The Democratic advocate., 1909-09-17
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The woman VINO sat on the door
steps Of her little house. situated In
the midst Of about three acres of land,
was crippled with rheumatism. aud
though she had white rag tied to the
end of a crutcIi and was waving Il al
half a dozen crows sitting on the fenrc
they seemed to regard her with con-
tempt Presently they dropped down
into the field and began TO scratch
The rag was waved and the woman
shouted, and voice at her gate asked
rs anything wrong with your
A girl Of eighteen had left the big
farmhouse on the hill, half a mile
away. for walk, and as she neared
the cottage the shouts of the woman
and the cawing Of the crows had at
tracted her attention.
"Yes. there's lots wrong" replied the
woman. THE crows are scratching up
the sweet corn | planted last week"
The girl entered the gate and picked
up a stick and advanced upon the
crows with a "S-h-o-oW and they took
to fight. Then she sat down beside
the woman.
'T'm from Jasper's," said the girl
'Mrs. Jasper Is my sister, and | am
there on a visit. passed here yester-
day and was wondering who lived
here"
TITS me that has lived here all alone
for the last five years, child. I'm
widow. The rheumatism came on me
two years ago and now ! can hardly
walk. The crows have scratched up
most all I've planted this spring. Pm
waiting for Farmer Johnson to come
along and set up a scarecrow for me-"
But ! can help you. You stun old
clothes with straw and make them
look like q man."
Bless you. dearl 1t viii be the say.
ing of my corn. You'll find trousers
and coat and hat hanging up In the
shed. got them out the other day"
An hour later the scare" was set up
on the corn ground. and there were
dismal lamentations from the crows as
they sought other fields. They had
blufed and robbed poor rheumatic
widow. but when II came to a man
with bis hat cooked on one ear and
stick In his hands to represent gun
they realized that times had changed.
That was May Kelly's first visit to
the Widow Hampstead. but after that
scarcely day passed that she did not
run In with gilt Of some sort and to
see that the scarecrow was attending
to business One afternoon as the con.
pie sat on the step and the girl was
telling the woman Of ber home In the
city tramp came along the road. He
may not have been hungry enough for
food, but he did want a new outfit a.
clothing. He caught sight Of the scare
crow, and his hopes rose. He was no
crow TO be fooled with straw stuffed
man. He saw the women, but be
climbed the fence and shouldered the
scare" and walked away with II.
Let that alone! You shan't take itlr
called the girl.
beg pardon. ladies'" replied the
tramp with bow and a scrapc. but
you do not understand the situation.
am invited to attend a wedding In the
next town. and I've got to have suit
to wear. This isn't as good one as |
could wish for but Iii have to make IT
do"
Its stealing. and you can be arrest
ed" threatened the girl.
And IL I'm to be arrested / must
have suit that is decent to go before
the Judge. | amt Dragging on nv
looks right this minute. but II you see
me half an hour later you'll take me
Tor broker going to business"
w.. And now the crowsg sighed the
widow as the tramp walked of.
And the scare was such beautiful
.2bjeetw added the girl. when we sat
here looking at him almost felt that
he could talk to us. You've got anoth-
er old hat and a ragged blanket in the
shed, but I'll have to bring something
from the house"
Half an hour passed when a crow
was sighted. The absence OF the
scare" had been noticed. The one
crow became 6ve-ten-twenty. They
sat on the fence and held a caucus.
They determined 10 despoil that widow
OF her last grain Of corn. Miss May
threw sticks and stones, but of course
they laughed at her. All crows laugh
when they see girl throwing. The
widow found rag and waved 1t 10
save the country, but the crows wink.
ed at 1t. Ragtime had passed with
them. They were ready to drop 10
earth and begin scratching when the
girl cried out:
Don't shoe any more. I'll scare the
life out Of themv'
In another minute she had the old
hat on and the ragged quilt around
her and was running across the field.
With q grand, chorus OF frightened
caws the crows rose up and sailed
away and then began circling round to
see If 1t was the real thing or only
a bluff. To convince them the girl
took q pose, and she was such a com
ical object that the widow forgot
all her sorrows in laughter. The new
scare" had been in position about ten
minutes when young man with a
gun on his shoulder came out of the
foods beyond the field and headed for
the house. The "scare's'' back was
toward him. The widow saw. but
dared not call out.
The young man would have passed
the object forty feet to his left. but
after glance at II his curiosity was
excited. He had seen scarecrows be-
fore, but never one like that. 1t seem-
cd to wayer now and then. instead OF
being tied fast to stake. Presently
Miss May heard the footsteps Of
man.
Here, you'll What do you wantT'
ballad tho t.,td<.., Fre.,, An, A,.n.,.,..~