Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-03-22


with messages to ideal individuals, or
individuals sure to be away from home,
and enjoy laugh at their disappoint-
ment. To find the practice so widely
prevalent over this earth, and with so
near a coincidence of the day, would
seem to indicate that it has had a very
early origin among mankind.
Popular in France.
April fooling is very noted practice
in France, and we find traces of it's preVa-
lence there long before it became general
in England. For instance, it is related
that Francis, Duke of lorraine and his
wife, being in captivity in Nantes, eff
fected their escape in consequence of the
attempt being made upon the LIST of April.
Disguised as peasants, the one bearing
a bod upon his shoulders, the other car
rying basket of rubbish upon her back,
they both at an early hour passed
through the gates of the city. A woman
having knowledge of who they were ran
to the guard to give notice to the sentry.
april fool!p' shouted the soldier, and all
the guards to man shouted out April
foolp The governor, to whom the story
was told as a jest, conceived some Sus-
picion, and ordered the fact to be proved,
but it was too late, for the duke and his
wife had reached place of safety
An Extensive Joke.
Sometimes the opportunity is taken by
ultra jocular persons to carry out some
extensive hoax upon society For exam
pie in March, 1860 a vast multitude of
Londoners received through the post a
card having the following inscription,
with a seal marked by an inverted six
pence at one of the angles, but having to
superficial observation an official appear
ance:
"Tower of London: Admit the bearer
and friend to view the ceremony of wash
ing the white lions on Sunday, April /,
1860. Admitted only at the white gate.
1t is particularly, requested that no gra-
tuities be given to the wardens or their
assistants"
The trick was highly successful; cabs
were rafting about all that Sunday
morning vainly endeavoring to find this
white gate.
Usually the old time jokes were very
simple, a wise young school boy sending
his younger brother to see famous
statue descend from a pedestal at a CIV
en- hour, or to the bookseller for His
tory of Ewes Grandmother" or to the
cobbler's for a little strap oil, which
usually invited sharp strappling for the
amazed youngsters shoulders.
The Best Time for Joking.
For successful April fooling it is neces-
sary to have some considerable degree
of GOODNESS and face and also some tact
in order to know how the victim can be
Amost readily imposed upon. 1t may be
remarked that large proportion of the
business is effected before and about the
time of breakfast, while as yet few have
had occasion to remember what day of
the year it is.
A funny story is told of a French vo-
man who on or about the list of April
borrowed without leave a much bejewel-
ed watch belonging to her next door
neighbor. Upon being taxed with and
convicted of the theft the culprit tried
to palm 1t off as an April fool joke, but
the judge would have none of 1t and
condemned her to prison until the COM
ing of All Fools day in the next year.
1t is strange that there has been little
or no Improvement in the jokes of April
l. Reliable authorities assert that the
old gentlemen in colonial days were
made victims of hat hidden bricks just
as old gentlemen are today. and that the
small boy has been invariably the culprit
in all ages.