Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1877-12-24
A Whistling Girl.

Lutte first finished the concluding bars
of kathleen Mavourneen," and then re-
torted, calmly:
Thanks for keeping count. l will
begin the fifth as soon as I've regained
my breath"
"You can whistle better than any boy
in this town." pursued Ben, in grudg-
ing way. I'D be ashamed to whistle
better'n boy if was you"
"I'm not easily shamed as you, Mr..
Benjamin. Whatever l do like to do
we'll. If play marbles I'd try and do
it better than anybody else"
"Well." remarked Ben, with the
beautiful candor of boyhood, ''all 1 can
say is, l hope you won't come to bad
end. Grandpa, don't you think it's
awful for girls to whistle p
"That depends on the way they whis-
tle," said grandpa, smiling, in his slow,
gentle way. "If they whistle as we'll
as Lutte, why, let them whistle. I'd as
soon hear her as a flute"
"Lute rhymes to flute, you know"
observed Ben, as though that accounted
for the fact.
I'll tell you how | learned to whis-
tle," said Lutte, softened by these COM
pliments. "You know when had that
dreadful cold, winter before last ?"
"You ought to be more careful, child"
said grandpa, looking at her anxiously.
you've got bad cold now-enough to
put anybody else to bed And sitting
on the steps bareheaded 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 by grandpa. Il only feel lit
tie hoarse mornings and evenings.
forget what l was talking about. Oh,
remember-about my dreadful cold.
Well, l could hardly speak above a
whisper for month, and singing was
out of the question. You know how l
love to sing, grandpa. 1t seemed to
me l never thought of so many beauti-
full strains of music before in my life as
l did then. They used to buzz in my
head till l thought | should 60 crazy
l believe they would have tormented
me TO death if 1 hudn't learned " whIs-
tle l used to 60 into the attic every
day and practice till l had mastered the
art You don't know what a relief il
was to me, and is to me yet. fee
quite independent of colds;' and Miss
Lutte stretched out her feet, and leaning
her head against the wall. pursed Ou
her lips in preparatory way.
> "If you knew what somebody think
about your whistling you wouldn't b.
, so stuck up about it." observed Ben
with turned-up nose expression. [
CALLED the spirit of Master Benjamin
nightly to have mere woman exec
him in that manly art. al bet you'
/, stop it in jiffy."
I "Who is that dreadful somebody ?"
Guess"
i 81 won't guess. l don't care t
(; know
e You do care. It's Cousin Reuben
-triumphantly.
"What did he say?' demande
;. Lutte. quickly.
d "Oh, l heard him and Dick Spur
e talking in his room about you. Die
said he didn't care how much you whi
l. tied; whatever you did seemed pretty
IT him. I'd be ashamed to have any fe
y y low as spoony about me as Dick Spur
n is about you. Lutte"
81 don't care if you would. VIII;
IS did Cousin Reuben say ?"
W "Oh. he said he thought it was III
IS ladylike, ill-bred, and all that sort
y thing. He said lots about it. I'll
bound you never whistle before hi
. again, Miss Lutte
h "Ill be bound l do! !" cried Lut
s. flushing hotly. 81 don't care two Fl
ne what he thinks. I'll begin whistlir
y the minute 1 see him, and never st,
till he goes away. There !''
;s "Will you whistle at meals, too
is inquired Ben, charmed at having p1
tn his sister in rage. "How will y,
~ manage about eating?"
- Il wish to goodness, grandpa" s.
II continued, not noticing Ben's remar
you'd not take him to board with us.
in "Why, child, he had to board som
to where; young man like him couldr
.. keep house. OF course | couldn't
:" my nephew's son board anywhere ell
;" / did want him to live here wit6o
'er paying any board" pursued grandI
in his slow. reflective way, "but
ail wouldn't hear to it.
y u "I'd rather have Hottentot in t
.s. house thar doctor. Somebody is
M ways knocking him up in the middle
d: the night and waking the whole house
Lutte Farra, you know that's FL
said Ben. impulsively. "Cousin Reut
- hasn't been called but twice in the mig
is since he's been here. What if you
ly. get walked up? Can't you 60 to sic