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University of Michigan - BUH.R.


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REPERTORY PLAYS Nº.3
The ºl
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Row:
BY J. A. FERouson
Nº. 3 ºscow Goºs º N




















º,
REPERTORY PLAYS, No. 26
THE SCARECROW
r 89

WORKS EY THE SAME AUTHOR.
NOVELS.
STEALTHY TERROR.
THE DARK GERALDINE.
POETRY. º
ON VIMY RIDGE AND OTHER POEMs.
ONE-ACT PLAYS.
CAMPBELL OF KILMHOR.
THE KING OF MORVEN.
Entered at the Library of Congress, Washington, U.S.A.
The performing rights of this play are fully protected.

All applications for permission to perform “The Scarecrow”
in the British Empire (except Canada) must be addressed to
Messrs. Samuel French Limited, 26 Southampton Street, Strand,
London, W.C.2, or their authorized representatives. For per-
mission to perform in America and Canada, to Samuel French,
28 West 38th Street, New York City, U.S.A.
The fee for each and every representation of the play by
amateurs in the British Empire (except Canada) is thirty
shillings ; in America and Canada, eight dollars. These sums
are payable in advance, and no performance may take place un-
less a written permission has first been obtained.
The terms for performance by professionals can be ascertained
on application. -
THE
SCARECROW
A HALLOWEEN FANTASY
IN ONE ACT
… ºf

BY
cº *** -
J. A. FERGUSON
GOWANS & GRAY, Ltd., London AND Glasgow
LEROY PHILLIPS, Boston, U.S.A.
1922
Copyrighted in U.S.A.

322.C.?
TR425 - n
vuo. 26
Printed in Great Britain { }
&y Turnbull & Spears, Edinburgh

6
- º
•.
º
4.
NOTE.

This play uses several of the old superstitious
beliefs and practices which survived in the remote
Highlands much later than elsewhere. These
beliefs and practices lived on not only because of
the remoteness but also because they had a firm
hold on a sensitive and highly imaginative people.
The policeman was not a favourite figure in the
Highlands.
It is an error to suppose these people spoke in
any variety of dialect known as “Scotch.” But
when they spoke English they spoke it with the
idiom belonging to their native Gaelic. Beyond
this there is very little to note regarding the right
speaking of the words in this play, and anyone
who did no more than give a slight stress to the
sibilants (e.g. “wass” for “was’’) would sufficiently
convey the right impression to his audience.


J. A. F.


| [Produced for the first time, on 21st October, 1921, at Maidstone,
hy the Dramatic Company of the Arts League of Service,
* Adelphi, London, with the following cast :]
º
* An Old Woman, - - Miss AGNEs Lowson.
A Policeman, - - Mr. CHARLEs THoMAs.
4 Young Woman, - - Miss Judith Wogan.
º
The Play produced by Miss ELEANor Elder.
•
º
|

CHARACTERS.
1. An Old Woman.
2. A Young Woman.
3. A Policeman.
Period: Any time in the early Nineteenth Century.
Place: An out-ſhed of a small farm near the village
of Torran in the Morar district of Inverness-ſhire.

The Curtain rises on a tenantless stage, fitted up as a
The
shed or barn. As the audience sees it there is a
door at the centre back, on the right of which
there is a small window. On the right side wall
is another door, giving access to a cow-ſhed. A
bundle of ſtraw and one or two filled sacks are
near this door, and there is a bench formed by a
plank resting on two boxes nearer centre. Close
up to the window there is another box. On a
mail by the window a few rabbit-ſkins are hang-
ing. In the corner are implements, spade, etc.
On the left of stage and up in the far corner is a
barrel in which stands a ſcarecrow, a rather
/arge and well-made figure with coat which comes
over front edge of barrel and a face with roughly
marked-in features surmounted by a rather
battered ſilk hat. On this side of the stage there
is little else beyond a bucket or two and some
potatoes and turnips near the barrel, and such odds
and end, as might be stored away in a farm-ſhed.
The barrel must be large to contain the player who
takes the part of the young sailor and it must be
open at both ends.

Woman wears a plain dark skirt with a small
shawl over her shoulders, and ſhe is bareheaded.

The Policeman is young, with rather unkempt hair and
an ill-fitting uniform. His tunic has a button or
two missing.
IO THE SCARECROW
The Girl is meatly dressed in a plain and short
skirt of dark homespun. A shawl of a dark tarian
covers her ſhoulder, and crossing in front has two
ends tucked into the waist. The ſhaw! is neatly
tucked in at the back also, and it comes slightly
over the top of her arms, which are bare. At her
entrance she has a larger shawl which she wear,
drawn over the head.
The lighting throughout should be low enough to allow
the lantern to be prominent.
After the curtain has been up fºr a moment the door
opens and the woman, lantern in hand, enters,
followed by the policeman.
woMAN
(Holding the lantern high.) Here’s a fine place for
you to watch in.
POLICEMAN
(Looking about him.) Aye, and the straw there will
do well for me to stretch myself on.

WOMAN
(Protesting.) To stretch yourself on 1 Do you
think I asked you here to sleep?
POLICEMAN
I wouldn’t be at all afraid to sleep here. Not I.
(Seeing scarecrow, he stares at it fºr a moment
THE SCARECROW II
uncertainly and then in a hushed voice.) Who
is there
woMAN
(Looking from him to scarecrow.) That? Are you
afraid of him * It is only the scarecrow.
We take the poor cratur in for the winter—
- to frighten the rats from the seed-potatoes.
(Policeman goes towards door.) Where are you
going :
POLICEMAN
Just to shut the door. There’s a wind blowing in
that made my hair stand on its ends just now.
(Shuts door.)
WOMAN
(Suspiciously.) You are not afraid?
POLICEMAN
Afraid I am afraid of nothing, I tell you.
WOMAN
The last policeman we had—he was a good man,
a very good man, very brave. We were all
quite sorry when he died.


POLICEMAN

(With a grand air.) Well, I don’t know how
brave he was, but I am very brave myself.
In Tiree they used to call me the tiger, I was .
-
# 2. THE SCARECROW
such a raging, tearing young fellow, you un-
derstand.
WOMAN
Were you so Well, we'll see how you behave
yourself. You may be as well-thought-of
yet. Come now and see the poor cow I was
telling you of.
[She picks up lantern and walks toward; barn
on right, but turns when he does not follow.
POLICEMAN
(Going towards her.) Would you say it was a hard
place this for a policeman to have a good
name in :
WOMAN

Hard No, it’s an easy sort of place if you
behave yourself. You have to mind that the
people always have an eye on you. If they
catch you doing what you shouldn’t be doing
or doing what they tell you not to do—well
—you'll only have yourself to blame for what-
ever happens.
[They enter inner barn and are heard talking.
After a little the door opens ſtealthily and a
girl enters, and with every sign of precaution
steal toward; the left. Once ſhe pauses and
as if afraid turns back, but finally goes on
till she reaches the barrel in which the scare-
crow stands. She drops what might be food
into it and whispers, putting down her hand
THE SCARECROW I 3
º
which appears to be caught inside the barrel,
for she wrenches it away with difficulty juſt
as the voices of the waſman and policeman
become louder. The girl is bending to pick
up two turnips as the others re-enter.
POLICEMAN
And you think, then, it’s a witch is taking the
milk of her
WOMAN
I do. What else could it be with the door locked
every night Do you think the old scare-
crow there is doing it on the sly (See: girl
and cries out at her.) What are you about?
GIRL
I was just getting a turnip or two for the boys to
make their Hallowe'en lanterns.
WOMAN
(Indicating policeman.) Was it not to see himself
there you came : -
GIRL
Him I
WOMAN
Just that—anything new—
POLICEMAN
(Complacently.) I am used to being looked at. I
do not mind her doing it at all.

I4 THE SCARECROW
WOMAN
Och—for want of a better she is the kind that
would sweetheart the old scarecrow himself.
(To girl.) Be off with you !
POLICEMAN
(As girl goes out.) Isn’t that a fine, tasty lass now !
I haven’t seen her equal since I left Tiree.
WOMAN
(Shortly.) She is my daughter.
POLICEMAN
Do you tell me! Well, well, there's many a
pretty apple comes off an old, withered stump
of a tree.
WOMAN
(Facing him, sharply.) She's not for your mouth.
So you needn’t be making eyes after her.
It's not to watch her I got you here, but to
find out who or what is taking the milk off
my poor cow.

POLICEMAN
(After a pause.) There's that young sailor deserted
from the King's ship at Tobermory—would
the people hereaway mind if I caught him,
do you think
WOMAN
(Impatiently.) There's plenty after him without
THE SCARECROW I 5
you. It’s the poor cow there that needs
your help.
POLICEMAN
Do you suspicion anyone at all
WOMAN
It's for you to find out who it is, with the great
skill you have.
POLICEMAN
(Taking out note-book and seating himsel on box.)
That's so. Well now, they have a way of
finding out them things in Tiree. Did you
ever see anyone counting your chickens on a
Friday?
WOMAN
(Sitting down on bench.) Is it witchcraft you mean?
POLICEMAN
That cow there has a queer, wild look about her
eyes.
WOMAN
(Considering.) There's that old Campbell woman
in the house among the trees. I wouldn’t
put it past her.

POLICEMAN

In Tiree we know well how to find out them
things.
I6 THE SCARECROW
WOMAN
Do you tell me ! It must be a wiser place than
they think here. What do they do?
POLICEMAN
It's the easiest thing in the world to find out a
witch-wife. All you have to do is to wait
till the first of the month lands on a Monday.

WOMAN
Yes!
POLICEMAN
Then you go to a place where you can overlook
the house, and, if you see the smoke going
against the wind, it's a witch lives there.
WOMAN
(Gets up and begins to clear a few odd, and ends to one
side.) Do you tell me! There ! Isn’t it
the kind people that sent a man like yourself
with such a wealth of wisdom on you, to
take care of us all ! Och, och, if you had
been here last year my old goat might still
be in the land of the living.
POLICEMAN
What are you doing
WOMAN
I'm clearing a good space for you to struggle in
when you catch her.
THE SCARECROW 17
Are witches thieving people :
POLICEMAN
Catch who
WOMAN
The witch of course. Who else? You must
arrest her. -
POLICEMAN

(Rising.) Arrest her
WOMAN
What else are you for
PolicEMAN'

(Pacing about.) I have a right to warn off all
beggars, vagabonds and strollers; to arrest all
thieves, murderers, sheep-stealers and deserters
from the King's service; but there's not one
word about witches in all the police regula-
tionS.
WOMAN


POLICEMAN
That’s true.
WOMAN
And aren’t they bad people?
R 9o
I 8 THE SCARECROW
*
POLICEMAN
Yes.
WOMAN
Very well, then.
POLICEMAN
(Much perturbed, speaking rapidly.) And what if
she comes to milk the cow in the shape of a
hare, or a gull to fly down the chimney, or a
- big black dog that will creep round the door
in the dark 2 (Woman goes on working.) Och,
och isn’t this a hard place to be a policeman
in ' It's sorry I am not to be still cutting
- peat in Tiree.
WOMAN
That was harder work.
POLICEMAN
(Rapidly, indignantly.) Yes; but I wouldn't be
doing it at this hour of the night, nor yet on
this night of the year—I that was always fond
of good company. I’d be sitting round
taking good cheer with my friends, and maybe
putting two nuts to the fire to see if I’d
be hitting it off with some nice lass before the
year was out, instead of waiting in a dirty old
shed with one old witch to watch for another.
(To woman who is going to the door with the
/antern.) Where are you going? t


THE SCARECROW I9
WOMAN
I’ve got company coming to the house this Hallow-
e'en, and I must see to them now.
POLICEMAN
You're not going to desert me?
WOMAN -
I am that.
POLICEMAN
What!—leave me here all alone! I'll not stop, I
tell you.
WOMAN
I’ll report you if you leave.
POLICEMAN
Give me the lantern at least.
WOMAN
(Taking a big key from her pocket.) Why should I
do that Its light would be seen, and
they'd keep away, and you wouldn't catch
them at their tricks.
POLICEMAN
You're not going to lock me in I’ll not stop, I
tell you.
WOMAN
You'll have to, it’s your duty.
:
2O THE SCARECROW
POLICEMAN
(Stamping.) Who ever heard the like? It's my
duty to lock other people up—not to be
locked up myself. (Struck by a thought.)
Why, if the door is locked, how will the milk-
thieves get in for me to catch

WOMAN -
(Who has been knocking key as if to clear it from dust.)
I have locked this door every night, and still
the milk goes. Whoever or whatever comes,
a locked door makes no difference to them.
Locking the door will not keep it from getting
in at you.
POLICEMAN
Then there's no sense in locking me up. Leave
it open—wide open. I’ll be lying inside
ready to spring on them like a tiger.
WOMAN |
(Half opens the door again and peaks from the outside.)
I’ll soon be thinking you are afraid. I
believe you would run away.
POLICEMAN
(Coming close up.) I'll go to sleep, I will. I’ll not
care who comes in, nor what they do. I’ll... .
[Door shut and shed is in darkness.
POLICEMAN
(Finding his way across to box, its down. He strikes
THE SCARECROW 2 I
a match to light his pipe.) Och, och, if the
people of Tiree knew the way I am treated
here it's sore vexed they would be. (Puffs.)
What was that? (Listens, holding up the
match.) It was just the noise of the sea,
biting at the rocks. (Whistles weakly.) I
never like to be left alone, I’m, I’m, that
fond of company. (Short silence and then
loudly in a passion.) Why the divil don't I
hear them singing and laughing up by |
They are all very quiet-like for Hallowe'en...
[He goes round the shed, striking matches to
t peer into the dark corners. Someone is
heard at the door, which is stealthily opened.
- He drops behind sacks. The girl enters
softly, antern in hand and carrying some-
thing in her upturned apron.

GIRL
! (Quietly.) Are you there : (Comes fºrward) Are
you there, Donald
POLICEMAN

| º from behind Jacks. Girl starts at sight of him.)
|
Yes, I am here. I thought you were the
witch. But how in the world did you know
my name was Donald
GIRL
s (Recovering). The witch Is that why you
were hiding
22 THE SCARECROW
POLICEMAN
Yes; I was just getting ready to spring. (Coming
up to her.) What have you in your apron
Apples Nuts (He takes and bites an apple.
Puts handful of nuts in his pocket.) This is
very kind of you.


GIRL
(Harshly.) I—I hope they will choke you. I
think now you were afraid. My mother had
to lock you in, was it
[Policeman ſits down on the board to eat apple. º

GIRL
(With change 0 tone and coming acroſs to him.) Look
you, if I were you I'd not wait here on a 4
night like this; I’d go and have my fun with
the others. I’d run away before herself had
time to stop me, so I would.

POLICEMAN
Would you so
GIRL
(Confidentially bending towards him.) Aye, would I.
I’d never let her stop me having my fun.
It's the way of the old to do that. They &
had their fun themselves when they were
young; and when they are old they think to
make up for it by stopping them that are still .
young. Look you, the door is open. (Points.)
THE SCARECROW 23
POLICEMAN
Aye, so it is. (Gets up and, walking over, shuts door.)
GIRL
What are you doing : Why do you not run
away
POLICEMAN
(With his back to door.) Run away, is it * I was
never the man to run away from a pretty lass
the like of yourself.
GIRL
(Impatiently.) Oh... (Turns her back on him,
walks away and then faces him.) How long
are you going to be here?
POLICEMAN
(Coming up to her.) I am not in any hurry at all.
GIRL
(After a pause.) I must be getting back now.
POLICEMAN
(Intervening between her and the door.) No, no, stay
a while. They’ll not miss you half as much
as myself. It's lonely I am here.
GIRL
(Darkly.) Maybe you are not so much alone as
you think.
*

24 THE SCARECROW
POLICEMAN
What are you saying :
GIRL
I was saying, maybe you are not so much alone as
you think.
POLICEMAN
(Looking around doubtfully.) Eh
GIRL
What would you say if I myself was the witch
POLICEMAN
(Relieved.) Oh, you? I'd say: Give me a spell
that I may lay hands on that young fellow who
deserted the King's ship at Tobermory.
GIRL
Have you seen him

POLICEMAN
Not I; but I heard he was seen two days ago on
the road to Arrochmore. He may be hiding
hereaway.
GIRL
(Quietly.) It was a mile beyond Torran I met him.
POLICEMAN
What do you tell me ! You have seen him
THE SCARECROW 25
GIRL
(Defiantly.) . I have talked and walked with him.
I have fed him and guided him on his way.
POLICEMAN
(After a moment.) I could arrest you for this.
GIRL
(Laughing.) Arrest me And what kind of a
life would you have here after you did it
Not the life of an old dog that had cast his
teeth.
POLICEMAN
(Crestfallen.) That's true.
GIRL
Why, if I were only to say you had threatened
IIle . .
POLICEMAN
But you won’t do it?
GIRL

I don’t know. It would teach you a lesson—you
bold and impudent fellow. (A pause and
change of tone.) It was a mile beyond Torran
I met him. (Policeman walks away.) He
told me his sad history. (She waits for him to
say something.) I said he told me his sad
history.
26 THE SCARECROW
POLICEMAN
(Drily.) I dare say.
GIRL
Oh, how sad and pitiful it was
POLICEMAN
Them sailors have the fine slippery tongues for
getting round all women.
GIRL
It would have made a man as hard-hearted as
yourself to shed tears.
POLICEMAN
I am not hard-hearted. Why, once in Tiree...

GIRL
(Running on.) He was a fisherman, he said.
There was a fine young girl loved him, he
said ; and there was an old fellow of a rich
farmer had an eye on her too. And her
mother was after forcing the old man on her
because of his wealth. But the girl—oh,
she would not, she could not So the
mother and the old man put their heads
together, and after the lad had lost his boat,
while he was in Tobermory trying for another,
they got him trepanned on a King's ship and
before he knew it he was bound in the
THE SCARECROW 27
Finn
King's service... Have you ever heard the
like of that :
POLICEMAN
Many a time. I’ve heard better and I’ve heard
WOTSC,
GIRL
And the old woman pretending he had run away
to be rid of her, and working on her pride to
make her marry the old man before people
started mocking her—You do not believe
me
POLICEMAN
I believe you—not him.
GIRL
What's wrong with it?
POLICEMAN

Oh, it’s just too like other stories that are like it.
Did he tell you he only left his ship to see
the girl once before they tore him away
GIRL
That’t what he said.
POLICEMAN
(Cunningly.) And it wasn’t very clever of him
either. Now, if it had been myself that's
what I’d have told an old woman or a man.
28 THE SCARECROW

But to a lovely young girl the like of yourself
I’d have kept dark about the other one. I’d
have said it was my mother I wanted to take
farewell of. (Girl wheels away and he adds
half to himself.) A man that is such a great
fool about women should be easy for me to
catch. (To girl.) What are you thinking of
now Am I not right


GIRL
(Scornfully.) I am thinking you are too clever to
be a policeman in these parts. It’s in Oban
you should be—or Glasgow itself.

POLICEMAN

(Eagery.) And well I’d like to be there ! It's
the policeman is the master there. With his
whistle and his club he rules file whole place.
I saw a picture once that came from Glesgow.
It was a policeman hitting a grand gentleman
in a fine pair of trousers, and by the look of
him, not caring at all who should see him do
it. That was the best of it. But in a place
like this I declare you cannot clout a boy on
the ear for putting out his tongue behind
your back without raising the whole country
against you.
GIRL
I never would have guessed you were so fierce
a fellow. I’d... I’d never be afraid when
you were near me.
THE SCARECROW 29
POLICEMAN
What is that you say :
GIRL
I said I’d never be afraid when you were by.
POLICEMAN
What is there to be afraid of?
GIRL
Oh, the witch and all that, on a night like this.
I thought I heard a dog howling. Isn’t it
queer we should be spending the Hallowe'en
together in an old barn, and the house out
there full of company and good cheer. I
wonder what it is makes me stay on, and you
quarrelling with me all the time.

POLICEMAN
(Brightly.) You are well pleased to be here, is it?
GIRL
(Ferventy.) I am that.

POLICEMAN
If the old woman catches you—
GIRL
Herself sent me down the road to bring an old
man up—an old man that is too blind to see
in the dark—that I was to give my arm to.
3o THE SCARECROW
And him with a white beard and eyes, like the
old goat that died on us last year. But he is
an old fellow as rich as the Jews; and so, you
see, the longer I'll be gone the better she'll
be pleased.
POLICEMAN
But in the end you’ll have to go back without the
old man, and what will happen to you then
GIRL
I never look so far ahead. Maybe I'll take in the
old scarecrow there. You could hardly tell the
difference.
POLICEMAN
Is he as bad as that :
GIRL
worse too. He's more bent and not halfso hand- "
some. (After a pause, coaxing.) Maybe
you’d go down yourself for him if I watch
here while you are away *
POLICEMAN
And then you’d go in with him and I’d be left
here alone. No 1
GIRL
You'll have a girl yourself, over there in Tiree.

º THE SCARECROW 3 I
POLICEMAN
* There's no one at all, I tell you.
GIRL
No one at all? And isn't that the pity—that a
'' big beautiful man like you should never have
been able to—to get one for himself.
POLICEMAN
I could have had a dozen if I’d wanted; but I
never yet saw one that pulled me.
º GIRL
There's a way of finding out the name of her
you’ll marry. It's only on the night of
º Hallowe'en it can be done.
POLICEMAN
Do you tell me? That's a thing they don't know
ſº in Tiree.
GIRL
Yes. You fill your mouth with water, and then
you go out...
POLICEMAN
Yes.
GIRL

You go out and listen at some lighted window to
what the people are saying inside.

32 THE SCARECROW
POLICEMAN
Yes.
GIRL
The first name you hear spoken will be the name
of her you will marry.

POLICEMAN
(Considering—ſhakes his head.) I wouldn’t mind
taking the water—though it's a poor thing
for a man to put in his mouth ; but I
couldn’t leave this place unprotected. Who
knows, that witch might come in and be
filling her mouth with the milk. You'll
have to find some other way.
GIRL
Some other way for what?

POLICEMAN
(Naively.) Some way to tell me about the lass
that won’t send me out alone in the dark.
GIRL
(Pacing away slowly.) There is a way, but not one
that gives you her name. It just tells you
whether she will be a maid or a widow or
none at all. I lay out three small dishes, one
with water in it, another with milk and
another with nothing. (Comes back quickly.)
Then I tie a cloth over your eyes so that you
Cannot See,
THE SCARECROW 33
[She takes possession of his coloured cotton hand-
|- kerchief, and puts it over his eyes from
behind.
º POLICEMAN -
(Firmly, and taking it away.) No, thank you. I
have no mind to be blindfolded this night.
GIRL

(Flinging away.) Then you won't know her name,
- - nor aught else about her. (At a distance.)
The young sailor would have let me blindfold
º him. He would never have feared to go out
in the dark. He trusted me. He would
have gone where I told him even if there
were King's men watching for him on every
road this night except on the bridle-road over
the hills to Ballintuim.
[Pretends to weep into her apron.

POLICEMAN
(Sitting moodily twiddling his thumbs.) Be quiet. I
have heard too much of that fellow this
night.
GIRL
, (Steak up in front of him.) That young sailor said
I had the fine eyes.

POLICEMAN
º
He would be a good judge too.
R 91

34. THE SCARECROW

GIRL
He...said my mouth was more sweet than stolen "
honey.
POLICEMAN
You let him taste it well, no doubt. !
[She turns her back on him.
POLICEMAN

(After a pauſe, lugubriously and slowly.) Sailors are
born lucky. Myself I had nothing but a
taste of the old woman’s tongue.
GIRL
(Turning.) Will you look into my eyes and tell
me?
POLICEMAN
Tell you what?
GIRL

Tell me if you think he was wrong about my eyes.
[She goes up to him and bending forward looks
intently into his eyes.
POLICEMAN
(Averting his gaze and putting up hand.) It is
yourself is the witch. -
GIRL
(Sitting on the bench beside him.) Would you be so
kind as to try and see if—if it is as sweet as
he says:
. THE SCARECROW 35
[He hesitates a moment, jumps up, walks away
(e and then wheels round.
POLICEMAN
I would not. There's some divilry in this that's
* } beyond me.
GIRL
Have you ever seen a witch Come and sit down.
I will not touch you.
*}

POLICEMAN
I don’t believe in them at all at all. There used
to be witches in the old times; but they are
all gone since the railway came.
• GIRL
(Standing up.) But there is no railway nearer
here than a hundred miles.
• POLICEMAN
(Going to bench and fitting down where he was before.)
That's true. (Pause.) Has yourself seen
º one *
GIRL
(Sitting on box between bench and door.) I once went
at night and looked in at an old woman's
| window.
POLICEMAN
º (Expectant.) Yes.

36 THE SCARECROW
GIRL

(Bending forward but at some distance from him as she
speaks. She makes much play with her hands.)
She was sitting on the floor with a big dish
of water on her knees, and there was a circle
of twelve little black nuts around her.
POLICEMAN
Yes.
GIRL
There was a little shell floating on the water. I
saw her mouth saying some words I could not
hear at all.
POLICEMAN
(Bending forward.) Ah!

GIRL
But I knew well what she was after. (He mod:
agreement.) Then she began to rock the dish
on her knees, at first little by little, her mouth
all the while screwing out prayers to Satan
himself.


POLICEMAN
Heaven help us !
GIRL
Then she began to rock the dish quicker and ,
quicker, and I could see there were three *
THE SCARECROW 37
little black peas in the inside of the shell.
º All at once I saw ...
[Cover face with her hands.
POLICEMAN
* What? What?
GIRL
I saw the little shell sink to the bottom of the dish
and then I heard... I heard...oh!
POLICEMAN
(Whiſpers.) What was it you heard?
GIRL
I heard all those black nuts around her began—
began to bark like dogs.
POLICEMAN
(Trembling.) God bless my soul
GIRL
(Rapidly and rising to her feet.) Something came
over my eyes—I could not see. When I
- came to myself the old witch was lying flat on
the floor, and the dish in a hundred pieces
was scattered all over the house. (Slowly.)
• On that same night there was a great storm
arose, and there were three fishermen in one
º boat out on the sea that never came back.
Do you say you don’t believe in the black art
now

38 THE SCARECROW
POLICEMAN
(Wiping his face.) I always knew there was some- -
1n 11.
GIRL
Why, look at that scarecrow there. He once
belonged to the woman I tell you of. A very
powerful scarecrow he is. He can do every-

thing but talk. And there's them that have
seen him taking a walk by himself, at night,
after his day's work was over. (She steal;
acroſs and sits by his ſide while he stares at
scarecrow.) Do you know why people burn
nuts and break nuts this night?
[He ſhakes his head.
POLICEMAN
(Shakily.) I know they do it, but not why they
do it.
GIRL

(Shaking him and whispering loudly.) 'Tis because
the noise keeps away the things that walk
abroad this night—Break seven nuts this
night and nothing can touch you.
[He hastily gets out the nuts from his pocket,
ſift; a piece of iron from the floor and breaks
a nut on the bench.
POLICEMAN
(Break; another.) Two.
s
THE SCARECROW 39
[As he raises the implement to break another,
the sound of a breaking nut is heard from
the ſcarecrow. The policeman look, round
Mistening. Then thinking he is deceived
again raises the implement. The moment
he does so another crack is heard and he
Iowers his arm, takes up the nut and
examines it. He lays it down again and
prepares to ſtrike it when the sound is
again heard. He sits up and looks round.
While he looks he fees the barrel with the
scarecrow on top walking towards him as if
it were a very tal/person. It walks ſlowly
and stiffy out by the door. The policeman
fall, backward off the bench.
CURTAIN

*