The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1898-03-31
TRICK -;
BY MATTE McCASLlN. J

and some of their remarks afterward,
had they reached his masters ears,
would have given him little reason for
joking over the consequences.
But Mr.. Spears was old and deaf, and
spent much of his time in coy little
room at the back of the store, and. as
there was no other clerk, Jack and his
pTanks continued TO reign supreme.
Even the cat and dog, that dwelt in
peace together in the building, he had
endeavored to enlighten on the i'm
portance of the day.
Carlo had been sent racing off after
out: April fool" he returned, wag-
ging his tail, as though highly pleased
with the title. Pussy had carefully but
vainly followed the squeak of a mouse,
which Jacks rather crude ventrilo-
quism had sent meandering through
various boxes and barrels, until, at last,
feeling certain it was at the bottom of a
cask, she took reckless leap, and
found herself foundering in half foot
of water.
Though he stood greatly in awe of
Mr.. Spears, Jacks audacity had carried
him far enough to play a trick upon
that worthy gentleman, but not far
enough to announce the fact by be-
slowing upon him the magic title, April
fool. The grocer came in to his. desk to
run up bill Of sale, but found no pencil
lying in its usual place.
Get me a new one he said to Jack
who went Immediately to where they
were kept, but produced one from
which he had previously removed the
lead, and replaced the parts so that it
could not be detected.
Mr.. Spears adjusted his spectacles-
he was very particular about the sharp
ening of his pencils-and began care
fully shaving down the wood.
When the point had reached his idea
of fineness, he meditatively touched it
TO the tip of his tongue, and then pro-
ceeded to figure
Jack covertly watched, and saw him
knit his brows and press harder, and
then, with a muttered plague take it,"
break the point, and begin sharpening
again.
An explosion, that sounded neither
like sneeze nor a cough, caused the
old gentleman to stop, and peer over his
spectaclcs in the direction of his young
assistant, who, with back suddenly
turned, was briskly busting off the
counter.
'What ails you?" he asked, shortly,
faint suspicion that he was being
laughed at crossing his mind.
But Jack looked around. sober enough
now, and said Sir" so innocently that
his master only stared at him sternly
for a moment, and resumed his wood
cutting.
He tried the pencil again and again,
each time pairing little off, before it &C.
Cured to him to examine the point.
bring me another pencil. This one
has no lead in it, he said, at last.
And, as Jack obeyed he was obliged
TO undergo another close scrutiny,
which he bore unfinchingly, however,
and went back to his work. inwardly
chuckling to think that even Mr.. Spears
had been successfully April fooled"
though without knowing it.
Mr.. Spears sold tub oysters. For the
sake of convenience, he had several
dozen quarts of them already measured
out IN tin cans, with tight fitting lids.
Jack had emptied one of these, and
placed within a grotesque figure, rep
resenting a little old man in spectacles,
with bushy hair and beard. The arms
within the sleeves were simply springs,
with hands attached, and between these
he had fastened bit of muslin, bear
ing the words april fool"
A strong spring was under the figure,
which could be pressed down into the
can. When the lid was raised, it would
fly up, the arms spread out, displaying
the placard. Jack would call a GUS
toner's attention to the oysters, say
ing:
eve have extraordinary nice speci-
mems in these cans. Just look at one,
please"
The victim would take the can from
his hand and wrench off the lid. The re-
suit can better be imagined than de-
scribed.
In the evening a little ragged girl
came in to get ten cents worth of tea.
and as she stood waiting for him to tie
up her small purchase, Jack said, with
apparent sincerity:
Sissy. what's that on your heel?"
The child stood on one foot and
looked over her shoulder to examine the
other one from behiad her.
NO." said Jack, 81 don't mean that
one; | mean the other one.''
She reversed her position, and again
her tormentor insited: THE other
one" and kept her promoting from one
foot to the other, until finally, he sang
out:
april fool"
"What is an April fool?" she asked,
looking al him with sober, wondering
eyes.
well, you're a good one-you are.
Did you never see an April fool?'
mo. Is it pretty?"
'Why, yes-rather, if it was clean"
said Jack, looking at her rognishly.
would it hurt me?"
"Not at all. We have one in the store.
Come along, and I'll show it to you.'
He led her up to a small mirror that