The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1906-06-19
MESSAGES IN STRAW
THEY MAY &c FOUND WRITTEN ALI.
OVER GREAT BRITAIN.


When a farm servant in Perthshire
and other parts Of Scotland is seeking
a new situation he doesn't advertise in
the local newspaper or even apply to
farmers in the neigborhood. He just
waits for fleeing day, as the market
at Lady day and Michaelmas is called.
Then, with a wisp of straw either be-
tween his teeth or in his hat, he strols
I'D and down the market place.
That piece Of straw serves the pur-
pose Of a sandwich board. Without a
word being uttered, it is a sufficient in
timation that its bearer is a plowman,
stableman or other farm worker and is
seeking employment with a new mas
ter. A similar custom still prevails in
the north Of England and in some parts
Of Ireland.
Straw as a sign that certain things
are "for sale" is frequently used.
Plated into a horses tail, with the end
curled up, it has such q meaning, but
when the plat is partly unwOund and
allowed to hang downward it denotes
that the horse has recently changed
ownership.
A wisp Of straw fastened to the
mainmast Of a fishing boat or pleas
ure yacht in many districts is a sign
that its owner is DESTROYS Of selling it
On the Thames watermen place straw
IN the sterns Of their craft for sale.
Dealers In fowls and eggs in the
north Of Ireland know without any
waste of time whether farmers have
any Of the produce they seek to buy.
Farmers having these for sale erect a
pole, with straw tied to its top, on their
grounds as near as possible to a public
road. Cheeses when sold at Chester's
and other cheese fairs can instantly be
detected by the handful Of straw on
top Of them.
An even more popular use for straw
Is as a warning Of danger. When
bridges are being repaired it is custom
airy to hang a bundle Of straw from an
arch so that those passing beneath it
shall be warned against falling bricks
and such like debris.
n lew WlbpS LlCu " AOl 80 > toll
notes that it is a Kicker" while stra~-
for the same purpose is tied to its stall
post in the stable. To warn pedestrians
who would cross a pathway running
through their fields that a vicious bull
is grazing there, Kent farmers fasten
a bundle Of straw to the gate leading
to it. Some farmers also give further
warning by tying straw to the horns Of
the bad tempered animal.
Tramps in the south Of Ireland fight
shy Of entering farmyards whose gates
are adorned with wisps Of straw. 1t is
sufficient notice that fierce watchdogs
are kept for tramps and trespassers.
AS a warning to skaters in the Fen dis
tricts straw is strewn about broken
and dangerous ice, and should there be
any holes in its otherwise sound sur
face these are marked by straw being
stuck lengthwise into them.
LondOners frequently meet with
straw as a sign of warning. When
wood paving is being repaired or che
pathway is being dug up for any pur.
pose iron rods to which a rope is at
tached mark OF the dangerous area.
Very often a wisp Of straw is fastened
to each rod as a further precaution to
pedestrians. Without the straw, il the
background were dark and the day
were dull, shortsighted and absent.
minded people might not be aware Of
their danger till the ropes were reach
ed. Straw, too, is frequently hung out.
side a warehouse to denote that the
crane is being used and to so warn
passersby.
Huntsmen IN the home counties know
directly they see straw tied to the top
OF a tall red pole to "'Ware barbed
wire" To warn hunting parties of
fields newly sown with wheat or clover
roots it is customary also with farm
ers in central and northern England to
bind bundles Of straw to their fences
and hedges.
During the shooting season on the
big Yorkshire mOors tall sticks are
placed at intervals along the pathways
that traverse the gorse and ling and
decorated with wisps Of straw. 1t is a
warning TO the peasantry that the
sporting gentry" are out shooting and
that there is danger in crossing these
particular paths. Miners frequently
warn their comrades Of dangerous
parts Of the workings by throwing
straw about the ground.
In Germany workmen repairing the
roofs OF houses hang a bundle Of straw
from the top window as a danger sig.
nal to passersby, while bricklayers in
Norway and Denmark tie a similar
bundle to the top Of a scaftold pole to
signify that the chimney pots are set
and their work is finished. In this |
country 1t IS customary in fixing FIRE |
places in new houses to place straw |
within the CRATE. This denotes that |
the masonry is not sufficiently dry to |
withstand the heat OF a fire.
A bundle Of straw left In a field in
Sussex is a sign that the cleaners are
not yet allowed to gather the corn left
BY the reapers. When wheat is being
sown, a stick crowned with straw is
put up at each end Of the field in order
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