Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1884-06-25
April FoolinI.

The 1st of April, of all days in tho
year, enjoys character of its own, in
as far as it. and it alone, is devoted to
practical joking. On this day it be-
comes the duty Of vast number of
people, especially tho younger sort to
practice innocent impostures upon their
unsuspicious ncighbors. by making of
them what in France arc called pois-
sons u 4dvril, and with us April fools.
Sometimes the opportunity is taken
by ultra-jocular persons to carry out
some extensive hoax upon society. For
example, in March, 1860, vast multi
tude of people received through tho
posta card having the following in
scription, with q seal marked by nn in
verified sixpcncc at one of the angles,
thus having TO superficial observation
NJ % t6f13 Ap p0aSN1Iee ~ ~ ssaeu~orS1s1e0Dx
don-Admit the bearer and friend to
view the annual ceremony of washing
tho White Lions, Sunday. April l. 1860.
Admitted only at the White Gate. 1t
is particularly requested that no gratu-
ties be given to the warden or his as
sistants." The trick is said to have
been highly successful. Cabs were rat
Ting around Tower Hill all that Sum
day morning, vainly cndeavoring TO
discover the White gate. 1t is The more
remarkable that any such trick should
have succeeded when we reflect how
identified tho lst OF April has become
with the idea Of imposture and unreal
ity. So much is this the case that if
one was about TO be married, or launch
some new and speculative proposition
or enterprise, one would hesitate to &C.
lcct April for that purpose. On tho
other hand, if one had TO issue mock
document of any kind with the desire
of its being accepted in its proper char
acter, he could not better assure the
joke being seen than by dating it the
lst of April.
The literature Of the last century,
from the Spectator downward. has
many illusions to April fooling; no ref
erenccs to it in our literature have as
yet been pointed out. English anti
quares appear unable to trace the orr
gin 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 Twelfth Day, and various num-
mings about Christmas, but April fool
ing stands apart from these dates.
There is but one plausiblc-looking sug-
gestion from Mr.. Pcggc. to the 25th of
March being, in one respect, New
Years day, the 1st of April was its oc-
tave and the ending Of its celebrations;
but this idea is not very satisfactory.
There is much more Importance in the
fact that the Hindoos have, in their
Hui, which terminates with the 31st Of
March, n precisely similar festival, du-
ring which the great aim is to send
persons away with messages TO ideal
individuals, or individuals sure to be
away from home, and enjoy a laugh at
their disappointment. To find the prac-
ticc SO prevalent over the earth, and
with so near II coincidence of day,
seems to indicate that it had very
early origin among mankind.
April-fooling is a very noted practice
in France, and we get traces of its
prevalence there ut much earlier pc
riod than is the case in England. For
instance, it is related that Francis,
duke Of Lorraine, and his wife, being
in captivity ut Nantes, effected their es-
cape on account of the attempt being
made on the 1st of April. Disguised
as peasants. the one carrying hod ON
his shoulder, the other bearing a bas-
kct of rubbish on her shoulders, they
both passed at an early hour of the day
through the gates of the city. A wo-
man having knowledge of their per-
sons, ran to the guard to give notice to
the sentry. April Fool!' cried the
soldier. and all the guard TO a man,
shouted out: April fool!" beginning
with the sergeant of the post. The gov
ernor, to whom the story was told as =
jest, conceived some suspicion, and or
dered the fact to be proved; but it was
100 late, for the duke and his wife were
well on their way. The LIST of April
saved them. --Prorldence Telegram.