THE BOLI^WEEVIL 5 



he was the biggest bug on earth, but he did not 

 stay with us long because he said that the Paris 

 green we treated him to was a little too strong for 

 his stomach, ha, ha, ha, ha, ahem ! And he was 

 mighty careful about coming again. I do not see 

 what on earth could be strong enough to force me 

 to take notice of it." 



When they came to the cross-road they parted, 

 and as Mr. Corn was walking along one road he said 

 to himself, "That Cotton has the big-head and 

 there is no doubt about it. He is just a big egotist, 

 and that's what he is. So far he has had fairly 

 good luck, but I have never yet seen a road that does 

 not turn sometime. 7 ' 



At the same time King Cotton, walking along 

 another road, was scolding in an undertone : " Doesn't 

 Corn think he is somebody ? The idea ! trying 

 to tell me what to do. If he ever gets as big and 

 powerful as I, then he will not have time to 

 listen to such childish prattle as he was giving 

 me." 



In the year 1892 the road turned. Sometime 

 during that year there came across the Rio Grande 

 river a veteran army of many wars. Fifty years 

 ago their ancestors had fought King Cotton in 

 Mexico, and, it is said, they won. When this army 

 came to Texas, Cotton was much surprised. A 

 little plant at the edge of the field looked at a taller 



