The herald., 1893-08-13
A WHISTLING GIRL,

: Gimptown was an old fashioned burg
full OF old fashioned people, not one OF
! whom pretended to deny that Nellie
Rose was the prsttiest. liveliest girl In
the place.
< Now. although Gimptown folk had re-
Iuctantly succumbed to the inroads OF
nrorress insomuch that they admitted
there were no witches they still clung
persistsntly to wise old saws. Why not
cali them che wornout old saws and rele-
gate them to the rubbish heap Of other
bygons misoonceptionsi
Thus Il happened that while other
girls were spoke for" a. soon ~ they
came Of age sweet Nellie Rose wasted
her sweetness upon transient lovers.
Joshua Jones. the most appreciative
Of these, had remarked to his Inother'
"Now, lnammy. don't believe there's q
thing wrong with Nellie. I like her
mighty we'll"
"0racious, Joshr' said she. holding up
her hands in horror. "If you're a-gettin
stuck on that gal. you had just better
get over 1t as quick a. possible. MY
grieft A whistling gal In the Jonesfam-
ilyi Ughi"
So honest Josh put aside his sentiment
by muttering, ''Yes, suppose 'whistliDe
gals and growing hens is as true today
as II ever was"
1osh was right. This old saw Is just
- true today a. II was when the lunatit
Of long ago manufactured it. Accord
inxly be married ''good housekecper'
who never whtstled, and Nellie seemed
destined to be an old maid.
In 0imptown . girl became an ole
maid If she was not ''keeping regular
company" by the time she was 81.
III can't see why Nell can't be lik'
other girls" said her Aunt Dorothy, wht
didn't believe in old maids. "Can't yot
stop this whistling, Mellies" she asket
her ono day.
.srll try. auntis." replied the innocen
girl.
So for . week or 40 she went abou
looking a. demure as possible. but It wa
uphill work.
loot . new minister. They say he's
young man. I'll invite him in. No tell
u be might-but no. q course not st
Dorothy.
A wssk or two after this she was busy
ing herself making the little parlor lool
tidy, when . knock sounded on the door
She ushered In q fine looking young man
with decided clerical air, but pleasan
and kindly withal.
The pastor and his hostess were soor
talking quietly on parish matters. Ii
the next room there was q rattle az O.
some one washing dishes
"I'll call Nellie as soon a. she finishe.
her work." Aunt Dorothy was saying
when, horrorsl there arose in that younf
lady's clear, piccololike whistle the Ia
miliar notes of "Old Hundred" Pool
Nellie had kept her mouth In Its norma
position for two whole weeks, but now
i TO the time Of rafting crockery, thu
notes rose and fell with startling dis
tinctness.
Z Aunt Dorothy turned red and ther
white, fdgeted about and finally. wher
the assortment. Of noises stopped. wen,
into the kitchen saying a. she went
EXCUSE me, Mr.. Haviland. and I'll tel
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; "Now you've done it with that
whistle Of yoursl Let's see how you'll
get out of It,"
Nellie followed the irate lady.
"Mr. Haviland, my niece, Miss Rose. y
One would have supposed that real
rose could not be much redder. but
when Mr.. Haviland said in an amused
tone. Your brother is a fine whistler, :
then one knew that Mellie's first blush
vase mere tinge of color.
"T--I have no brother" she replied
honestly, so the evidently painful sub
ject was dropped.
IA 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.
m So the fleeting 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 upon the people and
things Of the big, big world was so diff
terent from the humdruin talk and gos
MP Of Gimptown.
= Her aunt thought: "Fancyl l do be-
Hsve the parsons a-getting interested in
Nell. Now, If she'll only keep that
whistle O. hers quiet who knows?- some
hing may come Of itl'
n, Gimptown in general said it was al
'inost scandalous that so fine young man
lhould be 'stook In" by a pretty face.
Enen everyone knew that face was dis
igured by 1 whistling mouth.
= Miss Smith, whose age was an un-
etaown quantity between 20 and 40. and
fho had set her cap 80 often that that
rticle was badly frayed around It's fig
lrative edges, said, mo, be shan't be
lamboozled. not II have to warn him
hyself r
Y And It Is on record that she did warn
= dax11g man