The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1882-08-24
Who Was Fooled ?

brown stone mansion and rushed out up
on the sidewalk, nearly upsetting another
boy in his headlong career
Hello yourself, Hal. but what's your
hurry time enough, I'm sUe,' returned
the other.
"Not when your long legs are putting
into it at that rate Of speed" said Harry,
catching for breath. "But oh, Joe, how
long have you been in the bulletin busi-
ness p then seeing his friends look Of as
tonishment, ne added, "for you seem to
have some sort of an advertisement fast
ened to your back"
"No you don't, my hearty,' laughed
the other; ''you don't catch Joe Nelson
mapping on the first Of April"
''Perhaps | don't, but somebody else
does said Harry, laughing in his turn,
''tor as sure as guns, here is April F0ol'
pinned to your coat"
"No, YOU don't" repeated Joe.
''H0nor bright; no fooling about it,
insisted Harry Here hold still and let
me take it off, for there come some girls,
and they'll be sure to giggle themselves
sick if they see it. | want to spare the
feelings of the dear creatures all can"
and Harry caught his but half creduIous
friend by the coat and succeeded in de
taChing the obnoxious placard. "There,
now, said he, 'see if | am tooling, and
see, too, if somebody hasn't caught Joe
Nelson with his eyes shut on the first Of
April Oh, Joe Joe pretty we'll for You"
ana llarry's merry laugh rang out on the
clear morning air
But the Joke did not seem to be quite
so well relished by the victim. Joe's
face was very red us he muttered half to
himself, "Ill pay her foI this, the ninny."
"Wh0, Joe Sadie Pshaw before l'd
get mad Just because girl played a
trick on me You've fooled her a dozen
times this morning. I'll be bound but oh,
Joe, do you know am Just dying to fool
somebody; feel just like it,"
"Whom for instance" asked Joe,
looking at his companion from the cor
ners of his eyes, without turning his
head, in way peculiar to himself
Not your lordship," replied Harry,
laughing; your eyes are too wide open
what's more, you can't take Joke"
'Indeed ~ said Joe, scornfuly, "then
why not try to bamboozle your sisters ?"
ooh, that's no particular fun" replied
sharp for me, and Flossie is too innocent.
can fool the dear little thing twenty
times right running, and then | can't
make her understand that it isn't Just
the same as telling lie. No, want to
do something little out Of the common.
| once read OF a capital April fool Joke
that was played upon very disagree
able old lady by some Wag or person who
owed her a grudge. In the course Of the
day she was called on by all the trades
men and artiZans of the town, with their
respective wares and tools, having re-
ceived orders as they supposed from her
self. The last arrival, | believe, was a
man with q huge furniture van, who had
received orders to move her effects to
another town. Now that was something
worth while, and I'd like to be smart
enough to do something as cute; but of
course can't"
'.I'll tell you, Hail. said Joe, suddenly
waking up and becoming interested. ~
We thought of the very thing-Why not
come up with that prig of Jim Nalen
tine, some how
"Iou've hit the nail square on the
head, Joe Nelson, and | might have
known you would" and Harry illustrat-
ed the nail-hitting process by vigorous
slap on his friends back. 'I'd like moth
ing better than to take down Jim Nalen-
tine peg or two; he's too solemn and
proper by half-too goody -goody alto
gether; never gets riled like the rest of
us fellows and don't think it is good for
him. Id like to do something to make
him just hopping"
Giles a perfect prg, and a hypocrite
to boot, said Joe warmly. "No wonder
he always stands ahead Of all creation,
for his mother used to be school teach
er and they say she helps him in every
enc of his lessons does all his problems
very likely but when | asked him the
other day to show me about one or two,
he said he would De very glad to, but
could not because it was against the rules
and I've no douby that he reported me
to old Hodges for got marked cypher
on that very lesson. He's a perfect sneak,
that's what he is"
''Dr. Lyon seems to think he is about
right" said Harry, not quite convinced
by his friends reasoning ooh, he man
ages TO pull the wool over DR.. Lyons
eyes with his pions lodges" said Joe, bit
terly, "but he can't fool me SO easy.
can see right through him."
"On the principle that it takes thief
to catch a thief" queried Harry, with
roguish twinkle.
Come now, Hail." returned Joe, half
angrily, ''none o your chatting. | want
You to understand that am not to be
classed with jim Valentine, and if You
have any such notion you and may as
well part company"
"Nonsense, Joe. what a pepper pot
you are" said Harry, with a laugh. 81
told you you couldn't take joke don't
like Jim bit better than you do, but |
didn't suppose there was anything mean
about him. | took dislike to him just
because father is always holding him up
to me as model. It's Just look at
James Valentine or Il wish you were as
much of a gentleman as James Valen-
tine or 4 wish you had half Of James
Valentines application till, | declare, |
was sick of his name"
"And no WONDER" said Joe, with re-
turning good humor, "but did he ever
recommend you to employ James Nalen
tines tailor? My conscience what clothes
the fellow wears that old coat of his
might have come over in the Mayhower
from the outlandish cut of it, and it's as
seedy as"
"Oh. come now Joe, none o that'-n-
terposed Harry poke fun at
fellows clothes when he can't afford any
better. You know his mother is a wild
ow, and | suppose they're awful poor"
"Yes, awful poor" drawled Joe, sneer-
ingly, "that's another of their hypocriti-
cal lodges. My Uncle Seth, who knows
all about Valentines affairs, said he did
not fail poor, and that there is plenty of
money somewhere. His wife keeps up
pretense of being poor SO as to get rid of
paying his debts; but she's got money
enough, you bet. | heard jim say him
self, that he meant to 60 to college, and
how is he to do that without the chink, |
desire to know ?v