The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1885-02-12
The Neral Of Whisaing.

1t is prevalent notion that a
propensity To whistle indicates an
INDECENT or trivial nature. When
we are indulging in it by way of
soliloquy, and some one meets US,
we stop short, swapping the whis-
tlejn two, as though we had been
doing something disreputsble.
There is nothing more hea thful
than this exercise. The faculty
has been granted to those of us
who cannot sing much. Though
we mights lose our way in tune
if we attempted the customary SO
prano or bass, we revel in the
sounds which, without any skill,
rush with the breath through the
contracted lips. Grumblers seldom,
i. ever whistle. The art is left on
ly for the bithe and cheerful.
Whether it is The whistle that
makes the good cheer, or the good
cheer that makes the whistle, We
have no time to analyze. This
kind of music is an inspiring ac-
compartment of work. Let two
masons be busy on the scaffolding,
their strength alike, their holds
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 aug
mentation of diversions and enter
tainments; not less skip and romp
and curveting, but more. God has
no objectiona to it, or He would
not Il the kittens with it and the
lamb with frisk, and the dog with
facetious bark, and send the night
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
nngallant rhyme has for ages for
hidden 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 a psalm-tune does not
seem particularly appropriate, and
a carol seems TOO formidable to at
tack; the former is too grave and
latter too jubilant, and nothing on
earth is consonant with the circum-
stances but a whistle. The priv
lege she shall not be denied if we
have anything to say about it.
Soon after going on board the
steamer, we noticed a little pewter
instrument that hung to the boat
swain's jacket. 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 re-
spond, and all the crew fly swiftly
from hammock to capstan and
from capstan to ratline. After
eight days of head wind we heard
the boatswain's long, keen, re-
sounding whistle. 1t meant that
the wind had changed, and the
sails must go up. There was in
that pewter whistle more music
than in any harp we have since
heard, and when it fell down again
from the boatswain's lips we re-ex
q ined it to see where all that
chirrup and glee of sound and
shrillness of blast could hide them
selves. Thus we sail OF in life,
and sometimes into the teeth of a
headwihd, and it is tough nayiga-
ton. Our whistle, dangling to our
neck, seems of no use. Every thing
is against US; but after a while
there is change in tile 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. Ii
at such q time we make more noise
with our mouth than we ought to,
charge it not to US, but charge it to
the hoatswain's Whistle.-Dr. Tai
mage,