Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-04-13
APRII-FOOLING.
No Authentic Account of the Origin of
the CWstOm-A Practice Widely Preya-
lent Over the Earth.

No Authentic Account of the Origin of
the CWstOm-A Practice Widely Preya-
lent Over the Earth.
The LIST of April, of all days in the year,
says the Providence telegram, enjoys a
character Of its own, in as far as it, and it
alone, is cOnsecrated to practical joking.
On this day it becomes the business of q
vast number of people, especially the
younger sort, TO practice innocent impOs-
lures upon their unsuspicious neighbors,
by way of making them what in France
are called pojssoRs 'AvriI, and with us
April fools.
Sometimes the opportunity is taken by
ultra-]ocular persons to carry out some
extensive hoax upon society. For exam
pie, in March, 1860, vast multitude of
people received through the post a card
having the following inscription, with
seal marked by an inverted siXpence at
one of the angles, thus having to SUPER
fetal observation an official appearance:
Flower of LOndOn-Admit the bearer and
friend to view the annual ceremony of
Washing the White Lions, on Sunday,
April l, 1860. Admitted only at
the White Gate. 1t is particu-
larly requested that no gratuities be
given to the Wardens or their assistants
cessful. Cabs were rafting about Tower
Hill all that Sunday morning, Vainly en-
deavoring to discover the White Gate. 1t
is the more remarkable that any such
trick should have succeeded, when we re-
fleet how identified the 1st of April has
become with the idea q imposture and
unreality. So much is this the case, that
II one were about to be married, or to
launch some new and speculative PROPOSE
ton or enterprise, one would hesitate TO
select April l for the purpose. On the
other hand, if one had to issue a mock
document of any kind with the desire of
its being accepted in the proper character,
he could not better insure the joke being
seen than by dating it the 1st of April.
The literature of the last century. from
The Spectator downward, has many aliu-
slons to .April-fOOling; no references to it
IN our earlier literature have as yet been
pointed out. English antiquaries appear
unable to trace the origin of the custom
or to say how long it has existed among
us. IN the Catholic Church there was
the Feast of the Ass on the Twelfth Dav.
and various mummings about Christmas,
but April-foOling stands apart from these
dates. There is but one misunderstanding
suggestion from Mr.. Pegga, to the effect
that the 25th of March being, in one re-
spect, New Years day, the first of April
was its octave and the ending of it's cell
6DTdIlOuS; DuU UnlS lQea is not very salts
factory. There is much more Importance
in the fact that the Hindoos have, in their
Hull, which terminates with the 31st of
March, a precisely similar festival, during
which the great aim is to send persons
away with messages to ideal individuals,
or individuals sure to be from home. and
enjoy laugh at their disappointment.
To find the practice so widely prevalent
over the earth, and with so near coin
/ cldence of day, seems to indicate that it
had very early origin among mankind.
April-tOOling is a very noted practice
In France, and we get traces of its preva-
lence there at an earlier period than is
the case in England. For instance, it is
related that Francis, Duke of Lorraine,
and his wife, being in captivity at Nantes,
ehected their escape in consequence of
the attempt being made on the ''1st Of
April" Disguised as peasants, the one
bearing bod on his shoulders, the other
carrying basket of rubbish at her back,
they both at an early hour of the day
passed through the gates of the city. A
woman, having a knowledge of their per-
sons, ran to the guard to give notice to the
sentry. "April foOlr' cried the soldier;
and all the guard, to a man, shouted out:
"April fool" beginning with the sergeant
In charge of the post. The Governor to
whom the story was told as a Jest con-
ceiVed some suspicion, and ordered the
fact to be proved; but it was too late, for
i'll the meantime the Duke and his wife
were well on their way. The LIST of April
saved them.