OF it
and 50 we, hope it will spread" The
pext day the learned dean duly sent hi;
sfEyant TO houses to inquire among tbs
footmen, not letting his own man int
the secret. But nothing could be hearc
of the resuscitation OF Mr.. Noble
whence be cencIdSe dsthat his cslleaeae
''did not contribute" as they ought t.
have done.