GENTLE ART OF HOAXING,

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 254, 25 October 1919, Page 21

GENTLE ART OF HOAXING,

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METEOBITES, M__H_f____3NS, AXD •MATRIMONY. The good folks of 'Ramsgate haive been vastly aimiised lately "by what has been "humorously called "the •heavenly-body joke "with the (mundane sequel, says the "Weekly Scotsman." A respected magistrate of that town was visited on a recent evening Iby an excited elderly gentleman, who introduced himself as a scientist. He declared that he had just seen a meteorite fall from the skies and strike the magistrate's 'house. A search was at once •made, and, sure fnough, metallic fragments that seemed to support the statement were found in the garden, and were eventually inspected by an authority from the British Museum. A few days 'later came a 'letter from the "scientist," who signed himself "George Smith," to say that an analysis of the fragments showed the thunderbolt to consist of iron pyrites. Then the balloon buret. The said "George Smith" an-no-imced through the Press that the whole thing was a hoax, that ho had bought a piefce of what be was assured was a real meteorite, and that he had thrown this at the magistrate's window in order to get even with him for fining him 'because he had shown a light in wartime. Tho joke had a police court sequel n which the bomb-thrower was summoned and 'fined £5 and 50/ expenses for unlawfully and wilfully committing damage to the magistrate's window. Another hoax having a measure of scientific interest was tho following. Some time ago there appeared in a I_ondon morning paper this peculiar advertisement: THV3R Sale, Penguin, brought up ny hand; -*- trained to typewrite; must realise at once.—Apply Theobald's Hoad, W.C. IXaturally the offer of such a rare bird aroused no small interest. Many, who in all probability could not distinguish between a platypus and a porcupine, hastened to the address in the expectancy of seeing a weird creature hard at work on the nimble keys, while naturalists were keen to examine this far from agile bird in a state of harmless ibut necessary activity. One and all were disappointed. No performing penguin was known at the address. The accomplished 'biped existed only in the imagination of some practical joker. The prospective purchasers and not the bird had been "sold." AIJL THE FUN OF THE FAIR. From birds to cats is an easy transition, and jokers are apparently quite at home with either. Some time ago placards were posted throughout Ballymena, Co. Antrim, declaring that tho War Oflice authorities were-in need of cats in unlimited numbers. [Barracks at home and abroad, so ran tho announcement, were overrun with rats, which not only destroyed Tommy's rations and clothing, but even attacked his boots. In fact, the depredations of the Hamelin r*ts were being outdone, and the good folks of Ballymena were being invited to take up the role of the "Pied Piper," in effect to provide suitable cats at half-a-crown a time. A War Office official would attend at next Ballymena fair to take delivery of the required felines. Cats came —or, more correctly, wore carried—from all quarters. Many an old lady mourned a vanished pet. For once the pig had to play second fiddle as a suitable subject for commerce. But it was a case of "Hey, diddle, diddle." Puzzle, find the "War Oflice official." A sharp lookout was kept for that elusive gentleman, but without success, since when an even sharper lookout has been kept for the perpetrator of the hoax. MARK TWAIN'S LITTLE JOKE. Cats appear to present possibilities for the practical joker which arc onlyequalled by the attractions they possess for the terrible small 'boy. The culprit this time is Mark Twain. On one occasion the famous humorist perpetrated an All Fools' Hay joke on the people of New York. He inserted a notice in all the morning papers stating that he had lost "an intensely black cat, so black that it is not easily seen in ordinary light," and offering a reward if it were returned to his Fifth Avenue residence. Early in the forenoon a man appeared with a black cat under his arm, hut was informed that the original animal had been found in tho garret with the aid of the morning sun. At this point the joke began to recoil on the head of the veteran Mart. The biter was being bitten. A second and third man appeared with black cats two and three, and, until late at night, the house was besieged wi.h callers and cats. The doorbell clanged continually, and the neighbours became anxious about their canaries. Next day Mark Twain declared that he could not count high enough to give the total number of 'black cats that were anxious to adopt him as their "father." ■MYSTERIOUS MANX MANNrKINS. We wonder whether 'holiday-makers in the Isle of Man have come across in their travels, not cats this time, but the "mysterious Manx mannikins." "The greatest scientific men of the day," so ran the description, "have decided that they are really alive, 'for, if only pricked with a needle, blood flows instantly. They have no objectionable smell, like guinea-pigs or monkeys, for they eat no solid food, but enjoy a bath twice a day. Some have wizened faces and rough I hairy skins, which render them grotesque or hideous, while others have lovely white skins, and are really I beautiful. Ladies in 'the Isle of Man j carry them about," so it was alleged, "and a boy, though poor, has refused to part with one for fllO. Professor Huxley, who has two 'fine specimens, has expressed the opinion that their origin dates from the Garden of Eden, and they are thus coeval with man." So ran the advertisement, the price asked for one of these novelties being half-a-crown. Over 120 fanciers sent postal orders to the ingenious Mt. Walter O-teilly, who professed to foe anxious to distribute these pets to an affectionate, if simple public. The authorities at Maryiebone have since interested themselves in the welfare of Mt. O'Reilly. An advertisement appeared in the Barcelona newspapers recently to the effect that a young and wealthy American lady desired to imeeit an elegant young Spanish gentleman with a view to matrimony. Some 40 candidates for her hand were forthcoming, and each received a letter informing him that he was the accepted suitor and 'making an appointment at a farm outside the town. The 40 elegants, dressed in their best, put in an appearance, but it was a case of "all dressed up and nowhere to go," as the song says. When they found that they had 'been hoaxed they organised a j hostile demonstration and marched to j the office of the newspaper in which the I "American Lady's announcement had I appeared, and, but for the timely arrival of the police, the premises would have been wrecked 'by the crestfallen bat nevertheless mlomn. rp~~