West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1878-02-09
CHASED BY A SCARECROw.
BY RUTH CHESTERFIELD.
IYonth's ComnAninn-l


Job Tanner was young person who
lived by his wits. You, all know him,
or, at least, his type -t1
Tie had a home where he used 10 APP
pear occasionally, like ship that puts
an for yictualing or repairs; but as for
staying there all the time, that was out
OF the question, because that unreason-
able old man, his father, expected him
to feed the pig, or hoe the corn, or do
some other equally disagreeable thing as
an Offset to his board and clothing; and
Job abhorred work. Ii was the one re-
suit of Adams fall which he most de-
plored; that we "sinned all, was quite
"a secondary consideration.
so Job wandered about from place to
place, sleeping in barns, or accepting
the hospitality of some wayside ac-
quaintance, just as it happened, Job
wasn't particular which, bed being not
at all essential to his comfort. Many
night he had slept with the'earth for his
pillow, and the night for his counter
pane, and slept we'll.
But Job must live,-at least, he
thought he must to live he must
Nat To eat without wprk,-that, there.
Tore, was the great problem set before
him to solve, and the energy and in
genuity he expended in solving it might
have made him rich man, if directed
IN different channel
With this insight into Jobs character
and position, you will be able TO under
stand why il was that on certain moon
light summer night, in the year of our
Lord, 1877, he crept stealthily into Mrs.
Durgin's back yard with the purpose of
robbing her hen-rNost. B
TO do job justice, he would smuciI-
rather have helped himself from the
roost of the rich Mr.. Doubleday, next
door, who would never have missed one
fowl more or less. But then, Mr.. Dou-
blcday's fowls were shut up in hen
merry inside the barn, and Mr.. Dou-
bleday kept men-servants and maid
servants, and dogs and guns. He was
himself justice of the peace, and, in
short, the whole place seemed bristling
with terrors.
So Job was fain TO suppress those
sympathies so creditable TO human ma
Sure, and rob poor Mrs. Durgin, who
was a lone widow, with one. little boy,
and whose. heHs had habit of roosting
in maple tree at the corner of the
shed. He could see the pretty creatures
curled up among the leaves, the moon
light reflected from their unconscious
backs. he could see the pile Of lumber
beside the shed which was 70 serve him
as a ladder. FF
There was no light in the cottage, not
soul was stirring; everything seemed
20 favor his project. He clambered over
the pile, mounted the shed, seized
white pullet, and was down again, all
before you could have counted ten.
But alas in his haste, he had seized
the pullet by the wrong member-by
her leg, instead of her neck. She ut
tered q cry; this reused the other fowls,
and with one accord the hens all began
ia cackle, and the ROSTERS 10 expostu.
late, and above the din Job distinctly
heard shrill voice from the cottage
calling out, Teddy Teddy. someb0dy's
r0bbing the heD-r0ostP'AAk =. -.
He did not think IL prudent 10 wait
TO hear more, but cleared the fence. and
started at brisk run across Mr.. Dou-
bleday's corn-feld. Unfortunately for
our hero, IL chanced that Mr.. Double
days hostler, who slept I'm a loft over
the stable, was just turning in for the
night, and heard the whole Jcommotion.
What's amissT he cried, from his
loft window.
Somebody stole one Of our hens.
answered Teddy, pausing, with one leq
over the wall
The rascal Hold on,-PII be there
In ji6yl" said the hostlef and hurry
ing on a small but indispensable portion
of the clothing he had just laid aside.
he joined Teddy almOst bafofe that
youth had got his other feg over the
wall
But slight as the delay had been, IT,
proved welcome one to Job, who dis
tincuy heard the above c0lloquy. And
yet there seemed scarcely a possibility
Of escape the corn afforded no hiding
place, and 70 reach the boundaries Of
the field ON either side was out OF the
question.
In the center Of the field was huge
and very life-like scarecrow. Quick as
thought he ran 70 IL, and Nsapped him
self in the tattered garment4 so1ike his
own that you could scarcely ten which
was Job and which was the scarecrow
2 ~, although he heard bis pursuers ap.
preaching, he felt quite easy and com
Portable
But there was one enemy on whom
Job had not reckoned it wax Teddy's
little black dog Snip, who, having found
out that something was going on, came
bounding over the fence to Investigate
The matter, @NfT 4bT