Year: 1861

AS fond OF practical Jokes as even Theodore
Hood himself, Tom Hood was often caught in
his own net, but often gave quid pro quo. His
daughter thus chronicles one:


1.-TWO or three friends came down for days
shooting and as they often did, in the evening
rowed out into the middle of the lake in an old
punt. They were all full of spirits, and played
off two practical jokes their host, till on
getting out of the boat leaving him last, one OF
them gave it push, and out went my father into
the water. Fortunately it was the landing place,
and the water not deep, but he wet
through 1t was playing with edge tools to venture
on such tricks with him, and he quietly deter
mined to turn the tables. Accordingly, he pres
emily began to complain of cramp and stitches,
and at last went in doors. His friends getting
rather ashamed of their rough fun, persuaded him
to go to bed, which he accordingly did. His
groans and complaints increased so alarmingly
that they were almost at their wits ends what
to do. My mother had received quiet hint, and
was, therefore, not alarmed, though much amused
at the terrified efforts and prescriptions OF the
pentant jokers. There was no doctor to be had
for miles, and all sorts of queer remedies were
suggested and administered, my father shaking
with laughter, while they supposed he had got
ague fever. One rushed up with tea-kettle of
boiling water hanging on his arm, another tottered
under a tin bath, and third brought the mus
tard.


my father at length, well as he couln speak
gave out the sepulchral voice that he was sure
he was dying, and detailed some most absurd di
rections for his will, which they all too
frightened to see the fun of. At last he could
stand it no longer, and after hearing the pentent
offenders beg him to forgive them for their un.
fortunate joke, and beseech him to believe in their
remorse, he burst into perfect fit of laughing,
which they thought at first was delirious 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:


al 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 to pop in bullets tenpenny nails; and
watched over my work with great vigilance, so
that it was in to boil without any misfortune


al went to bed early, telling Gardie to put it.
when done, into the drawing room till the morn
ing. Hood was writing, and says it was put down
smoking under his very nose, and the mischief
was irresistible. had bought groschen's worth
| of new white wooden skewers that very morning.
He cut them a little shorter than the pudding 5
diameter, and poked them in across and across
in all directions, so neatly that never perceived
any sign of them when packed and sealed it up
next day for De Franck's man to carry to Ehren-
bretstein. He came to thank me, and praised il
highly. / find that while was out of the room
Hood asked if it was not well trussed, and he
answered Eyes" so grayely that Hood thought he
meditated some joke in retaliation, and was OH
his guard. At the ball the truth came out; he
actually thought it was some new method OF
making plum puddngs, and gave me credit for
the woodwork. He had invitedtwo of his brother
officers to lunch upon it, and Hood wanted to
persuade me that the cardinal officer had swal-
lowed one of the skewers! Now was not this an
abominable trick?'