Sistersville daily oil review. [volume] (Sistersville, W. Va.) 1902-1905, 1904-04-01
APRIL FOOL IS DAY.
How It Originated and How It Is
Observed.

lOudy 10 hpIi iOol 10y, IhO
most momentous holiday that ap-
pears upon the calendar of tom
foolery.
April FOOLS Day the first day
of April, and at that time it is
customary for persons to play
tricks upon one another, and to
send those about them upon bot
| less errands. The custom is wide
ly observed throughout America,
but it was brought here from Eur
ope, where it has prevailed for
centuries. Innumerable theories
have been advanced as to the
origin of the custom. By some
it is believed to be the remains of
Roman practice that originated
in the East and gradually spread.
One of the popular theories is
that it originated in miracle
play formerly presented at Eas-
terrible, which sometimes depicted
the sending of Christ from Annas
to Caiaphas, andfrom Plate to
Herod. Others trace it back to
some ancient pagan festival. One
Of these is the Hull feast, which
isobserved by the HindOos on
March 81.
When a person is fooled on this
occasion in America, as well as
England, heis called an April
fool. In Scotland he would be
termed a gawk, which means a
cuckoo. In Germany antiquity
the custom seems to have teen
unknown, and Grimm regards it
as having been introduced from
the French during comparatively
modern times. In France the I'M
lucky individual fooled is called
"un poisson d'Avril," fish" It
is probably that this also explains
the origin of the popular word
sucker so frequently applied
de in this country to person who
bites upon joke nowadays. Feb
ruary II is the date of a similar
feast Of mirth celebrated by the
Romans and known as the Fest
ivals of Fools.
The day is referred to in Poor
Richard almanack which was
published by Benjamin Franklin.
Under the nom deplume Of Rich
ard Saunders" Franklin supplied
the world with a valuable fund of
proverbs and 10000 copies of this
old publication were sold yearly.
The first issue of the almanack
appeared in 1882, and in one of
the later numbers was the follow
ing bit of jingle:
The first of April, some do say,
Is set apart for all FOOLS Day.
Intsead of April FOOLS Day,
the occasion in many localities is
more frequently referred to as
All FOOLS Day.
Sistersville and vicinity is a
scene of widespread mischief
making on April LIST every year,
and the police are invariably kept
busy preventing those who 60
beyond the bounds of common
sense from producing bodily in
jury and damage to property.
The majority of persons are con-
tent to call the attention of their
friends to an imaginary rat run
ming beneath their feet, or to an
alleged hole in their clothing.
Packages filled with straw, brick
bats or clay are shipped or other
wise delivered to many, and in
Vulnerable are the missions of fol-
ly upon which unwary messen'
gers are dispatched. Office boys
are furnished with wheelbarrows
and sent to distant parts of the
city to procure some minute OBJ
jects with a big name, that they
are led to believe is very heavy
and bulky.
The motorman whose car is not
signaled to stop by some thought
less individual who has no inten-
ton of boarding the car, is indeed
fortunate. 1t is also common for
youngsters to toss handful OF
nails just behind the feet of ped
estrian to make the latter believe
he has dropped some money.
When he looks back to see what
he has lost he will he greeted