Des Arc weekly citizen., 1867-08-03
1.-THE WHISTIE.u


 A distinguished American philoso- pher who has been gathered to l6s fathers, once on time gave to the world a plain, easy and simple lesson upon the follies of men and women, under the figure of "the whistle,' ap- plying it to many instances of the i'm pulsive and silly things of which he in boyhood was prone to indulge, and by it, illustrating the vain and foolish habits and ways of the people of his day. Many have read these sayings of Franklin, and, perhaps, very many have not read them. The simplicity, practi- cal good sense and moral of these say ings of the philosopher are as applica- ble to-day, as when he penned them.
 When we see the strained efforts of men and women, in their attempts to gain brief notoriety by lowing and scraping, smiling and Awning, deck ing, adorning and primping, to gain the attention of butterflies like them selves--even straining their credit to play the butterfly for day and then go under-we think they pay too dear for their whistle.
 When we meet men and women on the streets with heads erect, dressed in bon ton style, and know the finery they wear is not paid for, and at home they have scarce enough of the necessaries of life to relieve them from suffering, we think they are paying too dear for their whistle.
 When we see men and women striving to make little display, by running af- ter and fawning upon some new bird of rich plumage, at the same time ig- noring their plain, practical neighbors, even turning up their noses at those upon whose benevolence and indulg- ence they daily subsist-we say they are paying too dear for their whistle.
 When we see women that have mar ried men, and have charge and care of domestic matters, and hiring servants at high prices, and dressing twice each day, and spending their time in sleep ing and visiting, straining their hus- bands credit at every shop and store, affecting to their neighbors that they have not been brought up to work and don't know how to do anything, we say POOR THINGS, you have paid too dear for your whistle.
 Again, when when we see clerks in a business house putting on fine clothes, spending more money than their stated salaries, and getting above their em- ployers, and neglecting to sweep out and keep clean their houses, and feel ing that they are compromising their dignity if they are required to bring a bucket of water, or chop stick ofwood and build fire in the house in which they are employed--we say such young men pay too dear for their whistle.
 Again, when we see young men just entering upon their professions, in law, medicine or divinity-with their pen feathers yet tender and heavy--fying too high, and getting ahead of the standard authors, and becoming adopts in their professions, putting on unwar- rantable airs and holding up their heads at an angle of sixty degrees; we are in- clined to say they have paid too dear for their whistle.
 Again, when we see community following PREACHER OR PARsoN l around, doing neMAoE to HIM, and urging others to fall in to ranks and become proselytes and clanish in wor- shipping a man rather the SUPREME BE- ING, we are inclined to say such people are paying too dear for their whistle.
 And when we see men and women become sensitive, even offended at reading such articles as these. eff such ever dcign to read newspapers,) we still say, you pay too dear for your whistle. CLIO. l