The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1875-03-12
The Whistling ColnpositOr.

He come into the Office about three
months ago, with his mouth puclsered.
and the "Arkansas Traveller" Issuing
therefrom. 1t was not loud or shIill
whistle-it was not that lively and joy
Gus whistle that betokens the heart
light and the mind free from care. On
the contrary, he sawed up and down
through the slaves like buzz-saw rip
ping through pine log, and verse fol-
lowed verse without The least variation.
This showed that he was thoroughly
used to that whistle, and it's constant
repetition was the principal obiacs of his
life.
80 he came in whistling.
He looked around the Office COM
placently, never losing note, and
finally siding up to the foreman, he
stopped whistling for an instant to in
qune
How's work."
But before the reply could be given,
he had picket up that whistle right
where he had left off, and was rolling it
out
lilly tum, tally, tally tum tilly, o!
with his mouth pucEered, but his ears
wide open.
Well, that fellow was put to work, and
he whistled over to his case, wliistled
around for a stick and rule, whistled up
to the copy-hool, whistled off to his case
again, and, picking up an EN- quad, drew
n fresh breath and whistled all through
the "tGke till he whistled over to the
galley to empty it. But it was the same
Old whistle-the arkansas Traveller"
over and over again, until it would seem
that the traveller had worn his shoes out
and was hunting place to rest. Still he
kept on.
This thing at first was a novelty, and
amused "the boys ;" but finally it be-
came monotOnous, and rs water continu-
ally dripping on a rock will wear its sur
face,sso did this everlasting refrain of
the Arkansas Traveller" CRATE and
lacerate the sensitive nerves of his
brother compositors. Low, angry muir
murs betokened the rising storm, and
broad hints uncomplimentary to his
musical abilities were thrown out. But
he paid no attention to them, and Just
kept right along whistling and setting
type.
lie IS an easy whistler,
All he has to do is to just pucker up his
mouth, and that blasted old "Arkansas
Traveller" rolls right out in steady
stream, just as if his mouth was music
box set TO one tune, and wound up every
Presidential election, or once in four
years.
Finally, human nature could endure
no more Loud cries of
Z" Give rs rest -
"Oh, let up !"
" Hire Il hall -
$50 West :"
" Cheese it ~
"Shet up!"
mingled with groans, cat-calls and
misses flied the Office, and made the
composing-roOm resemble n large and
thriving lunatic-asylum.
But it was no use. That fellow never
paid the least attention to them, but just
went right ahead with his little old
whistle, and never missed note except
when he came to hard word in his
copy, when he would dwell on the last
note until he found out what il was, and
then went ahead again.
He took the storm of old shoes, slip
pers and boots that was showered upon
him with the utmost sang .frOi6, and we
believe the cuss actually thought it was
intended for applause.
The rest OF the men became indignant,
and held a "chapel meeting, to consider
the propriety of strike.
Now, what could we dol The Consti-
tuition as it was contained nothing that
would warrant us in discharging man
for whistling, nor neither would he stop
his whistle. So the only plan for us to
adopt was to let things and the "Arkan-
sas Traveller" have their own way.
Even the landlord came down and made
complaint. He said this man would wake
up in the middle of the night, sit bolt
upright in bed, and whistle the "Trav-
eler" for half IN hour i'll his sleep, until
he had awolle the whole house, when he
would lie down and go to sleep until he
would whistle himself down TO breakfast.
AT last the hands III the Office hit upon
plan to stop this everlasting whistle. One
night, when he was asleep, they went up
to his room and clapped tremendous
strong sticking-plaster right over his
mouth, and then retired, thanking God
that the uncomfortable nuisance was for
ever abated. The next morning that mis-
guided young man went over to carpen-
ter shop, borrowed gimlet, bored hole
through the plaster, and waltzed into the
office, where he mortified the establish
ment by that same old tune in new
dress.
So now he does nothing but suck soap
through that hole, and blow the "Arkan-
sas Traveller" out of it.
Does any body want whistling COM
positori -Se!alia (Qo.) Democrat.
A Nights Experience on the Branch
Il,n Ill:,,ni- C.,,,t,nl l,,.n,, Il, Cu,.Lrn