Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1941-10-10
.''Chirps'
from the
Democrats Pen

stranger than fiction.
I don't know whether any of you
people can recognize what's IN the
picture on this page, but it's a water
melon growing at the top of a woven
wire fence. This phenomenon is on
the property of Mr.. Wallace Taylor,
Cokesbury, over in Somerset county.
The vine on which the fruit grew
starts from the bottom Of the fence
and runs diagonally upward on the
wires until it reached point at the
ton about 10 feet away from where
it started. Here it began to produce
this melon, and, of course, it grew
downwards.
When it reached the first mesh it
proceeded to wrap itself around the
wire; and then it kept on growing un-
til it reached the second mesh and
proceeded to do likewise. So now, it
has the appearance of having two
wires running through it, but in re-
atty it has wrapped itself around the
two wires at the extreme top of the
fence.
Now, Just why that "Millyun" cut
such a caper, don't know-maybe
it thought it might escape notice on a
moonlight night when Sambo
thought a nice juicy specimen, an
swering faHorably to his thump,
thump," would find its way down
his throat mighty easily. Hanging
there in such peculiar way, it might
have been taken for wasp's nest or
a hornets home-tho' I reckon that
would have been a little out of order
for either-anyhow, it might have
escaped recognition as a melon, and
thereby have saved it from Sambo's
tooth.
So, / don't know what to expect
next-specially if this hot weather
doesn't cease to exist pretty soon.
I don't know whether it was the tenn
parature or not, but, only yesterday,
saw something very unusual to me.
However, as am not farmer nor
a bird fancier, perhaps ] lack exper-
fence.
Some days ago, you may have read
in this column that a fair lady Of
Somerset brought into my office three
specimen ears of corn, of which she
was very proud, and she stated that
she had plenty more where they came
from.
Well / put those sturdy ears in
my window, standing them up on end,
so people could see them, and what
do You suppose visitor asked me
one day? He saw the corn and when
he came inside he asked:
"Where did you get your nubbins ?"
All got to say is, I'm glad that
lady wasn't in to hear that wise
crack. He would have left with just
a little less hair on his head than
when he came. He couldn't have in
suited that lady more grievously
than to call her pet corn production
-nubbins. The idea! And if, by call
them nubbins, he thought to give out
the impression he had some speci-
mems which would make them look
like midget,s-he's got another
"think" comm to him.
But I started to tell you about the
mental alteration of some birds
chickens l mean; chickens with feath-
ers. thought it was a shame not to
put that corn to some use, so l took
one ear and shelled it with my own
hands. / don't know when ever did
such a thing before, and maybe some
of you folks think I'm EARNING, but
I amt. I shelled it, every grain, put
them into an envelope, and carried
them over to feed my neighbours
fowls.
I went up to the dividing fence,
called the "biddies" in my very best
style, and here they came. just
thought had dainty meal for them.
tossed over handful in pleasurable
expectation of a mad scramble for
the golden grains.
But no scramble. They looked
down at the food and then looked up
to me. They did little grooming in
their Threats and then walked away.
/ called them back and threw some
more. But they looked sorta sore for
being induced to return. They simply
turned up their noses at what l
thought no right-minded chicken, male
or female, would turn down. It's the
first tine in my young life, I ever
saw that species of bird life turn
down corn. And, I'd like to ask one
question of the lady who SO proudly
brought that cereal in my office:
what kind Of corn is it she raises
that chickens have placed their dis
approval on so emphatically?"