The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1883-04-28
From the Boston Courier.l
LUKE'S WHISTLE.
A Remarkable story of Psychology.
BY RICHARD JEFFRIES.

A great beech tree with a white mark
some way up the trunk stood in the
mound by gate which opened into a
lane. Strangers coming down the lane
IN the dusk often hesitated before they ap.
proach this beech. The white mark
looked like a ghostly figure emerging
from the dark hedge and the shadow Of
the tree. The trunk itself was of the
same hue at that hour as the bushes. so
that the whIteness seemed to stand out
unsupported. So perfect was the ilIu-
sion that even those who knew the spot
well, walking or riding past and not
thinking about it, started as it suddenly
came into sight. Plowboys used to
throw fints at 1t, as if the sound of the
stone striking the tree assured them that
it was really material. Some lichen was
apparently the cause OF this whlteness:
the great beech indeed was known to be
decaying, and was dotted with knot
holes high above. The gate was rather
low, so that any one could lean with
arms over the top.
At one time a lady used to be very
frequently seen just inside the gate. gen
orally without hat, for the homestead
IL
died and bridied, but without his rider
was observed to be fastened to the gate,
and country people being singularly
curious and inquisltive, if they CHANGED
to go by always peered through every
opening IN the hedge till they discerned
where the pair were walking among the
cowslps. More often a spaniel be.
trayed them, especially In the evening,
tor while the counting was proceeding he
amused himself digging with his paws at
the rabblt-holes III the mound. The
folks returning to their cottages at even
smiled and looked meaningly at each
other If they heard peculiarly long and
shrlll whistle, which was known to every
one as Luke's signal. Some said that it
was heard regularly every evening; no
matter how far Luke had to ride in the
day, his whistle was sure to be heard at
dusk. Luke was a timber-dealer, or
merchant, a calling that generally leads
to substantial profit as wealth is under
stood IN country places. He bought up
likely timber all over the neighborhood:
he had wharves on the canal, and wards
by the little railway station miles away.
He often went up TO " Lunnon, " but if it
was 80 miles, he was sure to be back in
time to whistle. If he was not too busy
the whistle used TO go twice a day. for
when he started off IN the morning, no
matter where he had to go, that lane was
the road there The lane led every
where.
Up In the great beech about IL o'clock
on spring mornings there was always a
wood-pigeon. The wood pigeon is a
contemplative sort of bird, and pauses
now and then during the day to consider
over bis labors in filling his crop. He
came again about half past 4, but it was
at II that his visit to the beech was gen
orally noticed. FIom the window in the
lady's own room tie beech and the gate
could be seen, and as that was after
Luke's time she frequently sat upstairs
with the window open listening for the
sound o, hoofs, or the well-kuown whistle.
She saw the wood-pigeon on so many
occasions that at last she grew to watch
for the bird, and when lie went up into
the tree, put down her work or book and
walked out that way. Secure in the TOP
of the great beech, and conscious that il
was spring, when guns are laid aside,
the wood-plgeon took no heed of her.
There is nothing so pleasant to stroll
among as cowslips. This meadow was full
OF them. so much so that the surface q
little way 10 front seemed yellow. They
had all short stalks; this is always the
case where these flowers grow very
thlckly, and the bells were a pale and
somewhat lemon color. The great cow
SHIPS with deep yellow and marked spots
grew by themselves In lunches in cor
ners or on banks of brooks. Here a man
might have mown acres of cowslips, pale
but sweet. Out of their cups the bees
hummed as she walked amongst them,
closed book IN her hand, dreaming.
She generally returned with Luke's
spaniel beside her, for whether his mas
ter came or not the knowing dog rarely
missed his visit, aware that there was
always something good for him.
One morning she went dreaming on
like this through the cowslips, past the
old beech and the gate, and along by the
nut tree hedge. 1t was very sunny and
warm, and the birds sang with all their
might, for there had been a shower al
dawn, which always sets their hearts
atune. At least eight or nine of them
were singing at once, thrush and black
bird, cuckoo (afar Off, dove and green
finch, nightingale, robin and loud wren,
and larks in the sky. But, unlike all
other music, though each had different
voice, and the notes crossed and crossed
and lnterfered with each other, yet they
did not jangle but produced the sweet
est sounds. The more of them that
sang together the sweeter the music.
1t is true they ali had one thought of
love at heart, and that perhaps brought
about the concord. She did not expect
to see Luke that morning, knowing that
he had to get some felled trees removed
from field, the farmer wishing them
taken away before the moving grass
grew too high, and as the spot was ten
or twelve miles distant he had to start
early. Not being so much en- the alert.
she fell deeper perhaps into reverie,
which lasted till she reached the other
side of the field, when the spaniel rushed
out Of the hedge and leaped up to be
noticed, quite startling her. At the same
moment she thought she heard the noise
of hoofs in the lane-it might be Luke
and Immediately afterward there came
his long, shrill and peculiar whistle
from the gate under the beech. She ran
as fast as she could, the spaniel barking
beside her, and was at the gate III two
or three minutes, but Luke was not
there. Nor was he anywhere in the