CAUGHT BY CRAFT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 9711, 5 January 1895, Page 2 (Supplement)

CAUGHT BY CRAFT.

An eccentric genius, the Rer. C. P. Hunt, who was accustomed to give temperance lectures in the States, announced that one night he would speak at a place where the male portion of the inhabitants was bitterly opposed to anything that savoured of total abstinence. Consequently, when Hunt arrived at the hall where he was to lecture, not a man was present, and the benches were occupied by the women, who were all for the pledge. The speaker commenced, but instead of referring: to temperance, he took his audience to task about the evils of gossip and the vanities of dress. Large sleeves were then, as now, in fashion, and were not spared, while tight lacings and the whole list of female follies were reviewed with caustic tongue, bat not a syllable was breathed about the subject of temperance. The ladies went home in high dudgeon, told their husbands, and denounced Hunt as a perfect fraud. And the husbands chuckled. The next night he was to lecture at the same place, but long before the time announced the people began to arrive, so that when Hunt made bis way to the platform the building was crowded with men. The old fellow looked about, audibly chuckled, and said in a low but expressive voice, " Hogshogs ! I've got you now." The audience abared straight) at him in blank amazement. "Aha, hogs, I've gob you now," he triumphantly repeated. When the eccentric lecturer had mounted the platform he turned to the puzzled crowd and thus addressed them :—" I suppose you fellows want to know what I mean by saying ' Hogs, I've got you now I' and I'll tell you. Out West the hogs run wild, and when folks get out of meat they catch a young pig, put a strap under his body, and hitch him to a young sapling that will just swing him from the ground nicely. Of course he squeals, and raises a rumpus, when all the old hogs gather round to see what is the matter, and then they shoot them at their leisure. Last night I hung a pig up; I hurt it a little, and it squealed. The old hogs have turned out to night to see the fun, and I'm going to roast you." And so he did, pitching into their pels vice with undisguised relish and gusto.