Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1893-08-03
A WHISTLING GIRL

Ginptown was an old fashioned burg
full Of old fashioned people, not one of
whom pretended to deny that Nellie
Rose was the prettiest. liveliest girl in
the place.
Now, although Gimptown folk had re-
luctantly succumbed to the inroads of
| progress insomuch that they admitted
there were no witches they still clung
persistently to wise old saws. Why not
call them the wornout old saws and rele-
gate them to the rubbish heap of other
bygone misconceptions?
Thus it happened that while other
| girls were ',,spoke for" as soon as they
came of age sweet Nellie Rose wasted
her sweetness upon transient lovers.
Joshua Jones. the most appreciative
of these, had remarked to his mother:
"Now, nanny, don't believe there's a
thing wrong with Nellie. like her
mighty we'll"
"Gracious. JoshT' said she, holding up
her hands in horror. "If you're a-gettin
stuck on that gal, you had just better
get over it as quick as possible My
grief! A whistling gal in the Jones fam
ily! Ughr'.
! So honest Josh put aside his sentiment
by muttering, Yes. Isuppose 'whistling
gals and Growing hens is as true today
as it ever was.'
Josh was right. This old saw is just
as true today as it was when the lunatic
Of long ago manufactured it. Accord
ingly he married good housekeeper"
who never whistled. and Nellie seemed
destined to be an old maid
In Gimptown girl became an old
maid If she was not keeping regular
company" BY the time she was 81.
II can't see why Nell can't be like
other girls" said her Aunt Dorothy, who
didn't believe in old maids. "Can't you
stop this whistling. MellieY' she asked
her one day.
''I'll try. auntie," replied the innocent
girl.
So for a week or SO she went about
looking as demurc IJrJrsibfr. burt II WIS
uphill work.
.1''Got new minister. They say he'sa
young man. I'll invite himin. No tell
in he might-but no, Of course notl
| Well, I'll invite him anyhow" said Aunt
Dorothy.
| A week or two after this she was busy
ing herself making the little parlor look
tidy, whena knock sounded on the door.
She ushered in q fine looking young man,
with decided clerical air. but pleasant
and kindly withal
| The pastor and his hostess were soon
! talking quietly on parish matters. In
the next room there was rattle as Of
some one washing dishes.
"Ill call Nellie as soon as she finishes
her work. Aunt Dorothy was saying,
when, horrors. there arose in that young
lady's clear, piccololike whistle the fa-
miliar notes of ''Old Hundred" Poor
Nellie had kept her mouth in its normal
position for two whole weeks, but now,
to the time Of rafting crockery, the
notes rose and fell with startling dis
tinctness.
Aunt Dorothy turned red and then
white, fdgeted about and finally, when
the assortment of noises stopped, went
into the kitchen saying as she went,
Excuse me, Mr.. Haviland. and I'll tell
Nellie to come in"
With blood curdling GOODNESS she said
to her niece: THE new minister is here.
Come in and be introduced" That was
what her mouth uttered, but her eyes
said: Nov you've done it with that
whistle of yours! Let's see how you'll
get out of it."
Nellie followed the irate lady.
"Mr. Haviland, my niece, Miss Rose"
One would have supposed that real
rose could not be much redder, but
when Mr.. Haviland said in an amused
tone. Your brother is fine whistler
then one knew that Mellie's first blush
was mere tinge of color
IL have no brother she replied
honestly. 50 the evidently painful sub
ject was dropped.
"A remarkably fine young lady,"
Thought the young minister as he was
returning to his boarding place, land
evidently as innocent as her name. It's
20 dull here really must cultivate
her acquaintance
So the feeting summer days found the
Rev. Mr.. Haviland often at Aunt Dor
othy's house or in Mellie's company
wandering upon the rocky banks of the
river.
To the young lady these bits of sun
shine in her life were snatches from
dreamland To hear the educated young
man discourse npon the people and
things of the big. big worll was SO diff
ferent from the humdrum talk and Cos
sip Of Gimptown.
Her aunt thought: 'Fancyi do be-
lievc the parsons a-getting interested in
Nell. Now, if she'll only keep that
whistle o hers quiet who knows?- some
thing may come Of iti~
zGimptown in general said it was al
most scandalous that so fine young man
should be "took in by pretty face,
when everyone knew that face was dis-
figured by a whistling mouth.
Miss Smith, whose age was an un-
known quantity between 20 and 40, and
who had set her cap SO often that that
article was badly frayed around its fig
urative edges. said, mo, he shan't be
bamboozled. not if have to warn him
myself" |"
And it is on record that she did warn
the daring man.
In spite Of all this opposing clement N
bis flock, Mr.. Haviland could not help
thinking how dull life would be without
certain flower whose perfume he alone
seemed to have discovered.
One bright September day he walked
over to Aunt Dorothy's little cottage,
intending to invite Nellie to accompany
him upon an errand Of mercy. AS he
reached the gate he stopped moment.
The front door was wide open. Nellie.
dressed In pink calico. with cap Of the
same material only partly concealing
her fluffy brown hair, was busily en-
gagged with broom and duster in the