The record-union., 1897-03-29
JOKES AT COURT.
There Were Some 1erry Men About
King Georges Throne.

here we're -SOmc ileTTy wen AOOut
King Georges Throne.
A practical joke may be defined as
one in which merriment is produced or
sought, not by words, but by action,
practiced upon a fellow creature-com-
monty an offensive or annoying action.
Even if harmless. it holds up the suf-
ferer to ridicule, and intelligent human
beings do not need to be told that such
conduct is reprehensible But if the
joke be well contrived, sufficiently
humorous an idea and neatly executed,
we do not care so much as we should
if it fall under the practical class.
Who would not have liked to be present
at the royal masquerade when Heideg
ger, master of the revels to George II,
was confronted by his double? The
Duke of Montagu had obtained a cast
of the great mans face. From this he
caused a wax mask to be fashioned and
colored. Heidegger's tailor supplied a
facsimile of the new and gorgeous dress
he was to wear, and the Duke en-
gagged an actor to play the part. He
told the band, at the last moment to
strike up Charley Over the Water" at
his ma1esty'S appearance instead of
God Save the King They hesitated
But it was indubitably Heidegger-
features, voice. clothes and also impre-
cations when the conductor demurred.
So the King heard that reasonable air,
perhaps for the first time, on entering.
We can family imagine the tumult.
Heidegger rushed to the band, struck
the conductor set him playing God
nd a1 ff
apologize. Next moment he returned
to the orchestra, equally furious-that
is, his double returned-ordering the
band to resume Charley Over the
Water and the bewildered musicians
obeyed There was never such
scene in the presence of royalty. The
officers of the guards in attendance
made a dash at the band with swords
but those in the secret blocked the way.
Heidegger, dancing around the King,
made inarticulate protestations and ex-
cuses, While his majesty stormed and
threatened, making for the door The
situation became perilous So the
counterfeit stepped forward crying
with passionate Indignation, Sire. the
devil has taken my likeness to undo
me. Look at him." Heidegger saw
his double, gasped, gibbered and fell
senseless One may think that longer
and more complicated business" might
have been developed from such an in
genious hoax; but for a dramatic stu
alton of its class this could not be
beaten.
In some parts Of South America good
folks store all the glass and crockery
hrn iy, f,n
niyal time put it into sack attached
to the lofty balcony by stout cord not
quite long enough to reach the ground
When a desirable victim passes beneath
the sack is quietly let go--to be arrest
ed with a hideous crash upon his very
heels. 1t is credibly reported that for
eigners unprepared for this jest have
tumbled headlong at the shock and
others have taken to their beds with an
attack of fever. These are rare tri-
umphs.
No time or place is sacred to the en-
thusiastic joker. Duclos tells in his
memoirs how the Prince Archbishop of
Cologne asked license to preach in the
roayl chapel Of Versailles when visiting
Louis XIV. himself. All the court as
sembled. 1t was April 1st. The Prince
Archbishop mounted the pulpit in
stately fashion, bowed from side to side
and stood for moment as if collecting
his thoughts, then shouted April
fools." picked up his skirts and ran.
At the Sistine Chapel on Good Friday
each worshiper received a small whip
on entering. Three candles only burnt
on the altar. When the first was ex-
tinguished everyone threw off his coat;
the next his waistcoat; the third was a
signal to fog himself in pitch darkness.
Sir Francis Eastwood, afterward
Chancellor of the Exchequer. founder
of the Dilettanti Club and q parsonage
whose name dwells in history. was Wis
iting Rome He provided himself with
stout riding whip and got admitted
to the Sistine. When the fiogging be-
gan instead of titilating his own shoul-
derS dellcately he slashed his neigh
bors, right and left, with British whip
cord, conscientiously laid on. The
scene is not yet forgotten in Rome
Eastwood had made his ARRANGEMENTS
to escape. Horses and servants stood
ready IN by street; he mounted and
rode for his life, but some of his fol-
lowers We're captured, tried for sacri-
lege and sent to the galleys. if we re-
member right. It may be hoped that
"hen the reckless youth became a
power In Europe he did not forget those
poor felloWs.-London Standard
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To Cure Cold In Ono Dav