St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1885-07-04
4 wIcKEv JOKE.
How a Practical Joker Played It on bis
Friend.

tween Puffer and Gampol ana sloan
They hate him like poison" remarked
the Judge.
"Haven't you heardP" inquired the
Major.
'No; what is it?'
sYou know what terrible hand Puff.
fer writes? Some one told him once
that he wrote o dist6mgete hand and il
set him up so that he now writes worse
than ever. Well, that happens to be
his sensitive point. He prides himself
on it. Gambol has weak point, too
his eyes. He can't help being cross
eyed, but it worries him all the same
When he goes to the theater he sits
with his back to the stage to see the
performance. He is frst-rate fellow,
though. About a month ago, Gambol
asked Sloan to introduce him to Pufter
Now, Sloan can't help playing a practi-
cal Joke any more than he can live
without eating. III arrange that for
tomorrow, answered Sloan; but you
had better take pad of paper and a
pencil along with you. He is as deaf
as a post, poor fellow. He can't even
hear the foreman swear at his copy. de
is terrible sensitive about it, too. So
when you meet him just act as If you
knew all about it. I'll see you at his
office at noon tomorrow.
A few minutes later Sloan was seated
in the editorial rooms of the Leader.
81 want to bring a friend up here to
meet you tomorrow" he remarked to
Puffer.
'''Glad to meet any friend of yours,
responded the editor.
stsTIe is friend of yours, too, re.
Piled Sloan. He greatly admires your
editorials. There is one peculiarly
about him, though
"'What's that?'
".He's deaf as clam. He can't
hear it thunder. He doesn't know it's
raining until he misses his umbrella.
He is very touchy on that point,
and you had better have some
paper and pencil ready for him when
he comes and act as if you always
knew he was deaf. It will make him
feel easier
1.-The next day at noon Sloan and his
visitor entered the Leader office. Puff
fer was waiting for them. Sloan took
their cards, and gave Puffer's to Gam
boil, and vice versa. Both men smiled
at each other encouragingly, and, pro-
ducing pads of paper big enough to
write Presidents message on, sat
down beside the editorial desk.
"'I am glad to meet you, wrote
Puffer, on his pad.
"Gambol took the scraWl and looked
at it, first out of one eye and then Out
of the other, A puzzled look came over
his face. Finally he turned the paper
upside down, and light of intelligence
broke upon his countenance. Taking
up his pencil, he wrote:
- am exceedingly sorry to hear it.
Did YOU ever try Simpsons extractP'
and handed it back to Puffer.
"When Puffer read this his mouth
opened with establishment. He took
his pencil and wrote on the bottom Of
the sheet:
81 don't want any extract I am
not sick. simply said was pleased to
meet you
"Then he showed the paper over to
Gambol, and waited for a reply. Il
Gambol was puzzled at the first com,
munication, he was in reality stricken
dumb at the second. He glanced ap-
pealingIy at Sloan, who was at that mo.
ment attentively looking at a picture
on the wall, with his handkerchief in his
mouth to smother his laughter. Finally
he struck what seemed to him to be
clue, and he wrote in reply:
g Yes, thanks, don't care if | do; but
don't you think we lad better go tc
lunch first?'
.sThen he handed back the roll to the
lnCl In nf
dissatisfaction and relief.
"When Puffer saw the answer his dis
gust rose beyond his control. He rost
up in his chair, took the paper ant
handed it to Sloan.
. See here, Sloanr he shouted. 'Set
what this grandson of lunatic ha'
written. This cross-eyed fool eyidentl.
doesn't understand his own language
What in Tophet do you want to brins
such a strabismic ass up to this offic
to meet me for? Here, take this pape
and write to him that am sick to-day
or,dead, or anything, and don't wan
to write any more; and the next tim
YOU bring q deaf and dumb idiot VI
here to see me just let me know and L!
run out of town for a week or SO,
That's all right! yelled Gambol
as he danced around the table; that
all right, but ii. Iwrote q hand lik
yours I'd print my letters. I'd spel
them out on my fingers. I'd hire
sehoolboy to write for me. I'd
" Say gasped Pufer, 'ain't 20
deafp'
mo- replied Gambol, 'ain't youF
..Then both men looked at each othe
minute ard simultaneously e1