INVITED TO HIS OWN FUNERAL

Gisborne Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1591, 23 October 1905, Page 3

INVITED TO HIS OWN FUNERAL

HOW THEY JOKE IN PARIS. An elaborate practical joke bas been played on M. Ounior, a popular member of the Municipal Am balance Society, of Paris, and Ms numerous friends, which, caused him to cut short an enjoyable holiday at the seaside and hurry back to Paris, to take part jn his own funeral. “Return home at once,” a telegram read, , which purported to come from his conciege. M. Ounier accordingly travelled all night by the express, and reached Paris in the morning, and took a cab at the station, ordering the driver to take him with all speed to his residence in the Rue Jacqueminot. On the way he recognised a lady friend, who, to his great astonishment, was dressed in black, and- appeared to be in deep grief. He stopped his cab, and got out to speak to her, where upon she. screamed, and dropped in a dead faint upon the pavement,

j “ You aro not dead,- thou ? ” she I gasped, whon sho regained tsonscious* I ness. I “Scarcely,” said M. Ounier, somewhat annoyed and mystified. "Bo tranquil,” tho lady bosouglit ' him, earnestly. “Do you know I was i'ust on my way to your funeral ? Seo. oro is tho invitation,” and sho produced a lottor requesting hor attendance at the last sad ritoa.

I “ Vory woll, wo will go togother. Thero must bo somo misfcako, and tho lady and M. Ounier drovo on. They roaohod tho Ruo Jacqueminot, just as tho hoarse was stopping at his door. Grouped about tho door, and already arranging tho order of tho procession in which thoy should march

before tho hoarso, were M. Oumora follow - membors of tho ambulance company, and deputations from kindred organisations bearing wroaths and funeral crosses, Tho excitement which ensued when M. Ounier arrived and insistod that ho was himsolf, and

not boing personated by a double, as someone suggested, and that ho was still in the land of tho living, wan tremendous.

I At last tho whole party adjourned I to a restaurant, where “good health I and long life ’’ was proposed to M. Ounier in particular and tho rest of the party generally, and duly honored. A suggestion that the orator who was to have spoken tho panegyric at the interment should deliver his speech was negatived on the ground that it would only make M. Ounier vain to learn how high he stood in his friends’

estimation. Tho police are now inquiring as to the perpetrator of tho hoax.