The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1894-06-08
WONDERFUL WHISTLER.
How His Accomplishment Won a
Valuable Customer.


Valuable Customer.
1t was a perfect night and the incom-
ing ocean lines seemed poised between
two ornaments, so truthfully were the
stars reflected in the placid sea. The
hour was late and gradually the pas
sengers drifted away into the bril-
liantly lighted salons, or sought their
staterooms for few hours straying
upon the invisible Islands of Dreams;
and only few were still haunting the
decks moon-fecked promenade.
Suddenly the scholarly looking and
specialized young man from Chicago,
who had been sitting quietly among a
group of friends. with his eyes turned
somewhat wistfully toward the not
now distant homelands, began to
whistle softly a street song that had
fingered in his mind since he heard it
on the wharf the day he sailed. His
com panions listened in delighted sur
prise. Never from mortal lips had is
sued more dulcet sounds; the voices of
hundred nightingales were all con-
densed to form the liquid sweetness of
his notes. The struggling groups of
loungers all about the deck drew near
and listened in entranced delight.
"Bravo!'' ''Encore!' "Encore!'' came
from every side; and warbling the
changes of various melodies, he 'tnally
thrilled his hearers with the measures
of dear Home, Sweet Home
Silence, deeper than all uttered
praise. settled on every soul Only the
music floated upon the listening air.
Bright eyes smiled out across the sea
through mlsts of homesicl1 tears, and
Helen Harper who was standing near
the flag, furled for the night close
round it's lofty staff, reached up to
loosen starry fold and draw it down
across her lovely lips.
WELL" said her mother, her brisk
voice Lroken by a sudden closing in
her throat 81 remember of reading,
years ago. a poem entitled 'Whistiing
in Heaven The idea seemed strange
almost irreverent-tO me then, but
am now fully prepared to think that
the angels songs may well have such
accOmpaniments!'
How did you acquire such an un-
usual accomplishment, Mr.. K?" asked
the younger woman. did you, like
Hiawatha, learn of every bird it's Ian
.uage?''
II think Writers description of the
barefoot hoy with cheeks of tam
echoing all the voices of the fields
would picture my childhood DAYS bet
ter hc answered. And then, turning
to Mrs. !iarrcr, he said:
'Nnur remark reminded me of an ex-
perir'icr / had Il number Of years ago
although | guess it's pretty late for
story teiiiIg."
do let us have it," they all ex-
claimed;
Mr.. X. looked cut over the star
geirmed waters retlectively. at was
More years ago than | realized when
recalled the incident" he said. II was
little more than a boy and had Just
started in, with "A capital OF hopes, to
maize my own way i'll the world Twas
traTeln% for Il Wholesale house in
Chicago ard covered small inland
towns within rA.iius of Il few hun
dred niles OF that center. While rea-
sonaoy successful everywhere else, /
was kept dissatisfied by the fact that
the largest dealer in IL Michigan village
III my circuit would have nothing to do
with me. The home firm observed
with dlSpieased surprise that Mr..
tray Name was never on my order
sheet, ana time after time I renewed
my SOLICITATIONS for his patronage, only
to be grutf1y and unceremoniously dis
missed.
One rainy day in early spring l was
IN the town, and as my way led past
his door gathered my courage for a
last attack There was the usual terse
dialogue. and then the proprietor
turned abruptly away and went into
his little private Office, which was built
up like huge box in the center of the
store-something after the fashion OF
Tim LinLinwater's den in the Office OF
the Cheeryble Brothers
Outside the rain poured furiously,
and sat down on an empty cracker
box to wait for it to slacken. I began
whistiing in an undertone, as much to
rally my spirits as anything, / guess,
and presently the door of the office un-
closed the width of a couple of inches
and the rasping voice of the obdurate
storekeeper called:
John, who's that?'
The young man from Chicago, sir,
answered the lanky youth, respect
fully.
II finished the air.
john came the voice again, tell
him he might give us another tune
i complied, and at its close the
dealer was sitting beside me on the
cracker box.
tive me your book, young man,
ne said; when you want an order for
for it
he slapped his hand down on his
knee and laughed at his own joke and
astonished me by giving me at once a
large and important order. That was
The beginning of it He became one of
our best Gu toners, always insisting.
however, u.'on the fulfillment of nv
part OF the contract A little insight
irto his character proved that the
somewhat l.arsh exterior covered a
heart as bi and tender as a friend
could possibly desire, and the years of
our acquaintance resolved our relations
into those of remarkable confidence
and comradeship"
air. h. paused, the serious look Deep
ening on his face.
And then?"-Helen Harper knew