The Washington times., 1902-04-02
First of April Fittingly Re-
membered by the Jo-
coSely Inclined.
OLD AND NEW GAGS SPRUNG
The Creduious Duped With the Brick
Under the Hat-victims of Faith in
Presidential Favor and Racing Tins
Bismark's Birthday.

Kyng Cynewulf dyd have a merrja
jester by name Josher. Keen of wvt
he was, and hys gags dyd muchly
amuse ye Kyng One daye he waved
sore myrthful and dyd place ye bryck
under ye olde hat. Ye Kyng espied We
hat in ye courtyard and smashed We
goutie toe en- ye bryck. In rape
Josher was straightwaye banished
from ye Kingdom, nor was he suf-
fered to return save on ye fyrst day.
Of we monthe Aprille. So ye fyrst dave
of Aprille became ye All Fools Dave.
and ye peasants and lords then fri
voled merrilie.-From the old English
Chronicles ct the Chevalier jnIIier
Mark Twain made "Pud' 'nhead WILSON,
say of the 1st of April: This is the dav
of the year when we are reminded Of what
we are on the other three hundred and
sixty four
Washington took the reminder in good
part yesterday. All the old iokes-some
of them so antiquated that crutches were
or should have been, enlisted. were trotted
out. There were a few new ones sprung
by witty ones. But the great part Of the
populace played the role of the fool. That
is, it bit at the gags. old and new
White Wings Duties Increased.
Early this morning the white wings
were busy picking up the old hats which
had, with a filling of bricks, been lam
basted with disastrous results to the
kicker
1t is estimated that 2.3G7 pounds Of
coffee was rendered undrinkable by the
insertion of salt in the breakfast beyer-
vacuous Innings was larger than ever be-
fore. and the practical joker had reason
TO consider himself cleverer than ever
Incidently, along toward the end Of the
day, Washington was long on i'll temper
The April fool spirit extended from the
top of official Washington down to the
lowest rung of unofficial life. Several
politicians after Iniror Government Jobs
for their henchmen were April fooled by
the President. That is, they did not get
what they were after. The result would
probably have been the same on any
other day
Benning April Fools.
And then a number of people who had
worked cut good things" were April
fooled at Benning. The ponies they
backed did not win. Well. that might
Rave happened any other day, too.
Lulu Glaser, the vivacious once said
she thought it would be good thing for
the American people if they had more
''frivol' days. Lulu classed April fools
Gay as one of the new 'frivoI' days we
do have.
Certainly they came in a bunch during
week past Easter. with its vanity pa
rade OF sartcrial elsg sgance. should GER
tainly be one of the 'frivoliest' of fes-
tivals, and mirth runs amuck when young
Washington rolls eggs back of the White
House. And then for April fools day
to follow on the heels of the two makes
"a trilogy of days given over to frivolity
which should satisfy the most ardent
foolisher.
False Alarms and Stratagems.
Yesterday was the day of days for false
alarms and stra atagems. On every street
of the Capital where children were to be
found could be heard the common saluta-
tion to pedestrians. Mister, you've
dropped your handkerchief
April fool!''
The fun even spread to the older folk
who thought they had left their childhood
days far behind them. The general salu
tation of the department clerks as they
euteieu lHtiT ounces III the morning, was
You're losing the pin cut of your tie.
April fool,'
''All Fools Day in Mexico is celebrated
as great event. 1t is the one day when
truth is thrown to the winds and no ere
dence is placed in anything that is said.
Even high Government officials give out
strange reports Of rebcllions and changes
in the policy of the Government, while
the newspapers recount the death of the
President of Mexico and similar momen-
tous happenings.
Bismarck's Birthday.
BY strange irony of fate Prince Bis
narck. whose strength of intellect was
On par with his strength of body was
born on All Fools Day, fact which his
enemies, personal and political, never
permitted him to forget. Indeed. he had
20 fight his way through school and
through the universities he attended, and
{ is probably owing to the unfortunate
lay of his birth that he became the excep-
ionally skillful fencer of Gottingen fame
His giant frame and great strength made
him a dangerous "Narr'' to taunt on the
of his birth. and it is said
hat the bitterest OF his political enemies,
Jr. Windhorst. was more enraged by the
'ecollection of his frequent defeats at
'oung Bismarck's swordpoint than by any
hing said or done during the later years
Il parliamentary warfare.