FIFTEEN O'CLOCK.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume III, Issue 173, 28 June 1872, Page 3

FIFTEEN O'CLOCK.

A good story was told by Dr. Chas. Jewett in one of his temperance addresses. At all events, it was good as he told it. Lumpkins and Boozle were on their way home one night from a convivial party, and as the toasts they had drunk had been numerous, and as the beverage on the occasion had been somewhat stronger than Dr. Johnson's tea, their heads were not in a very perpendicular condition. In fact their course was.an extremely zigzag and uncertain one. As they staggered onward the bell of a neighboring church started to peal the hour of midnight. stopped and caught hold of a lamp-post. "Hold ou, old feller," he said to his companion, "let's see what (hie) time 'tis."

Boozle also embraced the lamp-post, and they both counted the strokes of the deep-toned bell. "One— two—three—" At this point the clock of another church, just down a diverging street, slightly behind the time of its neighbor, commenced to strike; and so nearly did its notes harmonise and time in with the other, that the "obfuscated senses of our two adventurers did not catch the double strokes. They counted loud and in ; unison, " eleven—twelve," and without breaking of time or rhythm the belated clock kept on to finish its work, and the convivial knights kept on counting—- " Thirteen! —fourteen ! —fifteen !" •

" Fifteen o'clock !" cried Lumpkins, transferring his hold from the lamppost to the shoulder of his companion. "I say, Boozle, I ken remember (hie) man an' boy, for (hie) nigh onto forty years, but (hie) bless me if I ever before (hie) knew it to be so late as this!"