St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-01-12
NED SOTHERN TAKEN IN.
How Lord Dundreary Made the
Acquaintance of Mr.. Peabody.

London Rare Bits.
Toole and the late Lord Dundreary
Sothern were frequent companions, and
both had penchant for practical jok-
ing. One day, as the former was enter
ing Gattis restaurant, where he had an
appointment with his friend. he OBJ
served quaint-loOking, peculiarly stiff
old gentleman, with white hat and a
red nose, who was about to dine, and
giving him vigorous slap on the back
in familiar fashion. exclaimed:
How are you, Peabody"
The stranger nearly tOppled in the
arms of waiter, and turned Oh TOole
with the natural query:
"What do you mean by that, sir?'
Il beg you 10000 pardons," replied
the comedian, but l really mistook
you for my dear old friend, Peabody, of
New York; pray forgive me, SIR"
''Hum!' groWled the old gentleman.
grasping his umbrella and looking very
scarlet about the cheeks. "Of COURSE.
now you explain. it's no great matter,
but even though l was Peabody or any
other bOdy,1 don't see it's necessary, sir,
for you to knock him down when You
meet him" and with a gasp and snort
he selected table to refresh the inner
man and forget as quickly as possible
the impressive greeting he had just eX-
perienced.
1t was not long before Sothern ar
rived. He and TOOle were to dine to-
gether, and their table CHANGED to be
near that of the old gentleman. Lord
Dundreary was in high spirits. and the
dinner had not progressed far before he
observed that the victim of the uneX-
pected slap frequently glanced toward
the table.
''Ihat'S funny old boy over there"
remarked Sothern, who, with an eve to
character, had observed the odd archaic
aspect of his red-nosed neighbour.
Il fancy he knows YOU" returned
Toole, gravely. He evidently has his
eye OH you. Perhaps he's too shy to
speak first. What lark to slap on him
on the shoulder as if you knew him, and
say. How are you, Peabody?'"
Good. I'll do it," chuckled Sothern.
When the old gentleman had finished
his dinner, deliberately napkined his
phiZ, paid the bill, tipped the waiter,
adjusted his SpectacleS and grasped his
umbrella, he passed on his way out the
table where the comedians sat looking
at each other through sparkling tum-
blers of De Lossy sec
SOthern jumped up and in light and
airy fashion brought down his out
stretched palm on the gentleman's
shoulder with sounding whack, at the
same time roaring loud enough for all
round to hear;
..uow are you, PeabOdy?"
This was too much. The old gentle
man fourished his gingham, which the
joker dodged-the effort diSlodged his
spectacles-and, drawing Off, he admin
istered neat and telling blow on the
frail chest of Sothern, which sent him
Keeling against the table, upsetting a
portion of its contents. Then, without
another word, the victor recovered his
pince-zez, glared hotly at the startled
and assembled diners and trotted off
calmly, as if nothing unusual had oc-
| Cured.
SOthern, who was slim, slight man.
collected himself with a puzzled air, re-
sumed his seat at the table and re-
marked to Toole, who was rocking
backwards and forwards with laugh
| ter
well, that's the drollest old party I
ever encountered. He evidently doesn't
fancy the name of Peabody"
No incident in an Adelphi farce could
have been funnier at the moment, and
it was some days before Sothern dis
covered what TOOie had been "up to''
hefO rp he arrived on thp Sonpa