Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1893-09-16
A WRESTLING GIRL.

Gimptown 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 chung
persistently to wiss 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. l like her
mighty we'll"
"Gracious, JOSH" 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. Ny
grief! A whistling gal in the Jones fam
lily! Ugh!"
So honest Josh put aside his sentiment
by muttering, Eyes, l suppose 'whistling
gals and growing hens is as true today
as it ever was"
Josh was right. This old saw is just
as tru9today as it was when the lunatic
of long ago manufactured it, Accord
ingly he married a "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 excepting regular
company" by the time she was 81.
81 can't see why Nell can't be like
other girls" said her Aunt Dorothy, who
didn't believe in old maids. Cant you
stop this whistling, Mellie?" she asked
her one day.
"I'll try, auntie," replied the innocent
girl.
So for q week or so she went about
looking as demuro as possible, but it was
uphill work.
"Got new minister. They say he'sa
young man. I'll invite him in. No tell
in he might-but no, Of course not!
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, when knock sounded on the door
She ushered in 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.
"I'll 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 ia
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, fidgeted 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: "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"
One would have supposed that real
rose could not be much redder, but
when Mr.. Faviland said in an amused
tone, ''Your brother is fine whistler"
then one knew that Mellie's first blush
was mere tinge of color.
ell 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, "and
evidently as innocent as her name. It's
so dull here. really must cultivate
her acquaintance"
So the feeting summer days found tile.
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
ferent from the humdrum talk and gos
sip Of Gimptown.
Her aunt thought: Fancy! do be-
lieve 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 it"
Gimptown in general said it was al
most scandalous that so fine young man
should be "tock in" by a pretty face.