The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1883-03-30
Practical Joking.

Practical Joking.
The following ingstory-r-ro
fiction. Its principal tor is WE'LL
known musical gentleman of Boston,
who etells .the tale, tioughaits point 4
aimed at himself. with ahearty relishs
II is a custom among musical students
at keipsig to play -practical Jokes ap0a
each other. aimed more to make one
appear ridiculous than to do one harm.
Some years ago. when the aforesaid
gentleman. whom we will call Penac,
was studying n that place. there came
TO the observatory young SOutherner
to study the violin fe7fac anu SEVERN
of the students took him out TO show
him the lions. AS they passed along
he said to several OF his companions:
NOW. you do Just. as do. and we Il
have some fun with tiifsnew elbow.
InrAs,they reached the square in which
the ttetue of Bach is raised aloft, Penac
solemnly turned about and reverently
dotted his cap, his companions following
suit. -...sst -. ~.
The young Southerner, with eyes
wide opened for foreign observation"
gravely asked tho meaning, Of the ma
neuyer. ,
..Ah!" replied Penac, i"you don't
know much Of German people and their
Gus; oms?"
"No." said his companion.
1--WE H. said Penac, "Bach is very
much revered-in Leipsig-so much so
that it is a custom for ali who pass his
statue to uncover. Beautiful custom,
isn't itT' ~
Beautiful. indeed" replied the
newcomer. .''@' q.
"PlI give you few points Fll tell
you another custom in musical circles;
that is the solemn admiration paid Bee
thOyen. Why, whenever his name is
mentioned it is the habit to close one
eyes and bend one $ head devoutly."
The Southerner was much impressed.
He had imagined such m steal en.husi-
asm but scarce hoped to find it, and was
delighted. ...t@. .-....r.
Penac forgot the matter entirely, un-
til, some time terward, he Glanced to
be at an evening reception, where he
found himself near his Southern friend.
Ieore he had'a chance to address him.
he was amusingly surprised to see him
bob up, close his eyes. and bow as if in
prayer. He had scarcely suppressed a
smile before voice at his elbow as ed
him if he knew the young man, remark
ing:
HE seems very sensible, yet have
never met him but what he has gone
through that performance, sometimes
twice or three times in an evening""
Penac afterward explained to the
M l.
joke and don t want you to make too
much of a foo of YOURSELF For a mo-
ment the Wet m would not believe it.
He had cherished the beautiful Gus
TOM" and practiced it with assiduity.
and could hardly realize. that he had
been so idiotic.
Years passed. AM one Sunday. few
weeks since, q crowd of Boston muSi-
clans were at dinner at french res
taurant not a hundred miles rom Bo |
stOn street, where otitandish dishes
are served that avoted OF other chimes,
and where, or the first time since the
good old days at eipsic, Ienac and the
Souiherner met an cordial shook
hands. The former had ent elc forgot
ten his practical joke. and ON a fun
headstrong, eccentric mus clan. ID r
ing the repast his new-fOund companion
said
':Oh. by the way. Penac. l hare a
friend here whom I am ;nxious you
shou d meet.
-. BY all means introduce me. then"
ale is something of genius. gener-
Gus to fault but peculiar-eccentric"
''lndeed, have a penchant Tor curiO;
what is its directionp'
"Well. he plays beautifully, impro-
vises, but he has a fancy for not play
ing I'm ess he is paid, no matter if it is
only quarter. SO long as it is some
thing" ,--s.,-f = a , AZ
"a right-thats all right" and the
introduction was elected Said Penac:
r: .'Yo r friendtells me that you are
pianist, and have a great desire to hear
You. hope" holding out his hand. '.that
i shall have the pleasure of hearing you
this afternoon. drawing his hand away
and leaving quarter in the gentleman's
palm. -. -
-" do not know a note,' was the re-
ply of the gentleman. staring at the
quarter, then looking into Pcnac's face,
questionngly. then angrily. ~ 81
That's all right said Penac, aiFily;
that's all right. IVAN i" getting
confused as the gentleman stared angri-
ly in his lace and beg ming to back |
away; II hope that. you will flavor
US you know" and he got 10 his !
Southern friend as Soon as possible
=. 81 should tn nk he, vas eccentric;
thought he SwasS going TO .knock me
down; never saw such a strange acting I
man; gave him the uarter, too; never
felt so cheap in my life
"No?' was the rejoinder. Probably
you felt about as did in, Leipsig ten
years ago" ta
Then enac remembered; but he |
laughed all the same.-M Y Home
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