The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-05-27
WARNINGs nv WIsPs or STRAW,
messages n wants Expressed In the
same Manner.

When o farm servant In Perthshire and
other parts OF Scotland IL seeking q new
situation he doesn't advertise in che local
newspaper, or even apply TO farmers in the
neiRhborhood. He just waits for feeling
day, says Psarson's Weekly. as the market
at Lady Day and Michaelmas Ia called. Then
with q wisp OF straw either beween his teeth
or In his hat no strolls up and down the mar
ketplace. .
That piece OF straw serves the purpose OF
q sandwich board. without a word being
utt tered IL Ia a sufficient intimation that Its
bearer Ia q ploughman. stableman or other
farm worker and Is seeking employment
with n new master. A similar custom still
prevailS In the north Of England and In some
parts Of Ireland,
Straw, as q sign that certain things are
for sale, Ia frequently used. Plated into
n horses tall with the end curled up. it has
such q meaning. but when the plat is partly
unyound and allowed to hang downward
II denotes that the horse has recently changed
ownership,
A vlsp Of straw fastened to the mainmast
of A fishing boat or a pleasure yacht In many
dIstricta Ia n sign that its owner Is DESTROYS
of selling 1t 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 Tor
sale erect a pole with straw tied to Its top
on A public road. Cheeses. when sold at
Chester's and other cheese fairs. oan In
stantly be detected by the handful OF straw
on top OF them.
An even more popular. use for straw IL as
n warning Of danger. When bridges are be-
ing repaired It Is customary to hang q bundle
Of straw from an arch so that those passing
beneath 1t shall be warned against iaiiing
bricks and such like debris.
A few wisps to a horses tall denotes that
II ia a kicker" while straw. for the same
purpose, Is tied to it's stall post In TIE s,apie
To warn pedestrians who would cross their
as,da that n vicious bull Ia grazing there.
Ksnt farmers fasten a bundle Of stray to the
gate leading to II. Some farmers also give
further warning by tying straw 10 inc horns
Of the bad tempered animal,
Tramps In the south OF Ireland night shy
~ entering farm yards whose gates are
adorned with wisps OF straw, 1t ID sufficient
notios that fierce watch dogs are kept for
tr.mps and trespassers. A a warning to
slaters In the ten districts straw ts strewn
about broken and dangerous Ice, and should
there be any holes in It's otherwise sound
surface these are marked by straw STUCK
Into them.
Londoners frequently meet with straw
"a n ai6n oil WARTIME, Nhch Vooe po'''e
Ia being repaired, or the pathway 10 being
dug nm for any purpose. iron rods. to whicp
a rome is attached. mark of the dangerous
srea Very often a wlsp Of straw Ia fastened
10 each rod as q futher precaution to pedes-
TRANS, without the straw. if the back
ground we're dark and the day was dun.
sbortsighted and absentminded people might
not be aware Of their danger till the ropes
were reached, Straw. too. Is frequently
hung outside q warehouse 70 oenote that
the crane 10 being used, and so to warn
passers-by. 49,
Hnntsmen In the home counties know
dirsctiy they see straw tied to the top OF a
tall red pole to ware baroed wire" 10
warn hunting parties OF fields newly sown
| yi,h wheat or clover roots, 1t Ia customary
| also with farmers In central and northern
england to bind bundles OF straw to their
fences and hedges. -.
During the shooting season on the dig
yorkshire moors tall sticks are placed al
+t1ysryHy -ufunr- the
the gorse and ling and decorated with wisps
! az straw, II ID o warning TO the peasantry
mat the sporting gentry" are out shooting
and that there II danger In crossing these
particular paths. Miners frequently warn
their comrades Of dangerous parts OF the
working by throwing straw about 1t.
In workmen repairing the roofs
~ houses hang q bundle Of straw from the
ton window az q danger s~lgnalto passers by
while brioklayers In Norway and Denmark
tie a similar bundle to the top OF q ~scafold
pole to signify that the chimney pots are
act and their work Is finished. In this country
n IA customary. in hiking fireplaces In new
houses. TO place straw within the crate, Thu
denotes that the masonry Is not sufficiently
dry TO Withstand the heat OF q are,
A bundle Of straw left ina field In Suisse,
49, Aha 1iaa nara n "a mt vat n llOaQ(