The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-03-12

Of recent date advances the theory that our
earliest ancestors, long before they knew OF
srticulated speech, had almost as c0mprenen-
awe q method Of expressing themseives-that
of whistng as there does nor appear to oe
any proofs to she contrary, there Is no reason
why this statement should be denied. IN lact'
it is rather probable that they did whistle
Legendary lore viii have it that our frst parent
was sadly deficient in the matter Of thought,
and that when asked what name he would pre-
fer he replied: Il don't care d-n'' When
told that this would be bis name he gave pro-
longed whistle of arnazement at this ingenuity.
This happened long before the Chicago fire. and
Is a true story.
In the excavations of prehistoric mounds
there have been found number or curious
Whistles made of stone, shells, bone and other
materials. which 60 10 show that men OF every
age have been addicted TO whistLng. Dr. Bor-
diem, who has made this subject special study,
found In a burial mound a very peculiar whistle
made from a boar's tooth, which he believes 70
be the oldest specimen in the world OF lts klld,
The same gentleman has several examples OF
prehistoric whistles made - the bone from rem
deer joints
Mythology abounds in deities of more or less
renown who prided themselves on their musical
ability in this line. All Of which 60 to show that
Whlstng is eminently respectable as far as age
goes, But here at least as far as general
opinion is concerned, the responsibility OF
whistlng seems to cease Indeed, II is more
dice and superstition about Visiting even to
this day Among the stern puritans Of New
England the belief was ourrent that the mouth
OF the whistler would remain impure Tor forty
days, which fact no doubt had dampening eff
feet on many a peRk-hatted youths desire 60
whistle the "Msyflower's Hornpipe," Tara
boom-de-aye," or other Of the pilgrim fathers
solemn ditties.
THE DEVILS WHISTLE.
The devil comes In for a large share of atten-
ton in relation 20 whistling, some people be-
lievng that when old Nick" touches a mans
body he causes him TO emit a kissing or
whistlng sound like that Of serpent. 1t is
cheering to note that women lin the leRends)
generally escape being touched, the devil evi
IDENTIFY having his hands full attending 20 the
lords of creation. In far-away Iceland they
not only abhor whstlnR but believe that The
who swings stick or whip or any
other object thereby producing a whistling
sound, drives the Holy Ghost away
from him. " These eccentricities OF
superstition often find expression where you
least expect II. An American lady relates that,
while travelling in a remote part of lrelend, she
once tried to coax a dog 20 come to her and re-
sorted TO whlstling, when a servant girl called
out: IF you please, ma'am don't whistle, for
every time woman whistles the heart Of the |
blessed Virgin bleeds."
WRESTLING WOMEN.
There appears to be firm-rooted prejudice |
against whistling women; evils of every kind |
from the fell Of nations to the fall Of saucer |
are sure to be the consequence. This applies |
alike TO the performer and to the luckless |
listeners.
This widespread superstition originated, &C
cording TO legend lore, because a woman is said |
10 have stood and whisted while the nails used |
for the crucIfiXiOn were being forged. Certain |
1t IS however, that women Of to-day are not !
hampered about any evil consequences attend ]
ant upon their whistling prOpensities, Judging
from the many amateur and professional whs-
tiers that are found among the tair sex every
where. The only reasonable objection to
whistling woman is that it distorts her pretty
face. This was the reason why the naughty
goddess Minerva used a strong adjective as she |
threw away the whistle that proved fatal TO the |
Marsyas She happened TO see her face in
pool Of Wa,er while she was whistllnR, aud that |
settled It. Wherever you go you will hear the |
time honoTed couplet:
A whisthng wife and a Growing hen
VIII call the old gentleman out of his den.
There are numerous versions of these lines. |
but all with the same purport. Sailors are |
loath TO tolerate a woman indulging in the |
habit of whistling. An amusing instance, illus
tratinR their prejudice IN this regard, happened |
some time ego when gentleman wished to !
take a party Of friends for pleasure trip on /
the water They found a suitable craft and |
went on board, when, much TO their surprise, |
tire bluff old skipper declared that lie would |
not carry that young lady-she whistles" !
Nothing could induce the old salt to take her on |
his vessel and the trip was abandoned.
Why whistling is often called the DEVILS /
music nobody has been able to explain. Pos |
sbly it is that when men are caught in mischief |
they generally assume air of indifference |
and whistle. The habit of whistling has given |
birth TO great many popular expressions en- |
bodied Ia every day speech. In King Lear |
Shakespeare makes G0neul say: 81 have been |
worth the whistle In the same play he again /
refers to it as pleasant way TO aid a lonesome |
journey:
I've watch'd and travel'd bard;
Some time shall sleep out, the rest I'll whistle.
Dryden did not have high opinion of a |
Thistling mans intelligence; he whe
Trudg d along, unknowing what he sought,
And whistrd as he went for want Of thought,
was evidently not bent toward the study Of the |
intricate abstruse question of the pre-existencs |
of souls, but more likely TO think of prosaic |
PORK and beans.
On the other hand some poets think that it is |
an expression OF placid contentment and pleas
ure. Milton mentions
The plowman near at hand,
Whistled DER the furrowed land,
and then we hear of a warm-hearted, jolly
Flaxen- headed cowboy
Who whistled DER the lea,
apparently for no other reason than that he |
thought it good fun. The loving sweetheart !
encourages her beau with the line:
Whistle and III come to thee, my lad.
There are numberless instances where the |
habit is used as a moral instructor In short
whistling can be turned TO most any account
The origin Of the saving wet your whistle |
can be traced to the famous drinking bouts of |
old. a very curious old drinking cup, sur |
rounded by wind mill, was held in the |
hand TO be filled and retained there till |
emptied as then only could Il be set upon |
the table The drinker having swallowed the |
contents, blew up the pipe at the side which |
gave a shrin whistle and set the sails of the |
wind mill in motion also. The power of |
the blow and the length of the gyration |
were indicated in a small dial upon the |
front OF the mill and also in some degree testl-
ned to the state Of the consumer. Among the |
songs of Burns is one upon whistle, used by |
Dane OF the retinue of Anne of Denmark
which was laid upon the table at the commence.
ment of the drinking bout and won by who |
ever was last able to blow il. The Dane con |
quered all corners until Sir Robert LoUyris OF /
Maxwellton after three days and three nights |
hard contest, left the Scandinavian under the |
table" On Oct. 20, 1879, a similar contest took |
place, which has been immortslized IN Burns |
verses
Among the Lancashire miners there is still |
prevalent an old superstition of whistlinp |
ghosts, and when a miner has heard its ouni-
nous note nothing can induce him to desceud |
into the mine the following day A certain |
shrill cry or whistle during the night Is said to
come from the seven whistlers " whose iden- |
tty seems to be a puzzle Spenser IN his |
faerle Queen takes cOgniZance of these sun
posed phantom birds OF ill-omeu. lie sDaaks |
Of tine nation of unfortunate aud fatal birdA'' |
that lowered about Sir Guyon HIS allusion
reads;
The whistler shrin,
That whose hears doth die.
1t is thought that this bird is the ouean
ployer. Many belated traveller over a lonely |
trail at midnight has been startled by it, awe |
some, shrlu, almost human cry CARVING i'm Its
weird note sOmethinp inevpraqa{hl,y