This Pudding is Hot-Hot-Hot!

1874

An anecdote is told of Parson Shute, the first minister settled at South Hingham, which for ready wit ought not to pass unrecorded.

It appears that the reverend gentleman was very fond of pudding, so at a ministerial meeting one day the hostess in order to gratify the taste of her guest, had pudding for dinner. Unfortunately it came very near the fire while it was cooking, so that when it was served it was extremely hot. The parson, without allowing it time to cool, placed a piece at once in his mouth, and then followed the usual contortions incident to such an occasion, but all to no purpose.

The pudding would not go, so the parson, who was a polite gentleman, quietly slipped it out of his mouth and into his coat pocket, all of which was observed by his brother ministers, who for the purpose of a joke said, "So you are putting the pudding in your pocket, are you?" "Oh, yes," said the parson, all unmoved; "I put a little piece in there merely to light my pipe with after dinner." The explanation, it is needless to add, was sufficient.