Year: 1860

AS fond OF practical jokes as even Theo-
dore Hood himself, Tom Hood was often
caught in his own net, but usually gave a
quid pro quo. His daughter thus chronicles
one -


'On another occasion two or three friends
came down for a days shooting, and, as
they often did, in the evening rowed out
into the middle of The lake in an old punt
They were full OF spirits, and had played off
one or two practical jokes on their host, till
on getting out of the boat, leaving him last,
one of them gave it a push, and out went
my father into the water Fortunately, it
was the landing place. and the water was
not deep, but he was wet through. 1t was
playing with edged tools 10 venture on such
tricks with him, and he quietly determined
10 turn the tables. Accordingly he present
ly began to complain OF cramps and stitches,
and at last went in doors. His friends get
ting rather ashamed Of their rough fur, per-
suaded him TO go 10 bed, which he imme-
diately did. His groans and complaints i'll
creased so alarmingly that they were almost
at their wits ends what Ie do My mother
had received a quiet hint, and was therefore
not alarmed, though much amused al the
terrified efforts and prescriptions of the re-
pentent jokers. There was no doctor 10 be
had for miles, and all sorts of queer reme-
dies were suggested and administered, my
father shaking with laughing, while they
supposed he had got the ague or fever.
One rushed up with tea-kettle of boiling
water hanging on his arm, another to,tered
under a lin bath, and a third brought the
mustard.


"My father al length, as well as he could
speak, gave out in a sepuichral voice that
he was sure he was dying, and detailed
which :hey were all too frightened 10 gee
the lun of. AT last he could stand il no
longer, aud, after hearing the penitent
offenders beg him 10 forgive them for their
unfortunate joke, and beseech him TO be-
lieve in their remorse, he burst into per-
feet shout of laughing, which they thought
at first was deIirious frenzy, but which
ultimately betrayed the joke"


Another of his jokes on his wife, as
recorded by herself, in letter TO England,
is capital She says:


81 must now tell you my story about the
Christmas pudding. The Lieutenant was
with us on Christmas day, and enjoyed my
plum pudding so much that promised to
make one for him. Hood threatened to
play some tricks with it-either 10 pop in
bullets or tenpenny nails ; and | watched
over my work with great vigilance, so that
il was put in TO boil without any misfor-
tune.


al went to bed early, telling Cradle 10
put it, when done, into the drawing room
till the morning. Hood was writing, and
says, it was put down smoking under his
very nose, and the mischief was irresistible
had bought a groschen's worth of new
white wooden skewers that very morning
He cut them little shorter than the pud-
ding's diameter, and poked them in across
and in all directions, so neatly, that l never
perceived any sign of them when packed
and sealed it up next day for De Franck's
man TO carry over to Ehrenbrerstein. He
came 10 thank me, and praised it highly. 1
find that while was out OF the room, Hood
asked him if it was not well trussed, and he
answered Yes so gravely that Hood
thought he mediiaied some joke in retalia-
tion, and was on his guard. At the ball the
truth came out he actually thought it was
some new method of making plum pud-
dincs, and gave me credit for the wood
work He had invited two of his brother
officers TO lunch upon it, and Hood wanted
TO persuade me that the Cardinal officer
had swallowed one of the skewers! Now,
was not this an abominable trick ?"


MANY true heart that would have come
hack like dove to the ark, after its first