Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1880-05-20
Numurous department.
HOOKS FAMOUS HOAX.

HOOKS FAMOUS HOAX.
Theodore Hook was the prince Of practical
jokers, and for years kept the people of Eng
land laughing at his cunning and his wit.
The masterpiece in this line was what is known
as "The Berners Street Hoax" perpetrated in
the city of London, in 1909. The hoax was
conceived in malice, having been an out
growth of grudge entertained against its
victim, Mrs Tottenham, wealthy lady liv.
ing at No. "a Berners street. Hooks accom-
plices we're certain "Mr. H" who had
been also concerned in many of Hooks pre-
vious Jokes, and celebrated actress at the
time. Together they sent out 1000 letters to
persons in every station in life, purporting to
he orders, appointments or invitations from
Mrs. Tottenham. They all named the same
day, and an hour was appointed for each, ap-
propriate to his calling. Thus, at five o'clock
in the morning, the streets resounded with the
peculiar cries of an army of chimney sweeps,
who, with their masters, thundered upon the
knocker of No. 81. Before they had gone,
the ponderous coal wagons from the wharves
were driven up to the house, each with load
of coal to deliver at the same house, blocking
the street, and causing great noise OF wheels
and camor of blackened drivers. Later, a
large number of cooks appeared, every one
carrying huge wedding cake for the testivi'
ties that were never to take place. Then fol.
lowed tailors with suits of clothes; uphol-
sterers with samples undertakers with coEins
ready made BARRIERS with wigs to fit; milli-
ners with arms filled with bandboxes, and
dentists nerved to draw teeth. By this time
the family at No. "a were nearly beside them
selves with distress at their situation and fear
from the'rage of the disappointed tradesmen.
But more was to come. Great furniture
vans rolled up to the house with contents to
fill hundred houses, organs and pianofortes
came, each with a number of men to carry
them in; linen drapers brought large rolls of
goods, and jewelers. produced their rarest
gems at the command of the wealthy and
fashionable lady of Berners street. At noon
forty fish. mongers appeared, all bringing "cod
and lobsters;" and butchers followed, every
man with leg of mutton.
At fashionable hour the carriages of many
persons, who moved in the best circles, began
to arrive, and while they were still there sew
eral coaches and FOUR" gayly decorated for
bridal journey, wheeled into the street.
Noblemen, princes and persons in high sta
tion came to pay their respects. Lawyers,
summoned to consult upon important matters; ;
clergymen, to administer to the dying; artists,
eager for the patronage of the great, came in
numbers together Surgeons, too, came in
hot haste, and finding that their carriages
could not pass for the crowd, and seeing the
multitude apparently drawn by some accident
in the house, they descended and forced their
way on foot through the throng. And final
", when the crowd was at its greatest, fitting
ly to crown the joke, the lord mayor himself,
in his robe of state, and seated in his official
chariot, was driven to the door.
London was excited for many days over this
affair. Hook avoided trouble by leaving the
country for time. The tradesmen we're ca.
ger to recover damages for their losses, and
others to obtain revenge for their annoyances.
MARK TWAIN.
The new book of Mark Twain's entitled
"a Tramp Abroad" which has lately ap.
peared, is doubtless destined to become as
popular as any of his previous works. The
following extract from it, of his experience in
the Swiss Mountains after being out in q
drenching rain storm, shows its lively tone
and his usual pleasant manner of relating his
adventures
We stripped and went to bed, and sent
our clothes down to be baked. All the
horde of soaked tourists did the same. That
chaos of clothing got mixed in the Kitchen
and there were consequences. l did not get
back the same drawers sent down when our
things came up at 6.15; l got pair on a
new plan. They were merely pair of long,
white rufae.cufed sleeves, hitched together at
the top with narrow band, and they did
not come quite down to my knees They
we're pretty enough, but they made me feel
like two people, and disconnected at that.
The man must have been an idiot who got
himself up in that way to rough it in the
Swiss Mountains.
The shirt they brought me was shorter
than the drawers, and hadn't any sleeves to
it-at least it hadn't anything more than
what Mr.. Darwin would call "rudimentary"
sleeves. These had edging around them,
but the bosom was ridiculously plain. The
knit silk under.shirt was on new plan, and
was really sensible thing; it opened behind,
and had pockets in it to put the shoulder
blades in but they did not seem to 6t mine.
They gave my bob,tail coat to somebody
else, and sent me an ulster suitable for gi-
rafe. I had to tie my collar on, because
there was no button behind on the foolish
little shirt.
When l went to dinner long stranger
recognized his ulster as soon as he saw the
tail of it following me in, but nobody claimed
my shirt and drawers, though described
them as we'll as / was able. gave them
to the chambermaid that night when l went
to bed, and she probably found the owner,
for my things were on chair outside of my
door in the morning
B9- At legal investigation of a liquor
seizure, the judge asked an unwilling witness:
"What was in the barrel you had% The re:
ply was: "Well, your honor, it was marked
Whisky on one end of the barrel, and Pat
Duffy on the other end, so that whether it
was whisky or Pat Duffy that was in the bar,
rel cannot say, being as am on my OATH.
ss~ A householder in Troy, in filling up bis
census schedule, under the column, "where
born" described one of his children "born IN