The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-03-31
ALL FOOLS DAY MONDAY
IT WILL BE STRICTLY DESERTED
BY TIE SMALL BOY.
Theories 40 To tbe Origin of the Custom
ssory OF How = Cop,p'rstor Got Him
SELF Casually Caught.

II some one should give you bite Of
candy tomorrow, and then stand py anu
laugh heartily at your facial eSpression
when YOU discover that you are eae''s
soap or treating yourself 10 tas'e VI
r.d pepper, don't swear loud enough 10
alarm the natives for a block AROUND
No; that's not the proper way ~ w
Take the thing philosophicahN tV'o
row Is All Fools Day. To sen ms a.
quaintance at auction Is hpeV,",
rogative OF every individual on All Fooi'
day. 49,. ...,,ho.
II isa time when the small boy wishes
"a nroye the mental inferiority OF ms
seniors b. whatever means ms lhSenu'-
~ can de Use. lie Will demonstrate tha'
the ttckIe month has arrived unless
YOU keep your eyes wide open. FOR a
week he has been planning ana cohSPr-
ing against his grown sister OF MS par
ents. Some outlandsh plot that never
enters anybody's head but that or the
small boy has been circling around In his
brain. and now he's only awaiting an
sipportAnlty 10 put IL into execution.
Sometimes the April fool game assumes
a serious phase. / have heard OF let
t.rs being shifted around 80 as 10 get
into the wrong envelopes, spurious love
letters mailed TO young ladies open for
a proposal and even loye-affairs hope
lessly mixed up by people who think
a. moral duty TO observe All Fools
Day.
Hg DIDN'T sQUHAL.
Brushing by gold brick experiences
with passing mention, an incident on the
first OF last April was a source OF no
little amusement. An acquaintance OF
mine had two pieces OF candy. one or
thern was loaded with red pepper.
1t was hot. lie met An acquaintance OF
HIS. and offered 10 divide with him. The
Invitation was accepted Men never re-
fuse an invitation TO eat. The guest
bit the candy. chewed and swallowed IL.
Meantime the most" proved hero
Hts part az the menu was quite warm.
lie had gotten the two samples mixed
lie watched the other fellow ana sald
nothing. Finally he suggested that they
get some ice water at cafe. The pep
per was literally burning him up, but
ne stood II herocally and never squealed
TO this day the intended victim doesn't
know what a good joke he had on the
conspirato tor, who, by tho way. has de-
cided to label the April-FoOl candy here
after.
ORIGIN or APRIL FOOL.
In many countries OF Europe, as veil
as In America. the first day Of Apr. tas.
for long. been appropriated TO a facctious
custom for which no very satisfactory
origin has been assigned. Writers differ
on the origin Of the custom just as they
do on monetary topics. and there are
ss many theories as one finds explana-
lions of a political stew. To send an I'M
suspecting person on soma bootless erTand
was formerly the great endeavor for the
day. and still finds number of victims.
That plan has almost gone out Of fash
~
caO1y and bogus bugs have been in
vogue for years. one remarkable theory
traces the custom 10 Noah, mo sent the
dove out upon a tour OF exploration An
other theory traces the custom 10 the mi
racle pla:s repre- senting the sending OF
Our Saviour from Annas TO Caiaphas.
and from PLATE 10 Herod or to the
change. In France, In 1854 OF New Years
Day 10 the first of January, which left
the first OF April destitute of anything
but burlesque OF It's former festivities.
More recently an Identification has been
attempted with the HindoO festival of
= Hun. which ->ts.> celebrated in a similar
mlsi'ST on the 3lst of March
No references TO All Fools Day have
been found In our earlier literature; and
II seems that both England and Germany
have derived the fashion from France.
THEY'RE MERE THEORIES.
But after all. these are mere theories,
nothing more; just such theories as are
advanced from time to time about q
mysterious murder case. Nobody knows
which of them is reliable or whether any
OF them are based upon a shadow OF
truth. Take whichever theory you like
Tor no one can prove whether you are
right or wrong. If none of them should
prove satisfactory, why. just wade in
and manufacture theory OF your own,
base IL upon something ancient, and a
seyeiopaedia VIII doubtless embody 1t in
Its new edition.