Democratic messenger., 1888-03-31
ALL FOOLS DAY.
The Day set Aside by Nearly
Every Nation to Play Franks.


Every Nation to Play Franks.
~ little nonsense now and then. is re-
lishe,l by the wiscsi men, is good old
saw, the proof Of which is shown in the
fact that, from time immcmorial, nearly
every nation has sci aside one day Of the
year ON which men and wcnicn, boys
and girls, are at liberty to play pranks on
one another, practice innocent deccptions.
and be Ms delightfully."- foolish as they
plcascs The ancient Romans termed their
Quirnalia the Feast of Fools" The Hin.
docs ut their Hull Festival, on the 3ist Of
March, find great diversion in sending
people on bootlcsS errands, ar making
"lluli fools" of them; while in former
times the first Of April. observed in honor
Of the Ncriml Equinox, was much greater
day than now. and was celebrated in Bri.
tain rs very high aud general holiday,
rich and poor joining in the universal hill.
ariiy from sunrise 10 sunset On this day.
too, whicE in sunny Italy was dedicated
To Venus, the Romans always abstainc,l
from pleading causes: the Roman la,lics
bathcd in streams flowing beneath myrtle
trees, crowned themselves " h the leaves,
aud offered sacrifices TO the GODDESS Of love,
while they related To their daughters the
neurological story which gave rise To this
custom. The legend was that one day, as
Venus. after bath, was drying her wet
hair on the river bank, she was perceived
by satyrs. whose gaze overwhelmed her
with confusion
.llut soon with myrtlcs she her bcau,ics v.ilci,
From whence this annual custom was cniail'd.
One Of the oldest April tricks popular in
England was called hunting the gawk," )"
which consisted in sending u person from
place to place with letter in which was
written:
"On the first Of April, hunt the gawk
another mile"
The bearer of the missiyc getting moth.
ing for his pains but u pair Of weary feet
and the title Of April gawk,' word prop.
crly meaning Cuckoo" but oi,en applied
to fools.
Youngsters, too, were oflcn, ON the first
Of April, sent To cobblcr's to purchase "a
penny worth Of the best stirrup oil" and
on paying their money were disconnected
enough to reccicc few sharp cuts from
the shoemakcrs strap. Other little inno-
cents there were, also, who added 10 their
stock Of wisdom when, as instructed, they
inquired at the shop for ~ pint Of pigeons
milk" or at the booksellers for the Life
and Adventure of Ewes Mother and were
forced TO retire amidst volicy Of jccrs
and laughter.
In France, an April fool is called Hn
poisson d .iurH, or April fish. and this
term was applied to Napolean by the wits
of Paris, when. In 1910. he married Maria
Louisa, arcllduchcss Of Austria. ON the
first day Of April. They practice much
the same tricks Us We do. and many n
French schoolboy has his tongue well
bitten with pepper, when attempting Ia
swallow n tempting looking bon-bon. Pae
isians. however. sometimes carry their
jokes long way. as will he seen by the
following ancclotc. On the first Of April,
1917. u young lady helped herself To u
watch belonging Ia a friend The same
day she was arrested. aud. being charged
With the theft before the correctional pm.
lice. excused herself with the plea that
III was out of IN April trick" When ask
ell IL the watch Was in her possession she
answered "No;" hut mn oilier. on eXamin.
ing her apartments found il Oh the man.
ilcpiecc. Thus confronted, she again
turned 1t oil 10y saying she had only made
the messenger an April fool The judge,
however. could be as joeular rs she, aud
had his revenge by sending her To the
House Of Correction until the iirst Of
April, 1878, when she was la be ,lischarg-
ed as Wn I'Oisson T irrR. Thus il be.
hOoyes Us TO he discreet even in our fun,
and ailer all the good natured and harm.
les. April tricks and jokes are always the
best.