Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1852-09-16
Now in the hall, he leaned against The wall

Now in the hall, he leaned against the wall
and undertook cogtation He could suffi-
ciently gather his senses to remember the clock
In his wifes room was out of repair, and as
she had retired, she would not be able to tell
the time he had got in. That was grand
point gained. a.s4as..
: know what I'll do; I'll go to bed in the
dark, and then she won't notice nv eyes, ru-
minated Tom. But hold on-Id like to for
got it-she'll smell my breath how can fix
thatp r.... f..t
He puzzled for few moments, and in the
end concluded to seek the kitchen, and meddle
slightly with the spice box. Down the stone
stairs he went, and after putting his hand ipto
a row of pans, jugs and dishes, he at length
found handful Of cloves, which he thrust in
TO his mouth as though they had been SO many
sngar-plums.
'T-t-they're d-devilish hot, spluttered Tom
with his face all aglow; but they answer the
purpose. How wish Stiles was here to tell
me whether the brandy was sufficiently dis
guised.'
Satisfied that the scent of the cloves had out
odored the scent of the ardent, he mounted
the stairs, and with the exception of couple
of small stumbles, gained his chamber in safety.
Now he would have been happy had no, his
wife been wide awake.
Why, Thomas, how late you are said
she, where's the candlei'
'Oh. never mind the CANDLE said he. in as
steady a tone as he could assume. 1T is not
late.'
should judge it was very late,' said she
dear me, must have that clock fxed'
Ye-e-s, so we must, said Tom, with mirac-
ulous deliberation, for one solitary hiccup would
have betrayed him. As to the clocks uncer-
tain condition, it was phenomenon of good
luck for him.
Does it look like rain, dear.' kindly in
quired Clara.
Now, if Tom had been put on his oath, he
could no more have answered correctly, in re-
gard to the appearance of the weather. than
the man in the moon, and not half so much, for
1t is fair to suppose that if there be man in
the moon, he is not addicted TO the practice of
drinking, and therefore keeps bright lookout
on things below.
He replied, guardedly-' Pom my word,
don't know, but I'll look, and feeling his way
TO the window, he threw aside the curtain, and
a bar of pale starlight threw itself Immediately
upon his wife's face.
'Clear as crystal, you perceive, DEAR and
down went the curtain again.
Clara was very thoughtful and affectionate,
and kindly suggested that ir the ouualu siIouIu
be kept up, he could see his way better about
the room.
mo, no, DEAR replied Tom, very slowly,
as before have heard that starlight produ-
ces lunacy after midnight he was about to
say, but caught himself dexterously, consider
ing his situation-' and that's dreadful, you
know
Tom made several awkward stumbles after
this, and presently his wife caught Whit of
the cloves.
Good gracious, Tom, how long you are,
and how dreadfully you smell of Cloves
'Eh!' said Tom, starting, 'c-l-o-v-e-s!'
Yes, cloves amy one would think you'd
been embalmed like mummy
This made Tom twitch and 60 wool-gather-
ing.
'Phew you're regularly scented with them.
Where have you been to night1'
Tom was thrown entirely off his guard his
brain rambled, and without the remotest idea
of what he was saying, replied W-w-why-
hic-Clara, dear, the fact is, have just been
on little trip to the East Indies, and whilc 1
,oas there I fell ouer a spice bor'
This told a tale. Clara Immediately sat up
in bed and shed tears. The cat was out of the
bag, and we should not be surprised but that
Caudle lecture, as long as charity sermon,
was the consequence of poor Toms slip of the
tongue. He has never touched cloves from
that day to this, and it is probable, ere long, he
will avoid the bottle entirely, his wife insist
Ing that whoever drinks must sooner or later
keep company with subteraneous person, dis
tinguished from the rest of mankind by re-
markable species of tail and 'cloven foot
this latter adornment would keep Tom out of
this road if nothing else succeeded Most
decidedly.