Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 79, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 April 1911 — EVENING REPUBLICAN PUT ONE OVER ON READERS. [ARTICLE]

EVENING REPUBLICAN PUT ONE OVER ON READERS.

Fake Articles “Too Good to Be True” Created Great Interest Until “April Fool” at Finish. The Evening Republican of Saturday was put up In the shape of an “April Fool” joke, and it proved a big hit everywhere, although it held a tinge of disappointment because the many “good things” it held in store for Rensselaer were not to be a reality. Fearing that some of the articles that were printed to make the Joke a success might be taken literally we are republishing the first headings of all the “April Fool” articles. They were simply printed as jokes, every one of them. The following were the titles given, the joke articles: “H. R. Kurrie to Erect Hotel and Theatre Building.” “Interurban Sure Thing; Construction is Begun.” . “Giant Comes Up River; Stranger 12 Feet Tall.” “Fate to Serve Free Dinners Each Sunday.” >. “Wrens Really Rejuvenated; Baseball Fans are Happy.” “Automobiles Are Cheaper; Gasoline Also Goes Down.” “Hartsell Will Discovered; Left $30,000 for Hospital.” • “Prominent Citizens to Be in The Preliminaries.” The following paragraph brought the expectant readers back to their senses, Just when they were getting ready to expect almost anything: April FooL The above batch of “grapevine specials” was framed as a little diversion to help along the editor on a dull day. There is nothing in any of them. They are all April fools. We hope you did not take them too seriously. The Kurrie hotel knd the Hartsell will articles fell for the greatest attention, because they seemed the most reasonable and many people reluctantly withdrew their confidence in these articles. Either seemed possible and the automobile price reduction caused a number who wanted to buy, a lot of temporary joy. The giant story was recognized by most people as a fake as was also the wrestling story. Fate’s announcement that he would serve dinners free had a string to it and sounded a great deal like his style of advertising. The story about (;he Wrens did not seem unreasonable. Fifteen minutes after the papers were upon the street the news spread like wildfire and calls for extra papers began to come in at the office. Rev. C. L. Harper stopped the writer to tell him that he had “fallen” for the whole thing until he reached the paragraph that reminded him of, the fact that it was April Ist. One good housewife read the paper through and commented with her husband about the various “good things" and planned for the purchase of an automobile and then when she came across the “give away” paragraph she was so angry that she ran to the kitchen and slammed the door. In a local business house several men were engaged in a discussion of the Hartsell will article and while they were'talking it over another citizen came in and told just how the will was found, and the excitement for a time was so intense that one of the parties had to leave to avoid trouble. Even the giant article fell among credulous minds in a few places and cne woman is credited with saying, “Oh, shoot, I always miss everything. I had Intended to go up town this morning but Mrs. —— came in and stayed until noon.” From all sources came comments on the paper. Both compliments mild criticism were offered, and about every one that read The Evening Republican, and that includes about everyone hi Rensselaer, were forced to admit that tfe had “put one over cn them,” and that they had pulled the cork under. It was a distinct hit and created no end of amusement. First Lieutenant H. S. Brlnkerhoff, Jr., of the 27th U. 8. infantry, arrived in Rensselaer this morning to Inspect the local militia icompany. The muster will take pmce tonight, the property being Inspected this afternoon. Lieutenant Brlnkerhoff was transferred to the 27th Infantry but recently. Colonel Pitcher is still the commanding officer of that regiment. He will be remembered by many as the officer who beaded that reglipent when it marched through Rensselaer to Fort Benjamin Harrison from Fort Sheridan four years ago. / For quick breakfasts, Virginia Sweet Pancake or Georgia Self-Rais-ing Buckwheat, at the Home Grocery.