Wichita eagle., 1889-09-14
THE PUDDING LANE HOAX


talking of the credulity of people, and had
agreed that they-the people aforesaid-hked
| nothing SO well as to be well humbugged. We
had in mind certain late occurrences. and,
| remember, drew considerable satisfaction
| from the reflection that we would have shown
| much keener apprehension of fraud had we
been in the situation of the victims Sitting
| among our books that hot afternoon, idly
talking metaphysics, it came to pass that five
| minutes after had agreed with my friend in
! whole souled pity for humbug inviting man
kind, found myself opposing him-pretty
stoutly, too, considering it was July-and
presently declared that hatred and fear Of
humbug was one of the very strongest char
acteristics of the ave<sge man; that did not
believe ne could go out into the street and
sell a gold piece for q pintof walnuts. Though
withal a duh fellow, Noble remarked that
while this as probably true, yet after ell it
only went to prove his position; that ap-
preaching the boy with the gold and Offering
such an exchange would lead him to think the
| genuine coin spurious, and that he was hum
! bugged out of his bargain. This suggestion,
however, would have been beyond Mobiles
depth; probably l made it myself, and he
agreed with me.
Neither my friend nor I had ever been
popular atschool | did not care to be. So
we had in a manner struck up a companion
ship between ourselves which continued after
college days, and will last through life Not
| that we like each other particularly, but we
endure each other better than either could
any one else. To me every. one but Noble is
disagreeable and peculiar and Noble is a
little peculiar. But we live together, endur-
ably, In the day, talking, idling, sleeping, or
doing something else equally improving"
and walking out in the night.
1t may have been in the afternoon when
the profound psychological reflections above
| enunciated were uttered; it was near the
same hour the next morning, before the The
atre Royal, in our nightly ramble, that No
| bic next broke silence by observing that he
believed we would try that. Believing for
both had been habit Of mine, but Noble
had caughtit. l put my hand into my trou-
sers pocket for coin, but my friend inter
rupted by saying he did not propose we
should make the experiment on single boy
| but upon all the people of the city. He pro-
ceeded to develop his idea, and I added a
suggestion or two that much improved it,
| As the first step, we drewup brief adver-
| tisement under street light, took it to the
| leading newspaper rooms, and went home
| The morning papers contained the following !:
| NOTICE!
| The debts Of all persons who are owing will be
| paid for them presentation of itenlized state
ments of same, at 81 Pudding lane. Cheapside on
| Monday, Aug. L. between the hours of and 4
| p. m
From what we could judge in our nightly
rounds, from the many curious eyes directed
at our house and from paragraphs in the pa
| pers, the notice made quite a sensation from
its first appearance. By our order it con-
! tinued to appear daily. Noble and [ mutually
declared our full intention of standing by our
| proposition to pay every debt that should be
! presented as long as our fortunes should hold
| out. Passing the day in our darkened house
| for we We're enam0ped of night and strove
to counterfeit her sonber beauty when her
more brilliant rival held the field without
and stirring forth only during the hours
when most men sleep, it was not to be ex-
| pected that we should see much stir, if in
deed any, following our strange announce
ment. And yet some years of night walking
had made us adept at reading as an index
the midnight stragglers of the street; and in
deed no class so thoroughly know what is do
ing in ell grades of society, from the homes
to the jails, as these. So, in jostling men on
the street, at the entrance to the theatres
ard before the clubs, among all the tattle Of
| the latest book, politics, the favorite in
music or the drama, we heard always a word
about the Pudding lane notice.
1t was the second night before we heard of
| any expressions as TO the feeling with which
the proposition had been received generally.
| Ny own conviction had been that the first
| feeling would be skepticisIa, and that the con-
tinUed publication might induce SOME degree
Of confidence. But in this | was wrong By
the close of the second day it was not TO be
doubted that the overwhelming belief was
that the proposal had been madain good faith.
| The conclusion was that underneath the sur
face OF the thing there was some scheme OF
the originators for making money. As to
just how this was TO be done few guesses were
| ventured, but the almost unanimous opinion
was that it was gigantic scheme Of fearless
spectators. In order to feel all the varia-
tons OF the public pulse, We had alloweti for
a period Of two weeks from the first appear
ance of the notice TIL the day on which The
debts were 70 be paid.
The belief in the trustworthiness Of our
proposal continued throughout the third and
fourth days, though toward the close OF the
fourth there was an appreciabie weakening
of confidence, If we did not misludge the in
| dications Button the ffth~day the tide set
overwhelmingly backward Several prorni-
nent fnanciers had declared that IN no posi-
bic way could any capitalsot or syndicate
fulfill the published offer and not D. at sheer
loss for the fuu amounts The public re-
fected that no name had been signed to the
notice; Il was learned that the inmates OF -
Pudding lane were unknown, some even de-
ciared that the house YES vacant In snort.
on tie fifth day the public took its little
laugh, and settled down into tho conviction
that the thing vas q hunbug- Thereafter il
YVES known es tae Pudding Lane hoax
There seemed 10 be TO possibility OF any
change from tEIs oe,ief. /. seemed unanimous
and settled Noble proposed tea. we take ;ha
notice out OF s6e psps-s. as tse game vas
played: Hut this Ee CSac4Udsf --o1 70 90.
= .s-,-7 rs4-~f- ths- n, -ht fTsfi' err 49,
We beard little mare said OF taa mater 70:
the psxS ~ee&.; il ses1ed 10 have See1 for
GOTTA I-.Geed- Noble and ] sesrceiy spok'
ct II oslrselvss-soa-oe.y tcOrsat ct Il. SC
ths tine passed IL -Arg. y At bzea<fast
near 10 o'o-ock- 4obls yaEEec te2t tnls ga.
tee day o7 whic- we vs1e 70 pay The city
deb1s, and t1at ~e aad better see oUr lazTei
g. % the disposition Of our F-uE.'-rssy- 8oth
lnE more was sad Ill nstween tie nooz houi
a1d O'Clock VIXEN IL aapF-z1sl tasf / step
ped 20 The widow % draw toe cars2-l
closer. for a careless se-vars ssa les1 II Fssrt
/ y ossn. ard . g'ea1a from t2s street TEz2d'
our gaSlignt rale- n arranging tie draper
I casually giaaeei cut, ard nc1ces.. Il nn:ge
] hx<s h&4az- scers Of nAoass SsAoasss 81 -