A Musical Pun

A young Scotchman visiting London with his father, and being much given to punning, his father often reproved him for it, and expressed a wish that while in London at any rate he would endeavour to leave it off, and, if possible, display a little genuine wit. One day, taking a walk together, they passed Newgate, where a man was confined in the stocks, with his head firmly jammed in between two ponderous blocks of wood. An excellent pun, strictly in point, instantly occurred to the young man; but, his father being present, he durst not come out with it; so he contented himself with whistling the tune of "Through the wood, laddie."