A PRACTICAL JOKER.

Oamaru Mail, Volume I, Issue 307, 18 April 1877, Page 4

A PRACTICAL JOKER.

R -Gently s,»tne wags, se-king to am us,' tht-ms Ives at the exp nsj; of other constructed a "du.iuuy" mm, and, after placing it at the c >r.iu-r of Pollen an.l ■ Seafcey streets, in the altitude of an inebriated individual who ha-1 resolved to make his lodging on " the cold, cold ground," disposed of them*. Ives at a distance tt> see f:e fun. After waiting some minutes an elderly gentleman was observed coming along, an I when be wsis within a dosten yard* of the spot the confederates appeared, tilled witEi ptty for t te supposed drunken man, while one of them, converting his hat into a basin, rushed frantically to the staulpipj and o.»{ i »u»ly deluged the unfortunate dummy, saying at the same time, "Give ! im water! Give him water! Quick I He'll soon come round." The elderly gciiti.im.il above referred to (-ts would anybody else) rushed on the seel.'-, shouting '• G.v« him air " but stooping dor.n to raise the poor fellow's heal, discovered his mistake, and walked quickly away, followed by the peals of bug iter of th..* wags. After Several oth• rs had been " taken in " to a greater or ks* degree, a:i o Ileal personage, irreverently called by the practical jokers "Oil Mull," part if whose du:y it 13 tw» take charge of tuebr.at- s, came up, probably with t.ie intention of arresting the personage lying on the footpath. After gazing for a second or two he laid his hands on the dummy, and discovering that be was the victim of a joke, eased his injured feelings by administering a kick to the j>sjudo drunkard. When he turned round the wags had vanished.