Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-06-30

playhouse, it was announced that on
January 10, 1749, on the stage of the
Haymarket theater, person would
get into tavern quart bottle, and
while there sing several songs On
the evening appointed for the ac-
complishment of this marvellous feat
the house was packed from floor to
ceiling, among the expectant audience
being no less a parsonage than the
duke of Cumberland. For while all
sat in patient silence but, on the cur
tain not rising, eatcals and whistles
soon swelled to open riot. Someone
now threw a lighted candle upon the
stage, and a general stampede for that
part of the house Immediately fol-
lowed, and in the melee that ensured
the duke of Cumberland lost his sword
The papers, especially those of the
Jacobite party, made great fun of this
affair." and in old England appeared
this burlesque advertisement, having
reference to the duke of Cumberland's
loss: Found entangled in the slit OF
ladys demolished smock pettfeoat, a
gilt handled sword OF martial temper
and length, not much the worse of
wearing, with the Spey curiots5ly en-
the other; supposed to be taken from
the fat sides of a certain great general
in his hasty retreat from the battle of
Bottle Noodles, in the Aaymarket.
Whoever has lost il may inquire for
it at the sign of the Bird and Singing
Land, in Rotten row. A hoax equal
Is diverting, and with no harmful is
sue, was that originating With Daily,
the manager Of the Dublin theater,
who -wagered that within "a hours he
would introduce a perfectly meaning
less word into the English language.
To effect which he ehalked on every
wall 10 which he could gain access,
the four letters. Q L | u, which ct
once set all Dublin wondering as to
their OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES III vain,
the sole result of the general bewild-
eTment being the circulation OF word
that has remained current till the
present day.
Astounding news by express, via
Norfolk! The Atlantic crossed in
three days! Signal triumph of Mr.
Monck Masons flying machine! Ar
rival at sullvans island, near Charles
ton IS ca of mir. Mason, Mr.. Robert
Holland, MIR Henson, Mr.. Harrison
Ainsworth, and four others, in the
steering balloon Victoria, after
passage of 10 hours from land 10 land,
Full particulars of the voyage was
the announcement that headed an
article in the New York Sun, giving an
account of an aerial voyage across the
Atlantic. Nearly everybody believed
in the preposterous statements, and the
circulation of the sole paper that had
the news" increased by leaps and title
of THE balloon hoax" is included
among the tales of Edgar Allan Poe.
The imposture of Chatterton-too
well known to need retelling-was sur
passed in audacity by that of the
1 youth Ireland, whose Shakespearean
forgeries form the subject of Payns
novel "The Talk of the Town In
cited by the almost universal acclaim
with which some spurious signatures
/ and minor documents of the poet were
received, he had the hardihood to
| discover" some unpublished plays by
the masters hand, one of Which,
| "Voltigern," was produced by Shefi-
dan at Drury Lane. It's stilted bonn
/ bast, however, disguised and unae-
ceived the critics and public, and Ire
1 land, finding his position no longer
! tenable, made full confession OF his
/ knavery. More extraordinary stlll
was the hoax perpetrated by the
erudite George Psalmanazar, when
successfully personating converted
native. of Formosa. What little
| knowledge he possessed of the East
was supplemented by invention. He
composed an imaginary language
while from his brain was evolved
fictitious history of Fermosa. This
owing to the palpable errors 1t con-
tanned, led to detection, people refus-
ing to credit the statement that the
natives sacrificed 1900 male infants
annually.-London Globe.