Daily Kennebec journal., 1901-03-30

that ! have never seen played since ! saw
n small boy. a bag and two boys We're
the ingredients of the trick. and II never
failed Ia score great success ON uhlet
side street one boy got into the bag ana
The other stood by ii waiting for the vie
tim The rest Of the boys who were IN
on the ground floor wer" hiding in hall
WAYS and doors. and behind trucks across
the street. An innocent ttlIth tthi'
saunterin2 along.
TIE hol who had hold Of the neck OF
| the bag stopped u pass"r-hN with 4 SAY: /:
mister please Civ" me "a lifi, VIII yer!
| The, innocent citizen usually acuI,ieSced
| and took hold of the bag 10 land II on
| the Youngsters shoulder. just as y" got
| il fairly in his hands the hoy in the bag
| suddenly kicked and screamed innocent
! victim thinking IL b haeiul of wildcats
| or hyenas. let 20 quickly and ran OF
with palpitatnS heart and hair on end.
| while ali the boys across the street par
sued him with Il NilainouS chorjis If
| april fool, April fool, Wash your face
and :" !" school. or something !" thr
same effect. II always seemed 10 me that
| the joke was really on III" hoy in III"
| bag: he was sometimes dropped hastily
! and heavily and was hurt. and occasion
/ ally the April fooled vl;t.Cn gave him a
| lhrashing besides for being too fanny.
| But it was an effective trick. and often
| AN old rodGer fingered in the shadow ON
! the opposite pavement to witness and en-
! joy the sport. NnU have seen a man Try
| 10 Kick a plug-hatful at pi2 iron over
| into the next state-well. his discomlitur
was no greater than that ~ the man
whose blood was frozen IN his hchrt hN
| the UNEXPECTED scream emitted 10y the
occupant of the bag.
! \ man who delights in fool!ag others.
mus; hc ulite as willing 70 hc fooled. l.
r. Rarnum the great Snowman once took
! advantage of ttr anniversary oi April l%t
| In his own peculiar way. IL" announced
on his circus posters, in ndming letters
/ rtI nS Il liohokcn sunset. that 'th'
! greatest show on earth wotn,. exhibit ii
| the afternoon of that day spccial and
| extraordinary feature" wonderful frIak
| Of natlrc-a miraculous horse with his
| head where ms tail ought 70 b". ~"
| public SwaIowcd il: people feil over ea'ii
other To get into the circus tents to see
| the most marvellous animal on the race
! of the earth: and they saw it-slmpIv \
| common everyday horse backed into M
| stall with his head whore his tail ouGht
! to be.
| Whilc the late Snowman succeeding in
| humbugging the public IN this waE ne
was also trapped himself by IN Anril f"nl
| Joker II was during his initial days in
| mana gfng Il circus. when n" was snow
| ing in a country town mat. unknown Z"
| him commercial Traveller stopped IN IN.
! same place ANA conceived the idea ~
! COMMUNICATING the day. which was Artil
lst by fooling Earnum. Collecting a
\ crowd Of tw,ntv people. the drummer III !
them he was going % pass thtm m" ~.
show free. ana tina; all they need do va ;
10 follow him. which they elP.lullN d'd-
Arriving nj the tent. where Barnnm W.
busy taking tickets. the drummer ruShcI
un ~ him with a handfll Of cards ana
said: -. =,
| Just count these men rs they pass IN
ending with The one in straw nat;
IAN right" said Earnnm. and began
..r,hra, stx nine ana 50 on. while they
nassed by him and were quickly lost IN
the crowd Soon the straw hal wiS
reached Twenty!' hawlcd HarnUm ahi
tnrned roind for the tickets. hut the gem
tlrman who had requested him 20 count
was not there farnum saw that II WIS
700 late to search for the twenty wh ',
| IA. M, accented
| thn situation with philosonhiCal rcSlEna- :
t.ou.-Thc Country Gentleman.