Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1885-10-07
The Moral of Whistlin r.

1t is a prevalent notion that pro-
pensity to whistle indicates an INDECENT
or trivial nature. When we are indulg-
ing in it by way of soliloquy and some
meets us, we stop short, swapping the
whistle in two, as though we had been
doing something disreputable. THERE'S,
nothing more healthful than this exer-
else. The faculty has been granted to
those of us who cannot sing much.
Though we might lose our way in a
tune if we attempted the customary
soprano or bass, we revel in the sounds
which, without any skill, rush with the
breath through the contracted lips.
Grumblers seldom, if ever whistle.
The art is left only for the blithe and
cheerful. Whether it is the whistle
that makes the good cheer. or the good
cheer that makes the whistle, we have
now no time to analyze. This kind of
music is an inspiring accompaniment
of work. Let two masons be busy on
the scaffolding. their strength alike,
their hods and trowels alike, the one
who whistles will better set the bricks
and rear the truest wall. Do not rob
us of any of our helps. What the
world wants is an augmentation of d.
versions and entertainments; not less
skip and romp and curveting. but more
God has no objections to it, or He
would not fill the kitten with play. and
the lamb with frisk, and the dog with
facetious bark, and send the mis- ht-wind
around the gable with mouth full of
whistle. We know not why women.
with all their cares, should be denied
this exercise, and yet an ungallant
rhyme has for ages forbidden it. Do
tell us something that women may do?
You do not want them to skate, or
lecture, or preach, or walk too fast, or
laugh very loud, and you finish your
long list of prohibitions by saying:
"Whistling girls and Growing hens
Always come to some bad end"
There are times in a woman's life
when psalm-tune does not seem par
ticularly appropriate, and carol
seems too formidable too attack; the
former is too grave and the latter too
jubilant, and nothing on earth is conso-
nant with the circumstances but a
whistle. That privilege she shall not
be denied if we have anything to say
about it.
Soon after going on board the steam
er, we noticed little pewter instru-
ment that hungto the boatswain's jack
ct. On such a simple thing you would
not suppose man could make more
than one or two sounds, but that little
instrument can play a hundred tunes,
and at its call cables, cordage. rigging.
sails, colors, boats and anchor respond
and all the crew fly swiftly from ham
mockto capstan and from capstan to rat
line. After eight days of headwind we
heard the boatswain's long, keen, re-
sounding whistle. 1t meant that the
wind had changed, and the sails must
20 up. There was in that pewter
whistle more music than in any harp
we have heard since, and when it fell
down again from the boatswain's lips
we re-examined it to see where all the
chirrup and glee of sound and shrill-
ness of blast could hide themselves.
Thus we sail on in life, and sometimes
into the teeth of headwind, ard it is
tough navigation. Our whistle dang
ling to our neck, seems of no use.
Everything is against us; but after a
while there is change in the moon,
and the wind that was adverse wheels
around in our favor. Then we take up
our whistle, and, all hands on deck,
the sails rise, and the port looms up in
the distance. If at such time we
make more noise with our mouth than
We ought to, charge it not to us, but
charge it to the boatswain's whistle.