She
therefore hastened to one of the guards and told him of the escape of
the prisoners. But the soldier only regarded it as an attempt to play a
joke upon him, and at once cried out "April Fool!" to let the woman know
that he had not forgotten what day it was. Hearing the soldier call out
this, the rest of the guard, led by their sergeant, shouted "April
Fool!" until the woman was forced to retire without being able to
accomplish her errand. When at last it was learned that she had told
them the truth, it was too late, the Duke and his wife having made good
their escape.
In France, the person who is April-fooled is called _poisson d'Avril_.
Upon a certain occasion a French lady stole a watch from a friend on the
First of April. The theft having been discovered, and the lady accused
of having taken the watch, she endeavored to pass off the affair as _un
poisson d'Avril_.
Having denied that the watch was in her possession, her rooms were
searched, and the missing article found upon a chimney-piece. When shown
the watch the thief coolly replied: "Yes; I think I have made the
messenger a fine _poisson d'Avril_."
However, the magistrate ordered that she be confined in prison until the
First of April following, "_comme un poisson d' Avril_."
[Illustration]
In England, the custom of April-fooling is practiced very much as it is
in the United States. "A knowing boy will despatch a younger brother to
see a public statue descend from its pedestal at a particular appointed
hour.
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