Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-27
PRACTICAL Joker
HAS HIGH OLD TIME
Doctor, Ambulance, Under
taker and Waiter Inter-
rupt Party.

A practical joker with distorted
sense of humor threw a jolly social
gathering at 1925 Seventeenth street
into a near panic last night by per-
suading doctor, two undertakers and
a Chinese waiter to make professional
calls at the apartment of M. A. Men
delson on the strength of false tele-
phone messages.
Mr. and Mrs. MendelSon were enter
tanning, and had invited six of their
friends to their apartment. Mrs. Men
deiSon was putting the baby to bed
shortly after 10 o'clock, when the party
was interrupted by some one pounding
heavily on the door. MFR. Mendelson
admitted DR.. John j. Lynch of 1920 N
street.
Where's the sick baby" the physi-
clan asked.
what sick baby?" the slightly be-
wildered Mr.. Mendelson asked. my
wife has just put ours to bed. Thtee's
nothing wrong with him." Both par
ties concluded that some mistake had
been made and DR.. Lynch departed.
Undertaken Calls.
The conversation had just been re-
sumed when another knock was heard.
This time it was S. H. Hine, under
taker. He had come with his ann
bulance for the sick woman.
Mr.. Mendelson this time was more
than bewildersd. He was entirely and
completely nonplused. The thing was
beyond all understanding SO he con-
tented himself with pointing out to
the undertaken that everybody in the
apartment was well and sound, and
that his services were in no wise
needed Mr.. Hine also departed.
He was hardly out of the building
when another knock was heard. The
sound was Sedate and ominous. After
a moments hesitation Mendelson again
opened the door. w. W. Chambers,
another undertaken, walked into the
apartment.
In a sympathetic tone he inquired as
to the location of the body. His hearse
was outside, he said.
Nobody's Body Around.
This was too much for Mr. Mendel-
son. He was through. One of the
guests stepped forward and asked for
details. Mr.. Chambers explained that
he had received telephone call to
come to the apartment and remove a
body to his establishment. No, he did
not know who made the call.
The host informed the undertaken
that there was no body, no invalid
woman and no sick baby. Somewhere
there had been one or several mis-
takes. Mr.. Chambers also departed,
wasting no time in doing so.
The Mendelsons and their visitors
sat around the room in an agitated
circle. Had the whole world gone crazy
or did it include only undertakers and
doctors?
Before the question was settled an
other knock was heard. The men went
10 the door in body, prepared for the
worst.
Chinese Makes Grade.
A smiling Chinese waiter stood out
side, bearing tray with eight dishes
of chow mein-one for each person in
the apartment. Some one had phoned
and told him to bring the food-he
didn't know just who made the CALL
The Mendelsons demurred. They
had not called for chow mein; they
never ate Chinese food. But the
waiter was inSistent Some one had
called for chow mein and here it was.
He made it clear that he did not in
tend to take it away.
To save embarrassment Mr.. Men
delson paid for the food. The guests
gathered around and ate.
The various incidents WERE discussed
and decision reached SolGe one was
trying to be funny.
Mr.. MendelSon thinks it is some one
in the same apartment house. He pro-
poses to find out, and, if he does, he
feels sure his next Saturday evening
party will not be disturbed by unin-
vited visitors.