Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1893-12-30
THAT WHISTLE.
A CaIm-A Storm of Remorse-
A DENY Saved.

On the morning of the 9th inst. the
towering clouds threatened every in
slant to drop their garnered fullness
down. The stagnated air caught be-
tween their blanketlike folds and the
reeking earth seemed to choke and
smother you with every breath. All
noted the unusual stiffness, like
calm before storm
Those fortunate enough to find
something to do, worked in spirit
less way, while their languid air and
pale faces and lusterless eyes revealed
no love for the task.
The Republican. out of job,
shrunk down in his coat collar six
inches further than on a sunshiny
day, and drove his lean pedal extrem-
tiles far enough through his greasy,
threadbare. breeches to expose pair
of short hose that had not been darn
ed since election, while the holes in
the knees bore pitiful testimony that
he had been praying for better times;
but his prayers could not reach
through the thick dust kicked up by
Gar Cleveland and his team of wild
horses.
The Democrat, creeping along on
the opposite side Of Queen street. more
to be pitied than his innocent brother,
smote on his breast, while, with de-
spairing face lifted heavenward, he
exclaimed, Lord, thou hast cursed
our party with the desire of our own
hearts" Another step and he stnm-
bled over something and fell measure
ing his full length on the hard pave
ment. Gathering himself up, he
looked for the obstruction and beheld
the Democratic ROSTERS defunct car
cass; he gave it vengeful kick, for
such change had been made in his
i feelings that he now hated what he
once loved. The kick terminated the
rooster and he made an effort to crow,
for the ruling passion is strong in
death" and he actually sat on his
knees and said" Hurrah for C-l-e-v-e"
but he could not finish, and fell I'M
conscious. All the kicks his sympa-
thetic friend administered could not
now restore animation. On DENY
went, aimlessly, for he was tout of a
job" despite the promises of fat Of
flee and a feast of milk and honey.
The Office was withheld and his honey
had turned to gall and wormwood.
So absorbed in his sad reverie, he
needed not that he had passed out oil
the city limits, into the brown fields,
where thousand sheep were holding
mass meeting, indignant over that
Wilson bill. The leader saw the in
truder and cried There is one of the
tribes, now, who is trying to drive us
from our native hill. l heard him
yell, Free Wool Free WOOL in the
Democratic parade last fall year ago
If l do mt visit summary vengeance
upon him I'll never lift my head
again" So saying, he made lunge
at the stranger that lifted that party
several feet and sent him sprawling q
second time to the earth, and as he
again gathered himself together, he
espied an overgrown billy shaking
his gray beard and dangerous looking
horns, while his eyes grew green with
rage. His muttered curse made DENY
shiver with fear, and thinking discre
ton the better part Of valor, beat {
hasty retreat, and reaching the fence
leaped TO the other side safe from hi.
pursuers, exclaiming as he did so
Even the animals on West Virginia
soil resent the doings of the party il
power; shall run no more risks; all
going to turn my coat, which he did
it having white lining. AS he wa!
after AN a misled but well-meanine
man his heart was the lighter for the
act. None now would take him for {
Clevelandite, for white was and is the
emblem of Republican principles
which he now Endorsed with all hi:
heart. He turned his steps toward
Martinsburg and was soon on Queer
Street again, where he beheld his fel
low-citiZens in another and pleasantel
light, hopeful and truthful. The
clouds, political, were parting, sc
were the natural ones. But what was
that? A noise the like of which
never before broke upon his ear
Again it pealed forth louder and full
er than before. Instantly the street
was full Again that great sound roll
ed ont louder and more powerful thar
before. No one could now stay inside.
The preacher, the teacher, the lawyer
the doctor, the tradesmen of all kinds,
the ladies, the children, the babies
all hurried along toward the course Of
that wonderful noise, questioning, ant
debating what could it be? Was il
the factory whistle on the boom
ground? Oh, no; that was distin-
guished by unearthly screams-blood
curdling, soul harrowing-but truly
prophetic of the wall that will GO uT
from doomed party ere many years
roll away.
Was it Cunarder coming on Tus
carora? What had flooded its bed tc
hold su9h a steamer? Again thai
powerful voice broke out, and the peo
pie drew near the Middlesex Knitting
Factory and peering in saw a laugh.
ing face, and found the slender hand
of the inventor on the throttle of his
monster whistle, which he footed tc
the delight of the admiring multitude
present. AS general thing we dc
not like whistles, but this as power
fully suggestive as the rolls of distant
thunder, leaves no painful echoes of
the wailing of doves, the hooting OF
owls, the voice of the maniac, the cry
nf the damned aud ra cnrnrntnlnta