The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1877-11-22
A WHISTllNG GIRL.

ga whistling woman and growing
hen never come to any good end,'" said
tune you've whistled in the last half
hour, Lutte"
Lutte first finished the concluding bars
retorted, calmly:
"Thanks, for keeping count. I 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. "Td be ashamed to whistle
better'n boy, if was you.
I'm not as easily shamed as you, Mr..
Benjamin. Whatever 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, call 1 can
say is, hope you won't come to bad
end. Grandpa, don't you think it's
awful for girls to whistle ?"
"That depends on the way they
whistle" said grandpa, smiling, in h s
slow, gentle way. eff they whistle as
well as Lutte, why, let them whistle. I'd
as soon near ner as mute.
"Lute rhymes to flute, you know, ~
observed Ben, as though that accounted
for the fact.
"I'l tell You how I learned to
WHISTLE" said Lutte, softened by these
compliments. "You know when had
that dreadful cold, winter before last p
"You ought to be more careful,
child" said grandpa, looking at her
anxiously. you've gotta 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 her
self by grandpa. 81 only feel little
hoarse morning and evenings. forgot
what I was talking about. Oh, / II =
member-about my dreadful cold. Well,
could hardly speak above n whisper for
a month, and singing was out of tie
question. You know how love to sing,
grandpa. 1t seemed to me I never
thought of as many beautiful strains OF
music before in my life rs did then.
They used to buzz in my head till !
thought I should go crazy. I believe
they would have tormented me to death
if hadn't learned 20 whistle. I used
to go into the attic every day and prac-
tice till l had mastered the art You
don't know what relief it was to me,
and is to me yet. feel quite independ.
ent of colds;" and Miss Lutte stretched
out her feet, and leaning her head
against the wall, pursed her red lips ii
preparatory way.
elf you knew what somebody think,
your about whistling, you wouldn't be 81
stuck up about it," Observed Ben, will
turned-up nose expression. It CALLED
the spirit of Master Benjarain nightly
to have a mere woman excel him in that
manly art. II bet you'd stop it IN q
iiffy;"
Who is that dreadful somebody"
"Guess."
II won't guess. don't care to know.
"You do care. It's Cousin Reuben
-triumphantly.
"What did he say?" demanded Lutte
quickly.
"Oh, I heard him and Dick Spur
talking in his room about you. Dicl
said he didn't care how much you
whistled whatever you did seemed
l.
any fellow as spooney about me as Dicl
Spur is about you, Lutte"
"I don't care if you would. Wha'
did Cousin Reuben say ?"
"Oh, he said he thought it was un
ladylike, ill-bred, and all that sort o.
thing. He said lots about it. I'll bt
bound you never whistle before hin
again, Miss Lutte"
"I'n be bound do" cried Lutte
flushing hotly. ~ don't care two fig
what he thinks. I'll begin whistling th,
minute see him, and never stop till h
goes away. There !"
"Will you whistle at meals too?" in
quired Ben, charmed at having put hi
sister in rage. "How will You man
age about eating?"
"I wish to goodness, grandpa" sh'
continued, not noticing Ben remark
"you'd never taken him to board will
us"
"WFhy, child, he had to board some
where a young man like him couldn'
keep house. OF course 1 couldn't lie
my nephew's son board anywhere else
did want him to live here without pay
ing any board" pursued grandpa, in hi
slow, reflective way, "but he wouldn'
hear to it"
"I'd rather have a Hottentot in tn,
house than doctor. Somebody's Away
knocking him up in the middle of tn
night and waking the whole house."
Lutte Farra, you know that's fib,
said Ben, impressively. "Cousin Reu
ben hasn't been called but twice in tn
night since he's been here. What j
you do get walked up? Can't You go t.
sleep againP"
81 never could bear DOCTORS" saic
Lutte, snappishly.
"It's the finest profession OH earth,
retorted Ben. "You don't know wha
you do like"
81 like merchants.