Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-03-04

spoke! For second ROsey anu
Posey thought they must be dreaming
A scarecrowl talking! 1t was un.
believable! But another second
brought them to. the full conscious
ness of the situation. The scare
Icrow was bending over and saving:
THAT great black fellow with the
long sharp claws and sharp teeth IS
near at hand. Jump to my shoulders,
|my little friends, and I'll carry you
J home in fifty"
! Without asking a question the
twins jumped upon the scarecrow,s
shoulders, and Rosey had presence OF
mind to grab up the basket OF seed
from the ground. They were not a
moment too soon, for at the very
instant that Rosey lifted the basket
4 from the ground and the scarecroW
was balancing himself for run the
great black bear advanced upon them.
AS he came within two feet OF the
scarecrow he opened his great Jaws
as If to swallow, scarecrow, girls, bas-
ket and all.
"Ah, ha, my fine fellow" laughed
the scarecrow. And he just lifted a
great straw stuffed foot and thrust 1t
i
withdrew it his old ragged boot was
gone, but he did not mind. 1t had
suficed to choke the bear and make
him sto to cough and cough, trying
to get rid Of the boot and bunch of
straw.
| While the bear was coughing and
choking, and digging into his throat
with his paw to get the straw which
was tickling as we'll as choking him,
the scarecrow started homewards on
the run. Rosey and Posey sat upon
his broad loulders, enjoying the fine
ride. But the rain, now coming down
pretty hard, was unpleasant, and
Posey said: Wish we had an UNI
brella sister. My jacket will soon be
wet through
"Then have one, my dears," said
the scarecrow, and he jerked from in
side his long coat big umbrella,
which he raised and passed up to the
| little girls. well, we'll" cried Rosey.
E"Was there ever such strange thing
happened before It's wonderful
Posey leaned over and spoke in the
ear-or where the ear of real per-
son would have been-of the scare
crow. asking: "Please tell us, Mr.
Scarecrow. how you happened to come
to life, ard at time when we needed
you so much?'
AS the bear had been left far be-
hind, and there was no danger OF his
overtaking them, the scarecrow les
sened his speed and began talking:
well. my little dears, he began, you
see, I have had rather dull and lone
Ily life-standing in one spot In the
garden. So the, other night, after all
the crows had gone to bed, and
might 70 off duty-if I could get Off
I began to bemoan my fate. Two lit
tie fairies were passing at the time.
and heard my complaint. 'Ah, said
one fairy, let's give this nice Old
scarecrow life, so that he may enjoy
himself when not at work. So they
touched my head with a little wand,
and of a sudden I felt warm and
funny. Then my legs and arms be-
gan to move of themselves, but differ.
emily to the moveme1 IS made by the
wind. / found could walk about, and
that could talk and laugh. Well, l
went off on. lark as men would say.
and had jolly time of it. l walked
for miles and miles. played with rab'
bits, visited the birds in their nests.
went to the village and saw the shops
and pretty houses and waded the
river Toward morning came home,
took nv place, as usual, in the corner
Of the garden and all my human
powers left me. But they came again
this evening. And so set out 1or an
other good time, when my eyes Tell
upon you, my dears. And then saw
the big black bear. So, l put one and
one together and got two. An, ma,
said l to myself, that bear wants to
eat up my little ladies' So came to
your recue. And that Is my story.
But-here we are at your home, and
as sure as am scarecrow, your
parents will be at the gate, looking
for YOU, so before we turn the cor
ner of the hedge you'd best Jump to
the ground and take your basket and
RIM to the house. I'll stop in the
garden for moment. You see, l got
Off duty early today, owing to the un-
usual darkness brought by the heavy
clouds. All crows and other birds,
are in their nests though 1t is only
o'clock. But-good-by. my little
ladies. Say nothing OF this to anyone
for we're it known that the FAIRIES had
been good to me, would be watched,
and then I would. become .lifeless
again. And I do love to become ami
mated every night, for then get lit
tie exercise.
Then the scarecrow sat Rosey and
Posey on the ground, while he ran to
his place in the garden, and as the
little girls went on to the house they.
turned about to see him waving mis-
long arms about his head. And the
rain had ceased. and there was no
wind.
And when Rosey looked for the
umbrella 1t was gone. How strange"
abe said "But fairies always do such
strange things"