CHRISTMAS PRACTICAL JOKING AT BLENHEIM

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6804, 7 January 1929, Page 8

CHRISTMAS PRACTICAL JOKING AT BLENHEIM

A “COLD TEA” CELEBRATION. All Blenheim is chuckling over a Christmas practical joke of which a well-known resident and his wife wero the victims. This couple commenced the seasonal festivities rather early, and, on the night before Christmas, began a round of / their friends, inviting them to partake of a midnight supper at their residence.

Hearing of the plans, and knowing that the couple were out on the round, a pair of practical jokers went to the temporarily deserted residence and found the supper table all nicely set, with several bottles of alo and a decanter of whisky occupying a prominent position on the board. The visitors drained the contents of the decanter into an empty wine bottle and filled the decanter with cold tea. They were about to play similar pranks-with the beer,'but wore interrupted by signs of the return of the householders and beat a hasty retreat. The supper party was duly held and tho level of the “whisky” in the decanter grew steadily lower, but remarkably enough no one detected what had been done, and it was not until three days later that it became known. In tho meantime a lady who called at the house accepted the offer of a glass of wine—and, apparently having no real knowledge of liquors —nonchalantly tossed of two “neat whiskies” from the wine bottle into which the spirit had been poured. She had to be assisted homo in a decidedly hilarious condition, and it is reported that sht slept so soundly for 24 hours that her family had to go without, their Christmas dinner!

It is further related that after the cold tea supper party, tho guests adjourned to a nearby home to continue the celebrations, but they roekon'ed without the wife’s sister, who was there on a visit. She was apparently a lady of some character, and she incontinently bundled the whole party down the front steps and put them to flight, declaring that no revellers were going to disturb her rest, no matter who owned the house.