130 THE ROMANCE OF EVERIFARM 



fall when the clover stubble was plowed. These 

 germinated in the spring, and some of them came up 

 directly in the hills of corn, while others made their 

 appearance between the rows. These were easily de- 

 stroyed by the sharp surface cultivators, and after 

 the last cultivation men were sent into the fields in 

 search of any that might have escaped. The highly 

 fertilized ground nourished the stalks of corn so 

 well that they were not bothered by the crowding 

 of the few burrs that were left, and they just 

 laughed at the cockle burrs that were outcasts in this 

 community of good society, when one of them began 

 telling of the good times his folks had had on the 

 old farm of Farmer Careless. 



"You high-toned guys gits on my nerves," com- 

 plained Cockle Burr one day after a lengthy debate in 

 which the intelligence of the high-bred com easily 

 won out. "If I had my way, and had me pals from 

 up home, I'd show you," he added. 



"Well, one thing is sure, you and your low-brow 

 pals won't bother us any, because your time is short. 

 You are right. This is a high-toned bunch of folks, 

 and we don't want any rough-necks of your kind 

 around. What's more, we have a friend in Farmer 

 Good who won't stand for bums and hoboes in or out 

 of the corn field," returned one of the big healthy 



