Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1909-03-11


loats all day long that
field the crows and the farmers wife are sorry.
And they have reasons. too. The romancer who
mentally OF yardsand yards of poetry about the
pathetic plight Of the guardian of the chicken coop
and oat CROP must wend his way about the plan
tation of his country cousins in constant fear of
touching live wire and he has more such
lifeike themes for his alleged poetic ability.
The small farmer 10 sorry to see his brother
of larger worldly goods take a step forward by
proclaiming the scarecrow extinct.
The city man may no longer wonder at the art
of putting the sham together and his suggestions
about giving it touch of decoration is positive
ly obsolete.
AS for the crows II is the duty Of every
mother crow, well as the father crow, to teach
ITS young that the scarecrow is the friend of all
crows. Hence, the silent friend of winter and
summer can no longer be perched upon by the
young crows in learning to fly and the figure
which was intended to be the crows god of ILL
omen. but which in the eyes of the dark hued
minions of the air was an indication of the
Whereabouts of edibles in the shape of corn,
ally is 10 be swept into oblivion
The farmers wife hates to the scarecrow
go because of pleasant associations. During the
long summer days while she is alone, the men
and boys being of in the fields, the silent stih
armed policeman carries silent conversation
with her. and she has surprised city people by in
sorting corn husk in the scarecrows upper left
hand pocket tribute to the vanity Of the
inanimate farmland. Always absolutely safe to
talk to- never answering surlily always silent
under the most scathing arraignment is it any
wonder that the scarecrow will be missed by the
women folks?
Thus score of years may see 1t extinct Amid
crashing of teeth by the oldtime agriculturist,
tears by fair conversationalists caw-caws by
crows seeking the cause of the new vogue mourn
Ing by the city folks and others. the curtain is
TO be drawn over this piteOus individual.
The word scarecrow signifies its realm OF use
fulness which is to scare crows. hawks, rabbits.
squirres-in fact. most anything or being which
Is liable to infict grievous wrong upon MI.
Farmer
While the scarecrow itself may become extinct,
the art of making scarecrows will always live.
agricultural experts declare. The realistic scare
crow is work of art. A touch of realism mere
and there will often chase away tramps III inc
summer time-near-sighted tramps especially.
The scarecrow is purely an American hsti1u'
ton, invented for the purpose of helping the
farmer protect his grains, but reversed by thieves
and made an ever-present food indicator NO
body knows who invented it and nobody cares
much
One story which has found SO much credence Is
that told by New England farmer. who remem
beers the times before the war. At that time ne
Knew farm hand in Maine who was by ha'ural
instinct shirker of work His employer learned
this after the man had been in his employ three
hours. Seeing that he was practically useless III
general farm work, he set him to watching pfize
cornteld, hoping thatby this method he might u,'l
ize the mans services and save his corn, FOR the
crows were hungry and there were lots OF them
For two days this suited the son OF rest hhe 'oI
ne could lie down and doze. the mere ssht Vi
him soaring the crows for miles around
The shirker. whose name cannot be dHulged