West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1879-06-07

must unbosom myself to some one I've
killed Chuhb.
what ~ gasped Mrs. Gooch.
I've killed Chubb, the grocer That's
what kept me 50 late. Oh. dear ;"
''lle is mad, said poor Mrs. GoOch
'No, I'm not, Tilly ,' said Mr. Gooch
"No, I'm not Indeed I'm not He came
into my office about that tea. YOU know :;
and got angry and we had words, and =
WELL he'd brought his chcese-knife with
him, and when he called me rascal Just
jahhed it into him
''Oh ~ shrieked Mrs Gooch.
well there he was, dead. YOU know 80
said MIR. Gooch, 'and murder is "A hanging
matter so | felt must hide it. Just
stepped out and got "A barrcl-an empty po-
tato barrel. An how often we'd uuarrcled
arbut it-and brought il into the Office, and
let down the blinds and tried to stutT him
into 1t. But Chubh is fat--was fat, Imean
-and-'
81 shall die :" moaned Mrs. Gooch.
Don't make any noise, lilly =" said
Gooch, in AN awful whisper, 81 had To cut
him into chunks, like pork, you know, to
get him in.
'Oh All ~ moaned Tilly.
Then there was the floor 10 scrub. and
''thst old cistern that is never used YOU
know. 1t was dreadful. And Chubh's
ghost standing just behind YOU all tea time.
No wonder I'm not myself, Tilly."
But hc said no more. Tilly was IN hys-
tcrics.
Poor 'Tilly Gooch She sal alone next
day, after her husband had gone To his of
fee, and felt that the world had beenturncd
ffhf
keep-a horrible secret that she dared not
breathe To any one. Certainly il would kill
her Oh she must tell her mother Her
mother would know what depended ON 81
lcnce. She would be true. And then.
somewhat comfored, Tilly put on her hat,
tied vail over her eyes, and "ran over" Ia
the parental mansion
In just ten minutes after her entrance old
Mrs. Since knew all about the murder, and
was shaking from head 10 foot, and ejacula-
ting wildly.
''Oh. dear, they'll hang him Oh dear,
they hang him on the gallows OH dear
what dreadful thing Oh. how wick
ed Oh poor Mr.. Chubb Ohln
AT the sound of her mothers cries the
eldest sister of the family, Miss Maria Since.
rushed in, and demanded explanation
81 can't tell; | can't tell, sobbcd Mrs
Since.
'Oh, Maria, you are my friend, sobbcd
lilly. "Gou wouldn't bctruy MS And
out came the story again.
Now, Maria Since was nervous. and given
TO shricking when terrified, and as soon as
She had heard the awful facts she began to
utter shrick after shrck, each shrillcr and
more prolonged than the last The win
dows were open; ncighbors heard and
rushed in.
The house was in commotion No one
knew what had happened, and some one
sent for the family doctor.
The doctor came He was wise, be-
nignant old gentleman, and hc questioned
Mrs. GoOch kindly. Something has agi-
tatcd Mrs. Since and Miss Maria ln he said.
eyes, said Mrs. Gooch.
"And you are trembling, too" said the
doctor
They were alone in little room, whittier
he had led her to question her, and Mrs.
Gooch could not restrain her tongue.
"Oh, doctor, said she ''you wouldn't
wonder if she knew all Don't tell any
one. And then and there she told him ali.
Meanwhile the ear Of the ''up-stairs girl"
was at the keyhole
"My dear, my dear, this is horrible 80
said the doctor "You can't expect me 10
keep a secret like that Compound "A mur-
der BE a sort of accomplicc aftcothc fact
] can't! / can't Not is it were my own
son.
Mrs. Gooch screamed, and Biddv Hag-
german left the kcyhoe and ran to the po-
lice Office
There she made a statement Of the facts
OF the case. Chubb had been murdered.
Mr. Gooch murdered him The procer's
remains were in a barrel i'm the old cistcrn
behind the real estate office She had all
the particulars.
Justice Spruce was an energetic man I'm
half AN hour two stout policemen were ON
their way to arrest Mr. GOoch, who shortly
was led through the streets toward the sta
tion, followed by crowd of boys, and
stared at from the windows
Justice Spruce was am old friend of
GoOchs. He advanced 10 meet him
"Gooch, lac said, 'l regret the part I've
been Obliged 10 take in this affair / hope
IL will prove q ridiculous mistake. hope
YOU did not tell Mrs. GOOch that YOU had
murdered Mr. Chubb, and that his remains
were packed I'M % barrel in your cHcrn ?"
''l did, though said Gooch. 'G don't
deny it May see my wife in your pres
cnce before ! ann sent to prison -
This privilege having bccnaccordcd, Mrs
Gooch was sent for She arrived in the
cab, mere wisp Of misery her hair dis
hevcllcd, her collar unpinncd, her eyes and
nose swollen. With her came all her rca
tivcs and half the town
GOOch stood before his miserable wife
and looked at her with a queer expression
ON his face.
'l coniidcd an awful secret ON which my
life depended, to your wifcly bosom, Tuly, J"
hc said, "aud you betrayed me. "
ooh, my dear Oh my dear " moancd
Mrs Gooch ~ didn't mean Co. on.
please hang me, Mr. Spruce lt'smy fault.
Let him go. did &c. Oh. Ola, oh z"
The ladies of the Since family wcpt. spec.
tators shook their heads AT This instant
somebody was heard saying "Ict me get
/ through, folks;' and Zoo am instant more a
bulky form appeared before the Justice.
who stared ai 90 in an astonishmcnt
81 jest come back from market" said
| The newcomer, chccrfuly, 'and Ihcar I'm
murdered and packed into q tatcr barrel.
| down Mr GoOch's cistcrn Now me and
| GOOch did have some words. but ! hant
mean enough to- want him hung for mur
| dcriug me So long os ] aiu't murdered, nor
t l. off