Professor Mallock's SCARECROW

New Zealand Illustrated Magazine, 1 June 1901, Page 706

Professor Mallock's SCARECROW

Illustrated % i. hLutton

WN Professor Mullock's orchard the plums §|| were ripe. The harvest moon was in ft II! the sky, and showed the well-kept plum trees bending with the weight of ripe and juicy fruit.

All was calm, and no sound broke the stillness save the gentle rustling of the professor's cabbage palms, the soft, sighing of the flea waves on the sandy shore, and the howling of the next neighbour's bull pup.

A cloud passed across the moon, aud "while its shadow rested upon the scene, a ragged urchin struggled through a hole in the hedge, and after assuring himself that the coast was clear, crept stealthily towards the plum trees with greedy eyes and watering mouth.

Again the moon shone forth, and its clerr silver light revealed the nocturnal thief filling the bosom of his shirt with the biggest plums from the choicest tree. His cap had been left behind in the hedge, his ragged clothes were much too large, even the patches had been patched, and the tattered scarecrow beside him, placed there to scare away those imported thieves, the blackbirds and thrushes, was almost better dressed than he.

Although his ears were keen, he heard

not the sound of carpet slippers on the wellmowu turf, but his nostrils sniffed the aroma of tobacco, and glancing quickly round, he saw a scarlet smoking cap over the tops of some intervening bushes. In a few moments the wearer would be in sight. It was too late to fly, but he was seized with a brilliant inspvration.

In a moment the tattered hat of the scarecrow was on his head, the dummy figure itself was tossed behind some tall potato tops, and when, a moment later, Professor Mallock glanced towards his beloved plum trees, there was nothing unusual to attract his attention as he settled himself down on a garden seat.

Professor Mallook was writiug a book, and to-night, wearied with long hours of work, he had come to enjoy his pipe in the cooler air, and meditate under the moon and

stars

The soft beauty of the scene, and the influence of tobacco, soothed and tranquillized his mind, and he fell to thinking of the fame that would be his when his great work, the fruits of years of study and thought, should be given to the world.

It would lay the foundations of a new and beautiful philosophy of life, which

would, in time, regenerate the world, and make mankind nobler and happier. Meanwhile, the little scarecrow stood in his attitude of muteness, with his arms held out like sticks. The stolen plums in his bosom grew heavier and heavier, his little limbs grew tired and stiff, and into his poor little desolate heart came a feeling of sadness. He thought of the words his mother had said when he had knelt at her deathbed a year before, and promised her that he would be a good boy, and never steal or do anything wrong. Through the broken brim of his battered

spell it appeared to possess ! It seemed to breathe forth the spirit and personality of him whom it represented, although his bones had long, loii<jf ago crumbled into dust. From statue to scarecrow was a curious transition, but by no means impossible to a. man of lofty and comprehensive thought. " Ah," murmured the professor, " even that old battered scarecrow possesses a charm and teaches a lesson. There it stands, day after day, through dayliyht and darkness, silently, faithfully, doiu^ its work." As he spoke, he laid his hand, almost fondly, upon the rajj^c.d inia^e, when, to his

hat, he could see a. solitary star ; as he gazed, it seemed \\k: a reproachful eye looking down upon him from heaven, and two big tear drops stole slowly down his dirty face as he earnestly resolved never to steal any more. The professor had now risen h'om his seat, and was pacing slowly up and down. "Yes," he soliloquized, "my name will live in history as a great benefactor to humanity, and statues will be erected to my memory." The professor had once seen in Europe the statue of a great man who had been dead for hundreds of years; yet what a potent

utter astonishment, it gave a Birmilt:iiH;nuß yell and a leap. The professor promptly collapsed, and while he quaked with fear amongst; his tall potato tops, the urchin made good his escape. When he was sufficiently recovered from his astonishment, the professor rose to his feet and gazed about him. There lay the scarecrow on the ground at his feet, with the old battered hat lying beside it. " Good gracious !" said the dazed and bewitched professor. "Well, I'm blest; my nerves must be completely upset lam afraid I have been working too hard lately. 1 shall have to take things a little easier."