OCTOBER 



209 



fur of humbler animals. But if you insist 

 on going about as a wolf in sheep's clothing, 

 you must expect to do a sheep's duty. 



INDIAN CORN 



But we are safely over the fence and out 

 of the weeds, and now for a walk along the 

 edge of this cornfield. Was there ever 

 another crop so beautiful, so impressive as 

 Indian corn ? It is the richest legacy, be- 

 side the land itself, the Indians have left us. 

 Old age, a ripe old age, has overtaken these 

 stalks. The hair lacks the lustre, the silki- 

 ness of youth. The garments hang limp 

 about a form that has lost most of its curves. 

 The skin is getting brown and wrinkled and 

 spotted. Above all, the garrulousness of 

 old age has come on, and these stalks whis- 

 per constantly to each other, even to them- 

 selves. It is not a complaining whisper: it 

 is the quiet whisper of old age to old age — 

 that lovely old age that comes after a fruit- 

 ful life which has been spent in the faithful 

 performance of duty. 



How much more complaisantly we look 



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