Tongue
An old lady in the London parish of the famous Doctor Gill made a
nuisance of herself by constant interference in the affairs of others.
As a gossip she was notorious. It appeared to her that the neckbands
worn by the Doctor were longer than was fitting. She therefore took
occasion to visit the clergyman, and harangued him at length on the
sinfulness of pride. Then she exhibited a pair of scissors, and
suggested that s
e should cut down the offending neckbands to a size
fitting her ideas of propriety. The Doctor listened patiently to her
exhortation, and at the end offered her the neckbands on which to work
her will. She triumphantly trimmed them to her taste, and returned the
shorn remnants to the minister.
"And now," said the Doctor, "you must do me a good turn also."
"That I will, Doctor," the woman declared heartily. "What can it be?"
"Well," the clergyman explained, "you have something about you which is
a deal too long and which causes me and many others such trouble, that I
should like to see it shorter."
"Indeed, dear Doctor, I shall not hesitate to gratify you. What is it?
See, here are the scissors! Use them as you please."
"Come, then," said the Doctor, "good sister, put out your tongue."