John Morrison Davidson

“ Money was wanted above all things in the Arch household; and at the ripe age of eight years and three-quarters young Arch commenced to earn his livelihood as a bird-scarer or "crow-kepper," with wages at the rate of fourpence per diem. In South Warwickshire the living scarecrows are dressed as nearly as possible like the more common inanimate objects with which farmers are wont to adorn their potato-fields. ”

“ Though uneducated, technically speaking, she is perhaps superior to her husband as a speculative politician. At every step she has stimulated his zeal by steady devotion to great principles,—greater, perhaps, than it would naturally occur to him to advocate. In due course two children were born to them, and Arch's wages unhappily fell to nine shillings a week. Four persons to maintain at the rate of say fourpence per head per diem! ”

“ Fifty years a worker, thirty j-ears a ratepayer, a life's saving of four shillings and sixpence, a choice between the workhouse and his son's poor cottage, eighteenpence and a loaf for two months,—this was the life-story of Arch, senior!"
Nor was this in ante-union days an isolated instance of hardship. On the contrary-, so far from being the exception, it was the rule. Work as hard and live as sparingly as one might, the inevitable goal was the workhouse. Wages would admit of no other result ”

“ At ten years of age Joseph was considered ripe for the more responsible occupation of plough-driving. All day long the poor lad would trail his heavily clogged boots by the side of the horse, to whose gearing he would occasionally have to cling from sheer exhaustion. ”

“ Canada is, in truth, a country where it is difficult to say whether the rigor of the climate or the corruption of the Government is the more unendurable. If he had listened to the warbling of the official sirens, and deported large numbers of English laborers to the inclement shores of Canada, it would have been enough to wreck the union forever.
Mr. Arch's sojourn in the United States was less satisfactory. The New York working-men, intending nothing uncomplimentary, had advertised him to speak at the Cooper Institute without his consent,—more Americano. ”

“ They are supposed to be more effective than the voiceless stationary "keppers," inasmuch as from dawn till eve they move from field to field, emitting all manner of strange and alarming sounds. Their garb is, however, so grotesque, that the birds, it is hinted, draw near for the purpose of laughing at them ”

“ But, remember, you must be prepared for conflict, as the farmers will be sure to oppose you.' The reply was, 'You come: it can't be worse for us than it is.'" Thus simply was the "Revolt of the Field," the most remarkable social upheaval of the day, commenced. The news spread like wildfire, and on the Wednesday night Mr. Arch addressed over a thousand fellow-laborers under a great chestnut-tree at Wellesbourne. Meeting followed meeting in rapid succession. Arch was ubiquitous and untiring ”