Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1850-04-25
Wine Tasting.

NewsHampshire, n disappointed theooci-
cal student-a tri1e weak i'm the .uppcr
works-who had tried his hand at divers
callings-such as school, keeping, soliciting
subscribers to religious publications, lectur-
ing upon phrenoocy, temperance, &c.,-f-
naIly took II INTO his precious nodde to open
a store. he was OF the temperance school
as well he might be. for thimblefull OF
the ardent would upset his shallow cocoa
nut moreover, he was parsimonious, even
10 meanIle>s.
The store was opened in due season; his
goods all well arranged muslus, molasses,
peppermints, pork, calico, Goldfish, sewing
silk. salt, singing books, sweet oil, bibles,
brown sugar, ginger, gimblets, psalm books.
sai'petre, testamenls, towels. almonds. au-
gers, &c, &C.. were put in their several
places, ready for the campaign and our ira
der stood ready with his spck-span new
white neck cloth, and his hair combed
smooth. 10 wait upon his customers.
You haven't any wine,' said wag to our
shopnan, after taking a survey of the prem
lses-'you'l have 10 keep that article for a
medicine Or lose the very bes, custom in the
village
Our trader thought probably, that if he
lived among the Turks it were well 10 do as
the Turkeys did or may he the Increase of
dimes from the wicked traffic served 10 rurn
his weak head-stronger ones than his have
been sadly warped by the latter cause-ar
all events, he consented, and sent off forth
with for quarter Of n cask Of old Madeira
for II 'medicine'-and nothing else.
The delectable liquor arrived; it was soon
rolled in, put upon skids and tapped the lat
ter operation had scarcely been got through
with when our wag, who had been on the
lnnL- Of. AZ
medicine, ! see, he observet-'but are YOU
sure it is good" q bought it for the best.
replied our shopman-just you taste it--I
durst not, you know besides, I'm no judge
of the article Neither am l; returned the
wag but there are three gentlemen in the
village with whom | chance to be acqualnt-
ed who are nost excellent Judges OF wine,
and If they pronounce it good, you'll be sure
| il is all right
| Please do me the favor TO invite them in, ,
said the vender of varieties. The waggish
| gentleman WAS off III twinkling. and soon
returned with three ofihe finest specimens
of bon-vivants, could he found ia a sab
bath days journey. These gentlemen had
received sly nolIce of tins affar that morn
ing, and had dined upon salt fsh--so they
were ready to do ample Justice to most any
Thing in the shape OF iqnids--sood WINE in
particular.
Our shopkeeper took down a wine glass
from among his glass wares, and was about
TO fill 1t with the glory of Madeira when
one of the tito remarked that il was not easy
to Judge from a small quantity, and that il
required a larger body of the juice 10 resi
its qualities correctly. Accordingly a half
pint rumhler was brought ou., which one of
The 'tasters' seized and filled to The brm with
the rich liquid
The blood of Madeira's scorched vine !!
then holding it up 10 the light. and eyeing it
with the air of an old connoisseur, lie placed
il TO his lips, and 10 the amazement OF our
temperance and parsim onious trader, swal-
lowed every drop OF il. insanier--then filed
the lass again and handed it 10 one Of his
companions, who followed suit, and handed
/ it 10 the third, WHO did likewise.
well, gents, and what do you think ofil2
| quered onr vender, soon he had recov-
cred from his aruazement. 'TII tell you
soon as get my mouth in taste, replied the
! first man, you must know tha, dined OIL
\ fish to-day, and il takes something to guench
my ihlrsi--so here goes another ; and away
went the second brimmer of the medicine. ;
/ TO keep company with the first. The others
| followed the example of their leader
smack-d their lips, said it was NOT bnd to
take, then did mp third round with as
great giisto and despatch as the first, and told
the asionished trader that his wine had
quenched their thirst somewhat, that they
could perceive no bad taste 10 it, and If he
would take jug Of it into the counting
room. accompanied with some crackers and
| cheese and dozen good Spanish cigars,
they would then and there deliberate upon
it, and give their Judgment accordingly in
good season
Our unsophislicated shopman was won
der-struck Bul he found he was 'in Tor it;'
and could not well back out. so he did as
desired--and such time as they had ont !
Suffice it TO say, that after nearly two gal
Ions of his 'medicine' had been punished our
trader al last got rid of his 'ias,ers' at mid
night, by giving each bottle OF the precious
juice and bunch Of cigars. Before leav
ing. however, they gave in their verdict, that
the article that they had been drinking was
wine, good old Madeira wine, nothing else,
and. in their opinion, was not bad TO take !.
Post.