SHE COULDN'T DO IT.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3438, 31 December 1879, Page 4

SHE COULDN'T DO IT.

The lady mentioned as having entered into an agreement with her husband to hold her tongue ten minutes in each quarter-hour for 1113 consecutive quarterIjoiirs, failed in her task. At three o'clock on Tuesday afternoon, as she was completing her 917 th quarter-hour, and her backers feeling sure that she would win, a neighbor lady returning from a shopping expedition, passed along the street in front of the window, wearing her new purchase, a beautiful shawl. Now the lady who was holding her tongue should hare tightened bef grip at this supreme moment, and concentrated her thoughts on something else than this new article of dress belonging to her neighbour ; but it is, said ..that the ruling passion is strong even in death, and'that ingrained habit is unconquerable. And those axioms were proven in this instance, for the tongue holder, very unfortunately for herself, leaned over and whispered in the ear of a lady bystander f " What a horrid Bbawl!" She immediately saw her mistake, but it was too late. The judges at once decided in fivor of the hiisband, the crowd filed slowly out of the building, and the first match on. record of* tongue-holding against time Was over. One lady, afc least, in Wilmington will attend church this summer in last , year's bonnet. The husband is investing , ".the lOdol he saved in strong plug tobacco. '*,' lHe says he never before enjoyed such * .peace and quietude as during the past .- nine days. And now the other married '/' ,men of Wilmington are hoping that the f 'tongue holding fever may become an and strike the country with "*, 'emphasis.