210 UNDER THE OPEN SKY 



upon the corn than upon the beggar-tick! 

 With our one-sided view-point the one is 

 our friend, the other our enemy. Of course 

 they have no such notion. Each is anxious 

 to provide well for its children ; each takes a 

 different plan. One is unobtrusive, clings 

 to us, unconsciously to ourselves, and makes 

 us serve its purpose, not only without our 

 intending to do so, but clearly and distinctly 

 against our will. 



The other has taken a less subtle plan. 

 Instead of arranging that each child shall be 

 dropped into a new region far from the 

 home competition, the corn provides each 

 baby plant with inheritance enough to live 

 on vigorously until it is quite able to take 

 care of itself. For that, of course, is the 

 meaning of all the starch and oil lying up 

 against the sprout in this big seed. Then 

 we come along, persuade ourselves that the 

 corn is doing all this for us, eat the baby, 

 inheritance and all, and go on our way re- 

 joicing that we have so good a friend as 

 Indian corn. And all this as a result of our 

 view-point ! 



