The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1904-01-30
HOw scAREcRow CHANGED HIS NAME.


Scarecrow was hired boy on Silas
Tefft's milk farm. OF course, Scare
crow was not his name, but when he
applied to old Silas for work and said
his name was John, and nothing else,
he was told that he must have a
double name. There were half a
dozen Johns on the place already.
So when one of the men suggested
Scarecrow, in derision of his haggard
and grotesque appearance, it was
adopted with acclamation, and the
boys indignant protests were received
with loud outlaws and laughter.
That was two years ago. No one
knew where he came from. He was
very reticent about his antecedents,
but by pntting one thing and another
together they had strong suspicion
that he had run away from some town
poor-farm. The words "overseer, !"
''pauper, and "selectmen' always
filed him with terror, and caused
him to look around apprehensively,
as though he was fearful of being
pursued.
Silas Tefft's farm was hard place,
so the men declared-long hours,
hard work and poor pay. But Scare
crow seemed to think it very Eden
of comfort and luxury. He was up
with the earliest of the hired men and
always intensely anxious to make
himself useful. Hardships, discom-
forts and sights were accepted as
matter of course, but when he was
spoken to kindly or favored in any
way, his wondering pleasure and graf
itude knew no bounds.
And, however exactiug Silas Tefft
might be in the matter of hours and
wages, his table was always gener-
Gus. At first the boy ate doubtfully,
as though he was afraid of being
watched and ordered away from the
table. But when he found that, in
stead of advancing them, Silas Tefft
always urged them TO eat more, he
began apparently for the first time in
his life, to fully satisfy the cravings
of his hunger. AS the days and
weeks went by, his starved, lank fig
ure began to fill out, and color to
creep into his cheeks and laughter
into his queer little cracked voice.
And, in spite of their pranks and
good-humored raillery, everybody
about the place soon grew to like the
grotesque little fellow, who was so
eager to please them. After a while
one of them gave him hat, and an
other an old jacket; but the name
still stuck.
One Sunday morning when the
family and men had gone to church
Scarcecrow was left to look after
things. He took his primer and went
out on the porch to study. 1t was
early autumn, and on the hillside
across the valley the naples and
beeches were beginning to assume
glowing tints. Hundreds of bees
were lowering about the honeysuc-
kles, which covered the porch, and
through the openings in the vines he
could see the cows grazing contented-
ly in the broad fields below the barn.
Across the stubble quail whistled
cheerily to one another, and from
somewhere down in the garden he
could hear robin calling to his
mate.
1t was hard to steel the senses
against all outside attractions. But
Scarecrow had plenty of determina-
ton slowed somewhere in his neglect
ed mind, and he went resolutely over
his book, and placed both hands upon
his ears. Even the house dog, who
wagged his tail enticingly and wist-
fully into his face, could not arouse
him. But at last his head was brought
up suddenly by a "Hey, there boy
Folks to homer"
Two ragged, disreputable-looking
tramps stood before him. One held a
short, knobby bundle tied in red
handkerchief. Scarecrow looked d
them over apprehensively.
"What dye want 7"
"Oh, nothin' partic'ler," answered
the man with the stick, as he stepped
unconcernedly on the porch and sat
down on the bench beside the boy.
"Jes' called to pass how-de-do.
So ye say they've gone to meetin'
heyl"
ST didn't say nothin' about it"
Didn't. Well, never mind.
must heard it somewhere. Mighty
fine place you've got here"
The boy was silent.
eyes day was the first day O. the
month, the man went on, reflective
| ly. "I s'pose the boss took in stack:
O. money when he went round col
lecting 7"
"Come, quit this foolin' p growl
ed the other man, angrily. "Tel
the boy what you want an be done
with it"
Easy, Jake, easy Nothin' aim
done right in a hurry. Folks won
be back from meetin' in less'n TIVE
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