The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1909-03-11


farmer possessed Of perhaps only c616EE,
SO 10 100 acres the city man, who O6LnnE2|
was wont to ask: why, that fellow G-2zz-
loafs a day long over that
field" the crows and the farmers wife are sorry.
And they have reasons too The romancer who
mentally tore off yards and yards of poetry about the
pathetic plight of the guardian of the chicken COOP
and cat crop. must wend his way about the plan
tation of hrs country cousins in constant fear Of
touching a live wire and he has 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
prodai1ning the scarecrow extinct
The city man may no longer wonder at the art
of putting the sham together and his suggestions
about giving Il touch Of decoration is positive
ly obsolete.
As FOR the crows II is the duty Of every
mother crow. as well as the father crow. TO teach
ats young that the scarecrow is the friend of all
crows. Hence the silent friend of winter and
summer can longer be perched upon by the
young Grows 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
Sninions Of the air was an 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
40 because OF pleasant associations. During the
long summer days while she is alone, the men
and boys being of in the fields the silent stiff
armed policeman carries on a silent conversation
with her. and she has surprised city people by in
sorting corn husk in the scarecrow's upper left
hand pocket tribute to the vanity of the
nanimate farmland. Always absolutely safe to
talk TO, never answering sury, always silent
under the most scathing arraignment, is 1t any
wonder that the scarecrcw will be missed by the
women folks?
Thus q score of years may see 1t extinct Amid
gnashing 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, oe curtain is
to be drawn over this piteous individual.
The word scarecrow signifies its realm OF use
fuiness which is to scare crows hawks. rabbits,
sqasrreis--in fact. most anything or being which
is liable to inflict grievous wrong upon Mr..
Farmer.
While the scarecrow itself may become extinct,
tho art of making scarecrows Will always live,
agricultural experts declare The realistic scare
crow is a work OF art. touch Of realism here
aud there will often chase away tramps in the
summer tiIne-near-sighted tramps especially.
The scarecrow is purely American nstitu-
ton invented for the purpose of helping the
fafmer protect his grains, but reversed by thieves
and made an eyer-present food indicator. No
body knows who invented Il and nobody cares
much.
One story which has found so much credence is
that told by a New England farmer, who remem
bers the times before the war. At that time he
knew a farm hand In Maine who by natural
instinct shrkeT of work. His employer learned
this after the man had been in his employ three
hours Seelug that he was practically useless In
general farm work he set him to watching prize
corn6eid hoping thatby this method he might util-
ixe 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 fine, for
he could lie down and doze, the mere sight Of
him scaring the crows for miles around
The shkker. whose name cannot be divulged