Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-11-21
A WRESTLING GIRL.

tune you've whistled IN the last half
hour, Lutte"
Lutte first finished the concluding
bars of Kathleen Mavoufneen," and
then retortod. calmly,
Thanks, for keeping count. I will
begin the fifth as soon as I've regained
my breath"
ssYou can whistle better than any
bov in this town." pursued Ben, in a
grudging way. "Td be ashamed to
whistle better'n boy, if [ was you"
I'm not as easily shamed as you,
Mr.. Benjamin! Whatever I do, like
to do well. If played marbles, I'd try
and do it better than any body else"
WELL" remarked Ben, with the
beautiful candor of boyhood, " all can
say is, | hope you won't come to a bad
end. Ishouldn't be surprised any day
to see you in the penitentiary, or mar
ried to some rusty old preacher
Oh Bent" said his sister, reprOach-
fully but laughingly, " aren't you asham
ed to put preachers and penitentiaries
on par p
mo, I aren't" quoth Ben, unabashed.
g think preachers are the last of pea
time. Of the two, I'd rather see you In
the penitentiary than married to one of
'em. Grandpa, don't you think its awful
for girls to whistle p
That depends on the way they
whistle" said grandpa, smiling in his
slow, gentle way. If they whistle as
well as Lutte, why, let them whistle.
I'd as soon hear her as a flute.
Lutte rhymes to flute, you know"
observed Ben, as though that accounted
for the fact.
"pll tell you how I learned to WHISTLE
said Lutte, softened by these compli
ments. You know when | had that
dreadful cold, winter before last ~
You are always having dreadful
colds. First thing you know, old lady,
you'll go up the spout. You'll rise
early some morning and find yourself
a dead corpse, like those fellows in the
Bible This cheerful remark proceed
ed from Ben.
sYou ought to be more careful,
child" said grandpa, looking at her
anxiously. you've got a bad cold
now enough to put any body else to
bed. And sitting on the steps bare
headed this late IN the evening! Come
in child, come in
"Oh, there amt much the matter
with me now" said Lutte, carelessly,
coming up on the porch and seating
herself bv grandpa. q | only feel a
little hoarse morning and evenings. I
forgot what was talking about. Oh,
remember-about my dreadful cold.
We'll, I could hardly speak above a
whisper for month, and singing was
out of the question You know how I
love to sing, grandpa. It seemed to me
[ never thought of as many beautiful
strains of music before In my life as [
did then. They used to buzz in my
head till I thought I should go crazy
[ believe they would have tormented
me to death if l hadn't learned to
whistle. [ used to go into the attic
every day and practice till | had master
ed the art. You don't know what re-
lief it was to me, and is to me yet. [
feel quite independent Of cold;;" and
Miss Lutte stretched out her feet, and
leaning her head against the wall, purs-
ed her red lips IN preparatory way.
"If you knew what somebody thinks
about your whistling, you wouldn't be
SO stuck up about it. observed Ben,
with a turned-up-nose expression It
CALLED the spirit of Master Benjamin
nightly to have mere woman excel
hun in that manly art. bet you'd
stop in jiffy.''
'sWho is that dreadful somebody ?"
Guess
81 won't guess. I don't care to
know"
"You do care. It's Cousin Reuben "
-triumphantly?
"What did he say?'' demanded Lutte,
quickly.
oh, heard him and Dick Spur
talking in his room about you. Dick
said he didn't care how much you whis-
tied: whatever you did seemed pretty
to him. I'd be ashamed to have any
fellow as spooney about me as Dick
Spur is about you, Lutte"
" | don't care if you would. What
did Cousin Reuben say?"
"Oh, he said he thought it was un-
ladylike, ill-bred, and all that sort of
thing. He said lots about it. I'll be
bound you never whistle before him
again, Miss Lutte
"Tll be bound I do" cried Lutte,
flushing holly. don't care two figs
what he thinks. I'll begin whistling the
minute I see him, and never stop till he
goes away. Therep
"Will you whistle at meals too?' IN
quired Ben, charmed at having put his
sister in rage. How will you man
age about eating?
:" / wish to goodness, grandpa" she
continued, not noticing Bens remark,
you'd never taken him to board with
u.s."
"Why, child, he had to board some
where; young man like him couldn't
keep house. OF course [ couldn't let
my nephew's son board any where else.
I did want him to live here without pay
ing any board" pursued grandpa, in his