The new era. (Walden, Colo.) 1906-19??, 1909-03-18

wont to ask: why, that fellow e9Sz-
loafs all day long over that corn
fed,' the crows and the farmers wife are sorry
And they have reasons. too The romancer who
mentally yards and 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 no more such
lifelike themes for his alleged poetic ability.
The small farmer is sorry to see his brother
of larger worldly goods take step forward by
procaiming 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. 1t is the duty OF every
mother crow as well the father crow, to teach
its young that the scarecrow is the friend of all
crows. Hence, the silent friend of winter and
summer no longer be perched upon by the
young crows in learning to fly, and the figure
which intended to be the crows god OF i'll
omen, but which in the eyes of the dark-hued
minions of the air indication of the
whereabouts of edibles in the shape OF corn, usu-
ally, is to be swept into oblivion.
The farmers wife hates to see the scarecrow
20 because of pleasant associations. During the
long summer days while she is alone, the men
and boys being off in the fields, the silent stiff
armed policeman carries silent conversation
with her. and she has surprised city people by in
sorting corn husk in the scarecrows upper left
nhand pocket as tribute to the vanity of the
Dlnantmate farmland. Always aDSOutely Sale "
talk to, never answering surlily, always silent
under the most scathing arragnment, is it any
wonder that the scarecrow will be missed by the
women folks?
Thus a score of years may see it extinct Amid
crashing of teeth by the old-time agriculturist,
tears by fair conversationaists 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
fulpa Uhic is n
squrrels-in fact, most anything or being which
is liable to infict grievous wrong upon Mr..
Farmer
While the scarecrow itself may become extinct,
agricultural experts declare. The realistic scare
crow is a work of art. A touch of realism here
and there will often chase away tramps in the
summer time-near-sghted tramps especially.
The scarecrow is purely an American institu-
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 much credence is
that told by a New England farmer, who remem-
bers the times before the war. AT that time ne
knew a farm hand in Maine who by natural
instinct a shirker of work His employer learned
this after the man had been in his employ three
hours Seeing that he was practically useless in
general farm work he set him to watching prize
cornfield hoping that-by this method he might utll-
ize the mans services and save his corn, Tor the
crows were hungry and there were lots OF theH-
For two days this suited the son of rest fine, for
lAe could lie down and doze the mere sight OF
him soaring the crows for miles around.
The shirker, whose name cannot be divulged