The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-04-01
NE CAREFUL TODAY,

Die CAREFUL To-DAYi
Walk charity. charity to-day. broth
err AT every corner will be a solemn
eyed Gamin to inform you that you
handkerchief has been dropped o
your ncoktio is awry: fat wallets yo,
Will ind at the crossing; your oflce
boy Will be even moro mendaciou
than usual. The whole world Is try
Ing to mako n fool OF you. brother
less you prod your languid memor,
and remind yourself that this Is Apri
Fools Day.
"On this day" writes tho
quaint old Chambers In his
Book OF Days." 1T becomes
the business OF n vast num-
Der OF people. especially tho
younger sort, 10 practice In
nocent tmpostures upon their
unsuspiCious ne!ghbors. by way
OF making them what in
France are called poissons
d'Avril, and with us April
fools. Thus, a knowing hoy
VIII dispa tch a younger broth
or TO see Il public statue do
scond from It's pedestal at a
particular appointed hour
crew of gicrl!ng servant
maids VIII get hold OF some
simple swain and send h:rl 10
4 booksellers shop for tho
History of Ewes Grandmoth-
CT. or to n chemist for n pom
nyworth OF pigeons milk
or to a cobblcr's for littlc
strap OIL in which last case
the messenger secures "A hear
" application OF the strap to
his shoulders and Is sent home
IN a state OF hcwildcrrnent rs
TO what tho affair means. Tho
urchins In the Kennel make
sport of calling to some pass
ing beau to look 10 his coat
skirts, when he either finds
them with piece OF paper
pinned TO them not, In
either OF which cases ne IS
saluted a- an April fool"
Tho quocres. feature OF April Fool,
Day Is that mono seems 10 know how
II originated. In the genial pages OF
Addison's Spectator" VIC find fire..
Quent references to II. but in the wag-
gish literature OF the preceding age
which would certainly have reflected
the day had 1t been obscrvcd-we find
no mention OF It.
1t has been suggested that in tn.
cid calendar. when March 25 was re-
garded az tho beginning OF tic new
year and celebrated ~ the Feast OF
Tho Conception. April would be It.
octave and the end of its festivities
but why that day should be set apart
for testing is not plain.
in the West Is that It came from In
dia. The Hindus, IT appears, have
for centuries observed general fes.
tival. CHILLED tho Hull, which termi.
mates at this season During thi.
time. the more or less vcraciou:
Chambers tells US. the great aim /.
to send persons away with message.
TO ideal individuals. or individual.
sure to be from home, and enjoy 9
laugh at their disappointment" I,
view OF the fact that April Fools Da,
is first noted In England about the
time commercial intercourse with In
oia began to make Itself felt, it /:
not improbable that the custom VIZ
brought TO the island by returning
Ncyagers.
There have been many famou,
Aprn fool FRANKS With his friends
Dr. Arbu,hnot md Lady Masham
Swift tried TO Sc; London on cars
Francis OF Lorraine and his duchess
tradition has IT. made their cscap,
from prison under the guisc Of ar
April fool prank; IN 1860 hal, Of Lon.
don visited the Tower ana searched
in vain fer a white Cate" TO which
some wag, on April !, had son, then
cards OF admission. More recently
Partisan newspaper printed m April
fool Issue that threatened to upset tn,
ministry and 70 precipitatc score o.
duels until It was shown 10 be q hoax
But the great nrtincer OF now Apri
fool devices Is the small boy O
him we rcDnaf bcWarc to-1n-.'