Year: 1873

The New York Times says: 1t has long been
an established fact that in this city crowd
can be gathered in the street on the smallest
occasion, and very often it happens that groups
OF curious loungers suddenly assemble when
there Is really nothing to see. Let any one stop
at shop window with friend, and stand
there minute or two, and he will find that
his presence attracts others, who simply pause
out of mere curiosity. This trait of city pedes-
trians is so well known among storekeepers
that they occasionally seek to advertise them
selves by getting up crowds in front of their
premises. A few years ago firm moved into
new building near the location of a rival in
the same trade, and had resources to a cruel
hoax for advertising purposes. The manmuvre
was simply to advertise in the papers for a
light porter, and then lock the door, and hang
up huge placard bearing the words "Situa,
ton filled. Of course large number Of APP
plicants appeared, and, failing to get in, created
a crowd, the numbers of which were soon
augmented by pedestrians constantly stopping
to view the curious scene. So great became
the excitement that the police had to interfere,
in order that travel might not be impeded.
The result was that the change of base made
by the firm became widely known, and their
business increased.


1t frequently happens, also, that practical
jokers start street crowds simply for their pri-
vate amusement, and the effort invariably
proves successful. a case in point happened
yesterday in Broadway, near Union Square.
Two gentlemen, well known in New York,
were recently cOnversing on the subject oil
curiosity as an universal trait, when one, a
wag in his way, offered to bet supper that
he could keep a crowd all day on the opposite
side OF the street on any clear day. The
wager was accepted, the terms being that the
crowd should remain in full force from 10 A.
NJ. until p. NJ.


Yesterday morning the practical joker sta
| toned himself at street c)rner at the houI
specified and at once apparently became in
terested in gazing at the clear blue sky over
head. lie had remained thus employed
scarcely three minutes before four or five othe
men were standing quietly by his side, al
gazing wisely into the heavens Finally on
of them ventured the inquiry, what he wa
| looking at.


"Why, at that star there" the Joker re
piled, at the same time pointing into the SIX
near the sun.


Il don't see it, remarked the victim
whereabouts is it?'


fright up there, was the response. 'It'
very bright and beautiful


! "Oh, L see it, exclaimed third person
how singular it looks"


Inc trap being thus sprung, the crow
Immediately became augmented, for all wer
curious to see the daylight star, the practica
joker quietly withdrew and joined his frien
to witness the progress of the experiment.


Hour after hour passed, and still the crow
continued to stand at the corner, looking fo
the star, their individuality constantly chang
ing, like the figures in kaleidoscope. Fev
went away without becoming convinced tha
there was really star to be seem and eve
the gentleman who had accepted the move
wager was bitten by the common curiosity
and though he knew the joke, joined til
group to hook for himself He in turn sa,
the star after gazing at the sun until he reall
could not see at all. So the fun progressed unit
the close Of the day, the originator of the iok
winning his wager by the crowd being kept IL
until sunset.


There are good many star gazers in tn
world as every one knows, but it seldom haI
pens that they prove useful or profitable
themselves or anybody else. But two gentl,
men had very jolly supper last night at th
expense of the star gaZer