Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1897-05-20
Jokes AT COURT.

JOKES AT COURT.
There We're SOME Merry Men About King
Georges Throne.
A practical joke may be defined as
one in which merriment isproduced
or sought, not by words, but by &C.
ton, practiced upon a fellow crea
ture-commonly an offensive or an.
noying action. Even if harmless it
holds up the sufferer to ridicule, and
intelligent human beings do not
need to be told that such conduct is
reprehensible. But if the joke be
we'll contrived, sufficiently humor-
GUS in 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 Heidegger, master of the rev.
els to George II, was confronted by
his double2 The Duke of Montagu
had obtained a cast of the great
mans face. From this he caused o
wax mask to be fashioned and col
ored. Heidegger's tailor supplied q
facsimile Of the new and gorgeous
dress he was to-wear, and the duke
engaged an actor to play The part.
He told the band, at the last mo.
ment, to strike up Charley Over
the Water" at his majesty's appear.
ance instead of "God Save the
King" They hesitated. But it was
Individually Heidegger - features,
voice, clothes and also imprecations
when the conductor demurred. So
the king heard that reasonable air,
perhaps for thefrst time, on enter
ing. VS. can family imagine the
|tumult Heidegger rushed to the
Iband, struck the conductor, set him
playing "God Save tho King" and
rushed back to apologize. Next mo-
ment he returned to the orchestra,
equally furious-that is, his double
misunderstanding the band to re-
sumo Charley Over the Water"
and the bewildered musicians obey.
ed.
There was never such a scene in
the presence of royalty. The officers
Of the guards in attendance made q
lash at the band with swords, but
those in the secret blocked the way.
Heidegger, dancing round the king,
made in%articulate protestations and
excuses, while his majesty stormed
and threatened, making for the door.
The situation became perilous. So
the counterfeit stepped forward cry
ing, with passionate indignation:
"Sire, the devil has taken my like
ness to undo me. Look at himi"
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 ingen.
ious hoax, but for a dramatic situa-
ton of its class this could not be
beaten.
In some parts of South America
good folks store all the glass and
crockery broken in the twelvemonth
and at carnival time put it into a
sack attached to the lofty balcony
by a stout cord, not quite long
enough to reach the ground. When
a desirable victim passes beneath,
the sack is quietly let go-to be ar
rested with a hideous crash upon his
very heels. It is credibly reported
that foreigners unprepared for this
jest have tumbled headlong at the
shock and others have takent to their
beds with al attack of fever. These
are rare triumphs.
At the sistine chapel on Good
Friday each w%orshiper received q
small whip on entering. Three can
dies only burned on the altar. When
the first was extinguished, every
one threw off his coat; the next, his
w%aistcoat; the. third was a signal to
fog himself in pitch darkness. Si1
Francis Eastwood, afterward chan.
cellor of the exchequer, founder Of
the Dilettanti club and a parsonage
whose name dwells in history, was
visiting Rome. He provided him.
self with a stout riding whip and
got admittance to the Sistine. When
the fogging began, instead of it'll.
lating his own shoulders delicately
he slashed his neighbors right and
left with British whipcord, con
scientiously laid on. The seem ii
not yet forgotten in Rome. Dash,
wood had made his arrangements tc
escape. Horses and servants stood
ready in q bystreet. He mounted
and rode for his life, but some Of
his followers were captured, triel
for s~acrilege and sent to the galleys
If we remember right. 1t may b.
hoped that when the reckless you'll
became a power in Europe he die
not forget those poor fellows.-Lon
don Starda~a y