Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1879-08-23
MRS. GooCsu,s TONGUE.

hers has got her into nobody knew but
herself. No matter how important the
scores, it was impossible for her to keep
it. And she did not even make a pre-
tence of cOnfding only in her dearest
friends, as some women do. She was as
likely to press her condolences into the
bosom of the merest stranger.
Even as a child she had done so. So
that there could not be family tiff,
question of economy, bill overdue, or
little comfortable backbiting of friends
In the domestic circle but all the world
knew it at once. Tilly Smee-that was
Mrs. GOOch'S maiden name-tOld every
thing, and told everybody. sar
After childhood had passed, and lilly
being pretty, found herself the object of
admiration in several quarters, it was
exactly the same.
lilly was engaged" to five different
young men before Mr.. GOOch came along,
and her love affairs came to an untimely
end by reason Of her chattering each
time. -...,...,
Mr.. Go0ch, q wise, silent man, prOfited
by the troubles of his predecessors, and
wisely told lilly nothing which he did
not desire to have repeated. Therefore,
they came at last to the wedding day,
and the long suffering parents, sisters,
brothers, and other friends of long
tOngued Till, saw her transferred to an
other home with sensations of relief.
Not that lilly was not good girl, but
that the presence of sort of private de-
tective at the fireside was scarcely agree
able.
At her new abode Mrs. GOOch became
comparatively harmless. She told all
the news as before, but the small, proper
household had no secrets whatever. Bills
were regularly paid. The traditional
mOther-ln-law lived forty miles away.
Mr.. G0Och kept his business strictly to
himself, and was what old fashioned
people called az good prOvider." COnse-
quently Mrs. GO0ch found herself forced
back on the delinquincies of the laun-
dress and the evil deeds of Bridget, the
cook, for her conversation, and peace
reigned in the household of the GOochs.
But, alas! upon an evil day Mr.. GOOch
had a falling out with his busine IS neigh
Dor MIR. ChuDb, the grocer, who would
persist i'm filling up the pavement under
Mr.. GOOch's Office window with boxes,
barrels and bags, and other articles in
no way connected with real estate. Hard
words passed, and in his excitement, Mr.
GOOch told the facts to his wife. In the
course of the next day that well meaning
lady had spread the tale over the whole
town, not emitting the statement that
Mr. GOOch, in kicking box of tea from
his premises had put his foot through it,
and was obliged to pay for the tea, which
was gathered up in the meantime by sew
eral beggar boys and women and carried
away.
Moreover, that he had also split his
new boot i'm his efforts.
GOOch's friends jOked him; his enemies
sneered. GOOch knew the grocer to be
taciturn and reticent. His wife had be-
trayed him. That dey he medtiated. At
teatime he did not return to his dOmicile
as usual. Eight o'clock came; nine, ten.
Mrs. GOOch felt alarmed, and cried lit
and GOOch came in. He wore very SOL
emn cOuntenance, and he merely nodded
at her, and walked up to the fire, where
he stood warming his hands.
Never before in his welded life had
Mr.. GoOch neglected the kiss of welcome.
Mrs. GOOch looked at him in surprise,
warming place upon the hearth, said
softly:
you're late, DEAR" ~- r
EYES," said GOOch.
Nothing unpleasant, hope" said Mrs.
GOOch.
"Deuced unpleasant" responded GoOch.
ooh, what is it?" said Mrs. GOOch, steal
ing up to her husband and putting her
hand on his shoulder.
"That's secret" said GOOch. "YOu
know what long tongue you have, Ill
ly."
lilly sighed.
Its dreadful thing" said GOOch.
ugh, i can't think of it with calmness.
Give me cup Of tea, lilly. Dear! dear!
dearr
He took his seat at the table, swallow
ed the tea his wife poured out for him,
and stared at the wall behind her, with
such horror stricken look, that she
twice turned to see what he could be
looking at; on which occasion MIR. Gooch
remarked:
mo, no, there's nothing there, lilly"
Had Mr.. GOOch gone mad? Was 1T pos
sible that Mr.. GoOch had gone mad? Mrs
GOOch almost feared that this was so
for as soon as he had swallowed his sup
Der he retired without word.
but sleep did not visit her pillow. Mr.
GOOch grOaned aloud and muttered un
intelligibly.
my dear what is the matter9" sighed
Mrs. GOOch.
"Oh, dear, dear, dearp' said Mr.. GOOch
do tell me-" said Mrs. GOoch.
"Well," said Mr.. GO0ch, Il feel that
must unbosom myself to some one. Nv
killed Chubb."
aWhatr gasped Mrs. Gooch.
"Pye killed Chubb, the grocer. That
what kept me so late. Oh, dearF ss
He is mad" said poor Mrs. GOOch.
mo, Pm.not, Tilly," said Mr.. GOocf
mo, I'm not. Indeed I'm n0tl He cam
into my Office, about that tea, you know
and got angry and we had some word:
and-well, he'd brought his cheese knit
with him, and when he called me a ras
cal lust jabbed it into him."
"0hp shrieked Mrs. GOOch.
"Well, there he was dead, you know,
said Mr.. GcOch, and murder is hang
ingmatter. SO felt must hide it.
Just stepped out and got a barrel. Al
how often we'd quarreled over it-an
brought il into the Office, and let dow
the blinds, and tried to stuff him In i
But Chubb Is fht-was fat, 1 mean-an
-
II shall der meaned Mrs. GoOch.
eDOnf make any noise, TillyF sal
-Hooch. in an awful whisper. Il had I
cut him in chunks, like pork, You know
to get him in"
sOhl Abr moaned lilly.
Then there was the floor to scrub an