Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-04-23
AMUSING MISTAKES.

to the public, and when the building
contained only the cases which were
being ranged for the respective exhl-
bits, quite a crowd one Sunday. hatten-
ed their noses against the glass en-
trance. door to look at the contents OF
case containing pair of boots, bat
tered hat, an overcoat much the
worse for wear, and a necktie of many
colours-the reports being circulated
that the objects belonged to King
Dagobert, RoDespierre, or Charles X,
The enigma was solved by painter
arriving, and throwing off his blouse
and slippers, and commencing to
dress himself, amidst, what was a
puzzle TO him, loud laughter, in which
the police joined.
Referring TO mistaken ideas about
relics recalls the story in a German
paper about q certain professor, which
is parallel to the Bill Stumps adven~
ture in "Pickwick.n The German
antiquary made the delightful dis,
covery that a stone placed over a
stable door bore the inscription of
1881.
II must have this stone in my col
lection, cost what it may" thought
the sayant.
Calling a tenant farmer, who was
the proprietor, the professor said to
him eagerly:
Did you not obtain this stone
from the castle ruin on the hill yon-
der2"
''It may be that my grandfather
fetched it thence when he built the
stable" was the reply.
The antiquary thsn asked what he
would take for the stone. -,
''Since you appear to have fancy
for it." said the farmer, give nee
forty gulden, and I will bring it to
your house"
Rather large sum-, ;" said the pro-
lessor; ''but bring 1t to my residence,
and you shall have the money"
When ia due course the farmer
brought the stone upon truck, the
jealous antiquary turned it over to
refresh his eyes with a sight of its
venerable chronological inscription,
have been damaged in its removal.
why" he exclaimed, "What is
this? This is not the right stone. On
the stone I bought from you was the
date 1881, while this bears the very
modern date 1901, which proves that
the other was exactly seventeen
hundred and twenty years older than
this"
do not trouble about that" said
the peasant. ''The nlasons, you see,
sir, turned the stone upside down
when they set it liz the doorway, be-
cause it fitted better that way. You
can turn it whichever way you like,
but Of course [ must have the money
agreed upon"
The professor, it is said, at once paid
the whole sum, and gave the man a
present besides to take away the
stone and say no more about the mat
| ter.
The numerous instances of mistaken
indemnity on record are constantly re-
ceiving new additions. There is an
amusing account OF French lady
who was very jealous Of her husband,
and determined to watch his move
ments. On one occasion, when he
told her he was going to Versailles,
she followed him, keeping him in
sight until she missed him in q passage
leading TO the railway station. Look
ing about her for a few minutes, she
saw a man coming out Of glove shop
with a rather over-dressed lady. Max
ing sure from the distance that this
man was her husband, she came sud
denly up, and without a word Of
warning, gave him three or four boxes
on the ear. The instant the gentle
man turned round she discovered her
mistake, and at the same time caught
sight OF her husband, who had merely
called at tobaccoist's, and was cross
| ing the street. There was nothing for
| it but to faint in the arms of the gen
tieman whose ears she had boxed,
while the other lady moved away to
avoid a scene. The stranger astonish-
| ed to find an unknown lady in his
arms, was further startled by gen.
| tlenan Selling him by the collar and
demanding what he meant by embrac,
ing that lady.
why, she boxed my ear, and then
tainted, exclaimeds,the aggrieved gen
| tleman.
'She is my wife!" shouted the angry
husband, land would never have
struck you without cause"
And worse than angry words would
probably have followed, had not the
cause OF the whole misunderstanding
recovered sufficiently to explain how
it all happened.
A LoRdon paper gave an account
of another case of mistaken identity
in connection with q distinguished
| parsonage An aged couple in high
life, whs were celebrating their golden
wedding, by way of concluding the
festivities on that occasion, adjourned
with the children and their respective
belongings to a theatre, in which, to
accommodate SO large party, two
boxes had been Knocked into one
The eldest son, who strongly resembles
his Royal highness,' the Prince of
Wales, stepped forward and occupied
the centre seat with the ladies of the
party beside him, upon which the or
chestra struck up the National Anth~
EN-, and the audience rose to their feet
Ell masse, the innecentiy unconscious