The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1885-05-28
A Good Joke.
CERTAIN man nv the name

/
court. Other and less deserving
officers were advanced, but Lieut.
Carl Schmidt did not advance ex
cept in age and experience. He wa;
still lieutenant when his hair be
came gray. Hoary-headed ieuLen
ants are quite common il the Ger
man army.
Lieut.. Schmidt had married very
early in life. In due time a soT
was born, to whom was given his
fathers name. AS soon as the so1
was cid enough he was sent to the
military academy and after having
graduated was assigned to the same
battery in which his father was &
lieutenant There were, therefore,
two lieutenant's by the name of Carl
Schmidt in the same battery. But
what was more peculiar still was the
fact that father and son were iden-
tical in form and feature, except
that while the hair and moustache
of the father were snowy white, and
those of the son were a jet, glossy
black. The son had an old look,
which gave him more venerable
appearance than that of most men
of his age, while the father, who was
of lively turn of mind, seemed to
be younger than lie really was.
At first the son lived with his pa
rents, but on the death of his moth
er, father and son no longer lived
together. Each one rented him
self a room. The younger man
preferred this mode of life, as it
gave him more liberty. In order to
prevent confusion the father was
known among his army friends as
Schmidt No. /, while the son was
called Schmidt No. 2. They were
so identical in personal appearance
that had the son powdered his hair,
The most intimate friends Of the
two Lieutenants Schmidt would not
have been able TO decide in what
relation they stood to each other.
Schmidt No. l was in the habit of
inviting officers, who visited the
town IN which his battery was sta
toned, to lodge with him. He had
a large number of acquaintance
among the older army officers, one
of whom was stopping with him at
the time at which our story begins.
This officer, who belonged to the
Dragons, although no longer young
had remarkably black hair.
Schmidt No. L, on coming into
the room of his guest one morning,
observed that he was holding a bot
tie in his hand, from which he had
just taken the cork.
What have you got there-liver
regulator, or something for your
stomach's sakeY queried old man
Schmidt.
The guest seemed to be annoyed,
and replacing the cork, replied that
it was a remedy for dandruff, and
placed the bottle on the edge of the
window behind the curtain. The
guest left n few hours later.
The incident had passed out of
the mind Of Scmidt No. 1, and he
would perhaps never recalled it had
he no. noticed tie bottle a few days
afterWard. 1t then occurred to him
that he too was troubled with dan
druf in his hair and moustache,
50 he applied the stuff his guest had
left behind literally. He had scarce
ly done so when, glancing at the
clock, he perceived it was time for
him to appear on the parade ground
to superintend the drilling of the
recruits. Selling his cap and sword
he hurried out. Had he looked in
the glass he would have been some
what surprised, for the alleged cure
for drandruf was simply hair dye,
and the snowy hair and moustaChe
of Schmidt No. l were as black as
the ravens wing. The only points
of difference between himself and
son We're completely wiped outs To
all outward appearances father and
son were absolutely identical, al
though Schmidt No. l was utterly
ignorant of the transformation that
had taken place in his personal APP
pearance.
The captain of the battery, who
was an old gentleman by the name
Of Braun, was already on the parade
ground, waiting for the arrival of
his friend Schmidt No. 1. Captain
Braun was greatly gratified when
he saw his friend coming, for they
were great chums and loved to chat
together. AS Schmidt No. l drew
nearer Braun, the latter perceived
by the black hair and moustache
that be was mistaken, that it was
Schmidt No. 2, so he thought.
Good morning, Lieut.. Schmidt.
Where is your father this morn
ingY'
Now the father of Lieut.. Schmidt
No. had been dead many years,
hence the old lieutenant stared
stupidity at his superior officer in
stead of answering. He was under
the impression that he had not
heard Alright.
"Gour father is well / hope"
tinued Capt. Braun.
"My fatherY exclaimed Schmidt,
looking still more perplexed, and
satisfied in his own mind that his
hearing had become defective.
Eyes, your father. l thought l
expressed myself very clearly.
What cause is there for surprise in
my asking about the health of your
fatherI' asked Capt. Braun.
"You are very kind, l am sure, TO
make inquiry" replied Schmidt No.
l, "but, captain, my father is dead,
unfortunately"
''Deadr' almost shrieked Braun,
did you say dead?"
Eyes, dead" replied Schmidt No.
l, opening his eyes wider than ever.
my God! it is dreadful! How
true it is that in the midst of life
we are in death. Merciful heavens,
how did it happen?"
"His horse fell on him and broke
his neck"
The old captain clasped his hands
in silent agony and muttering, cit is
dreadful! dreadfulr' walked slowly
away