The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1877-12-13

men never come 10 any good end,'' said
Ben. prophetically THAT'S the fourth
tune you've whistled in the last hall
hour. Lutte"
Lutte first finished the concluding bars
of Kathleen Mavourneen," and then
retortcd. calmly:
Thanks, for keeping count. 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 a
.grudging way. I'D be ashamed to
whistle better'n boy. if was you.''
I'm not as easily shamed rs YOU,
Mr.. Benjamin. Whatever l do, like
to do well. If l played marbles. I'd
try and do it better than anybody else. ~
WELL" remarked Ben. with the
beautiful candor of boyhood. "all can
say is, hope YOU won't come to bad
end. l shouldn't be surprised any day
to see YOU in the Penitentiary, or mar
ried to some rusty old preacher
"Oh. Benz said his sister, reproach-
fully but laughingly, "aren't you
ashamed to put preachers and Peniten-
tiaries on par?''
NO, aren't" quoth Ben, unabash-
ed. IL think preachers are the last OF
pea-time. OF the two, I'd rather see
you in the Penitentiary than married to
one of EN-. Grandpa. don't YOU think
it's awful for girls to whistler
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 flute
Lutte rhymes to flute, YOU KNOW"
observed Ben, as though that accounted
for the fact.
I'll tell YOU how learned to wills.
tie" said Lutte. softened bv these COM
pliments. You know when l had
that dreadful cold, winter before last?'
Iou 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 pro-
ceeded from Ben.
You ought to be more careful,
child" said grandpa. looking at her
anNiously. you've got bad cold
now-enough to put anybody 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 by grandpa. Il only feel a
little hoarse mornings and evenings.
forgot what l was talking about. Oh,
remember-about my dreadful cold.
Well. 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
never thought of as many beautiful
strains of music before in my life as
did then. They used to buzz in my
head till thought l should go crazy.
believe they would have tOrmented
me to death if hadn't learned to whis-
tie. used to go into the attic every
day and practice till had mastered the
art. You don't know what relief it
was to me. and is to me vet. feel
quite Independent of colds;'' and Miss
Lutte stretched out her feet. and lean
ing her head against the wall, pursed
her red lips in a preparatory way.
If YOU know what somebody thinks
about your whistling, you wouldn't be
SO stuck up about it, observed Ben,
with turned-up-nose expression. II
CALLED the spirit of Master Benjamin
nightly to have a mere woman excel
him in that manly art. II bet you'd
stop it in jitfy.'
WHO is that dreadful somebody"'
Guess
Il won't guess. 1 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
whistled; whatever you did seemed
pretty to him. I'd be ashamed to have
any fellow so spooney about me as Dick
Spur is about you, Lutte
II 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 l do cried Lutte
flushing holly. ~ don't care two fig:
what he thinks. I'll begin whistlins
the minute see him, and never stoI
till he goes away. There!'
..Will YOU whistle at meals too?'' in
quired Ben, charmed at having put hi
sister in a rage, How will you manag,
about eating?'
II wish to goodness, grandpa" sh'
continued, not noticing Ben's remark
you'd never taken him to board will
us.
why, child, he had to board some
where: 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 withou
paying any board" pursued grandpa
in his slow, reflective way, "but. h
wouldn't hear to it,
I'D rather have HOttentOt in tn
house than doctor. Somebody's al
ways calling him up in the middle o
the night and waking the whole house.
Lutte Farra, you know that's a fib,
said Ben, impressively. cousin Reu
ben hasn't been called but twice in tn
night since he's been here. What
you do get walked up? Can't you go t
sleep again?'
II never could bear doctors,'' sal
Lutte, snappishly.
Its the finest profession on earth,
rctorted Ben. "You don't know wha
YOU do like"
~ like merchants"
Heaven deliver me from counter
hopper!' said Ben, piously. "Befor
I'd make my living by skipping roun
% stnro with n va stick q, vr,v houd
ibid dance the tight rope" Be
seemed to think he was utterlng a hi
roic sentiment, and put on his mo.
virtuous look. "But l bet 1 know wins
YOU like merchants for"
Lute's only response was to purse u
her lips and elevate her chin.
..It's because Dick Spurr's in a stor'
What you can see to like in that littl
whipper-snapper is q mystery to M
His beard amt One-tenth as long 3