The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1883-03-22
THE WHISTLER.
rho Music OF tlao Lips-lho Phil.
osophy OF THAT Dreadful Whlst-

rho Music OF tllo Lips-1ho Phil.
osophy OF .'Thae Dreadful Wh,ss-
ling"
Q whistle and III come to you, my lad;
Owhisls and I'll come to you, my lad,
Tho father and mithef and q should re
mad;
o whistle and I'll come 70 you, my lad.
Some years ago at Boston theater
during one Of the tedious waits, when
the orchestra had finished ito selection
and everybody had expressed q criticism
on the play, there came one Of those
dead lulls during which Ave minutes
seems an age, and just at that moment
some one in the second gallery began to
whistle 'Home, Sweet Home" The
low, clear notes were AZ musical - the
strains Of . flute, and they
pierced the air with their
hOmesick melody and touched every
heart. All heads turned to look up. but
it was impossible to distinguish the
whistler Of the sweet strains among the
very ordinary looking people there, nm.
til policeman appeared and churishly
silenced him, and then it was seen to be
q sickly looking, poorly dressed man
who had entranced every ear with his
plaintive, tender melody and left
memory in every heart. Nowadays
whistling is almost one of the lost arts.
"For goodness sake stop that dreadful
whistling, says some distracted mother
to her offspring. She does not consider
that whietiing is q safety-valve to the
Utica of his powers, and one of the few
accomplishments natural to the general
boy. u. .. ~.
The schoolboy with his satchei in his hand
Whistling aloud to bear his courage up.
1t il fact that there are boys who
cannot whistle. They will go through
' mo- noise, '''f @S;ls os thee; : caa
cut the air with a sharp, shrill, long
drawn inspiration that will start.e , .
sleepy dog half Q dozen blocks in the
distance, and bring all other boys out
like rats to meet at given point. send
a boy on an GRAND and ten to one he
will whistle all the way there. and all
the way back, giving every conceivable
note that the human whistle is capable
Of. Ordinarily, people do not notice
this infection of the air in the shape of
free concerts, but stop q few moments
some day on busy corner and listen to
the whistling boy. You don't hear any
whistling-you are disappointed; but
wait when it comes.
There is land fairer than day."
You can't describe whistle any more
than you can kiss; both are labial per-
f0rmances that lose much in description.
But look at the boy that
is whistling that sweet and saint.
~ tune; he has bootblack's hat, has a
face as shrewd as a ferret's and is testing
q lead nickle and specializing as to the
best way he can run it out again. He is
followed in little whale by tired-L,ok-
ing messenger which is giving Peck.a-
boo for all he is worth; and then you
are almost set to dancing as St. Patrick's
Day IN the morning comes rollicking
down the street, with snat@ hes of opera,
Baby Mine, the Wearing of the Green
and more fashionable snatches from the
latest operas. The sweetest whistler in
Detroit is colored boy who is INSOFAR
BILE from wheelbarr0w ofc!otfles which
he is taking home to his mother to wash.
There was never anything ret to music
that he cannot produce in perfect time
and with every note clear and distinct.
One day he whistles negro melodies;
another it Is all church music. Then he
gives medleys and there is singulary
plaintive, almost painful sweetness in hir
tones. 1t is said that bad boys neve,
whistle; they are secretive and quiet.