MRIRVIG'S PRACTICAL JOKE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XXIX, Issue 97, 26 April 1895, Page 4

MRIRVIG'S PRACTICAL JOKE

In his " Cigarette Papers" in the Newcastle Weekly Chronicle, MiJoseph Hatton tells an amusing story of an incident of Mr Irving's first American tour ;— " During the journey from Boston to Baltimore a member of the company of an unusually inquiring turn of mind pulled the check string ' to see what the thing -was.' The train stopped and there -was great consternation among the guards and passengeru. The speculative inquirer into mechanical appliances made a frank confession, and after a few pardonable oatha on tho chief conductor (he train went on again. The monotony of the remainder of the journey was relieved by an elaborate practical joke organised with quiet humour by our leading actor. An official was introduced into the conspiracy and the delinquent was formally fined $100. Irving explained to him the enormity of his offence in the eye of the American law. The delinquent, after relieving his mind of a protest against the tyranny of the Republic, paid. $20 on account, and a subscription was started to defray the balance of the fine. 'I do not regret what has transpired,' said the offender an hour orjiwo later ;' indoed, I am glad of it ; it only shows how well I stand with my colleagues who have generously subscribed $80. It is quite touching the way they have stood by me with their purses and friendly words.' Alas for ihe cherished sentiment ! — most of the anbscribera were in the plot ; one of : them, not hitherto known as over generous, fairly astounding the delinquent by nobly heading the list with §20. At Baltimore imaginary dispatches passed between Mr Abbey, the impresario of the company, and the railway authorities, with the result that in the most handsome way the directors remitted the fine. While they could not too highly reprehend the mischievous stopping of the cars, they felt assured that Mr X bad no •wicked design in obstructing the proper working of the train. The victim thereupon wrote a letter of thanks to Mr Abbey, had a quite pathetic interview with Mr Irving t ;;Ctp;fthe happy termination of what i^j^|:b?y9 bee« a very serious

business, and insisted upon spending some of his 820 in champagne for the subscribers of the fund, on which act of grace he made- so eloquent and cordial a speech that everybody shook hands with him and said he was a ' jolly fellow, which nobody can deny.' Irving laid an injunction upon the company to keep the secret, and let their friend remain happily convinced of their genuine intervention, but somehow the story leaked out before the tour was over."