A Joke That Missed Fire.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLII, Issue 3, 20 January 1909, Page 38

A Joke That Missed Fire.

By

MAX ADELER.

Cooley’s oldest boy is a little too fond of playing practical jokes. The other evening lie went up into a third-story bark room, in which the lured man sleeps, and, fixing a piece of stout twine to the bedclothes, he ran it down-stairs into his own room, with the intent to remove the covers from the hired man as soon as that individual got into bed. The (*<M>leys had just taken down their winter stoves, and they had the parlour stove standing temporarily at the head of the third-storey stairs. The man discovered the string just as he was retiring. and comprehending the motive of the intended trick, he quietly untied it. and fastened it to the stove. The boy mean time had gone to bed. and forgotten about the string. But about ten o'clock Mr. Cooley, who was upstairs getting apples in the garret, caught his foot in the string as he was coming down the steps. He fell, and pulled the stove over after him, and the next moment Cooley, a |kiii of apples, and about forty pieces of stove, stove-pipe, grates, and brick lining were rattling down-stairs, with a noise like a volley of musketry. As Cooley lay on the landing, with a pile of apples and cast-iron heaped upon him. Mrs. Cooley, and the boy and the servants came rushing out to ascertain what on earth was the matter. As they approached, Cooley said: “Terrible, wasn’t it? Awfulest earthquake we ever had in this country!” "Was there a real earthquake?” asked Mrs. Cooley. ”1 didn’t feel a shake.” “Didn’t feel it!” exclaimed Cooley, tak-

ing a stove-leg out of his shirt-collar and brushing the soot from his clothes. Didn’t feel it? Why, my gracious! The house rocked like a cradle, i thought she’d go clear over every minute. It’s the worst shock 1 ever felt. Sent me skipping downstairs with things a-rattl-ing after me till 1 thought the roof had tumbled in. There’s something queer about these natural convulsions. These scientific men say that the shake always moves in waves from east to west, so that if it conies from the “Hello! what’s this?” exclaimed Cooley, discovering the twine wrapped around his leg. "Who tied that string to that there stove?” As he looked around inquiringly, he observed his oldest boy suddenly mount upon the bannister and glide swiftly down to the first floor, where he stood waiting for an offensive movement on the part of his father. Then Cooley leaned over the railing, and shaking his fist at him, said: "You wicked little scoundrel! If you ain’t a candidate for the gallows I’m no judge! You come up here and go to lied, and to-morrow morning I’ll tan your hide for you with a bed-slat. You mind me? I’ll give you enough earthquake to make you dance from here to the equator, you tow-headed outcast!” Then the family went to bed, and the boy crept softly up the kitchen stairs, thinking there was not much fun in such jokes anyhow.