Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1881-12-08
PRACTICAL SoEEs.
esae Humsreus ana HsersIsss Oeearrssess
aad the Law Ceussratas Fasm.

ssze Humsrsns and HssrtIsss Occurrences
and the Law Ceuesratas fhsm.
Not the least curious thing about the
attractive subject OF practical joking Ia
that whenever, through the stupidity or
brutality of humorous xufian, per.
son Is killed or disHgured for life, the
newspapers chronicle the occurrence
under the heading. "a Warning 10
Practical Jokers." II the wag had
been manned or slain, or IL The neigh
bors had fogged him or lynched him,
then there would have been some ex-
cuse for the headline. The practical
ioker's doings take wide range, and
are performed as the expense Of all
classes OF the community. Thus in
January last Mr.. W. T. Timmons, Of
South Carolina, having been rejected by
his sensible sweetheart, undertook 10
move her heart by writing : letter 10
the press in another persons name, an
nouncing that his lifeiess body had
been found In Adams Bun. The only
person seriously affected was his
brother. who instantly bought @ coffin
at Charleston and travelled to The spot
to discover the hoax.
At Jefferson City. No.. . stranger put
up ct the Monroe house, and sold tho
landlord o pair of new boots for 90.
The landlords intimate and waggish
friend induced humorous shoemaker
Mr.. Joseph Flick, to go and claim the
boots as having been stolen from him,
and the hotel keeper gave them up, and
when subsequently he encountered his
guest, had him arrested and summoned
Mr.. Flick as witness. Then the joke
came ont, and IL cost Mr. Flick s12 costs,
while the guest has an action pending
for damages for false imprisonment.
The late Count Bellavitis, an eminent
Mathematician of Padua, some time be-
fore his death prepared q letter TO q
friend at Rome, informing this friend
that the writer had just died. Count
Bellavitis left . space in this strange
epistle for the date to be inserted, and
had instructions prepared for his execu-
tors that when he died the day was to
be filled in and the letter sent 10 its
destination. The instructions we're
faithfully obeyed and the grim joke was
completed. and the first intimation the
Roman friend had of the death Of Count
Bellavitis was the receipt of letter
from him stating the fact.
A facetious young lady of Philadel-
phis several years ago issued hundred
or more invitations to dinner In the name
Of one Of Mr.. Child's near neighbors-
skillful'y arranging the list of invita-
lions so as to include fifty assorted
pairs OF mortal enemies-and then
kindly ordered q magnificent dinner
from Q restaurant for the occasion.
4 decidedly sensational practical joke
was perpetrated in Brazil on the occa-
sion Of the introduction of new safety
brake, Dom Pedro, who was on the
train, being an accomplice. At one
part OF the line whore 1t passes through
cutting bounded by rocks, q gigantic
construction of lath and canvas, painted
to represent mass of fallen rock, was
placed on the rails 30 that the driver
would catch sight of It Just as he
rounded q curve. he did. and stopped
the train in n hurry, so that both the
joke and the trial we're successful But
suppose he had juaped OFF,
When the steamer Potosi left Ply.
mouth recently for Australia Q practical
joker cried out, "Afan overheard /"
a hfe-boat was lowered, but the falls
became cntangled and FIVE men wero
plunged into the water. two being
drowned.
At Lnthwaite, England, John Diskin,
: boy OF sixteen, thought II would be
great fun to scare his mate. lad OF
fifteen. by throwing rope around his
meek and putting the end of IL round
the machine shaft. The object of the
joke was dashed 10 pieces.
In Sixty-fourth street, this city, in
August last, Pietro Franchis mates
undertook TO wake him from his nap by
wheeling q truck with : man on Il
against him. It struck him on the
head and killed him.
At Chicago Mr.. N. B. Gould. prom.
insnt business man, resolved to scare
the ianitor by overturning things in his
room and hiding In the closet While
ne was chuckling with = companion
over the success of their stratagem, the
ianitor, having vainly summoned the
alleged burglar 10 surrender. fred