The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1904-09-29

you know / could have you sent to the /
penltentiary for breaking into my eel
lar? Supposing you like my cider
and / can well credit such supposi-
tiOn-wOuld it not have been more I
manly to come to me and ask for
it? I am sorry that any man, even
if he claims New Jersey as his home,
should be so devoid of self-respect as to
steal what he night have for the ask
ing. If you have a mother, or father,
or sister, or brother living; and if
they knew Of your disgraceful act,
would they not blush for you? Can
you"
Here the villain interrupted me by
lifting the pitcher Oh high and pour
ing the contents on my venerable head,
saying: "There, you old curmudgeon,
take your DANCED old cider if you feel
so sore about it,
1t is surprising, Hiram, how sudden
ly we can become transformed from
calm, reasonable men into violently
agitated, unreasoning animals. I
could have forgiven the brute for
drenching me with the precious liquid;
my discontinue was in itself not a suf-
fcient cause to rob me of my self-con-
troll; but when realized that the i'm
pudent rascal had wasted whole
pitcherful of hard cider that should
only be used to cheer the inner man,
1 felt that something had to be done,
and that suddenly. With yell that
would have made the most savage no.
BILE red man feel the sense of his infe-
riority, pOunced upon the unsuspect-
ing victim before me, and before he
realized what had happened, and how
it happened, he was the worst beaten
scoundrel that ever stole good cider
and wasted it. There was no fight, Hi
ram. ! 1t would be as truthful to say
that you and I had fight when used
to take you back of the barn to teach
you the first lessons In What is What
and Who is Who. The miserable sin.
: ner who sacrilegiously wasted bever-
age compared to which the nectar OF
the gods was but as the insipid water
, of stagnant pool, never struck me a
single blow. He was too astonished
, to strike back. And didn't give him
much time to collect himself. He
spent what time he had in crying fol
mercy. When at last I felt that the
punishment meted out to him eQualeG
the enormity of his crime kicked hin
out of the cellar, and he went to tht
barn to think it all over. The mex
day he packed up his things and va
mosed. suppose he felt ashamed tt
ask for what money was coming tt
him. for he went away without it; bu
1 have sent full months pay to hi
home address,; and much good may i
do him!
I have been in happy frame o
mind ever since the events above re
lated occurred-for three reasons
namely: dealt out justice to mai
who refused to listen to reason; N.
two other hired men now work lik
= beavers, look upon me with wholesom
respect, and never Kick at anything
q and my neighbors are all wondering
: how old Slowgo "did it."
r. Your sudden determination not t.
d publish any more of your letters rathe
O surprised me. But l don't blame you
}. Your letters were mighty poor readin
Q when compared with mine.
n Hiram, my boy, there have beel
10 many changes in and around Stagna
g tionville since you left home six year
10 ago. Some of your friends have moved
q others have, married, and some hav
a died. Among the latter was your on
:: time bosom friend, Thomas Saterlant
is who came to Stagnationvilie twelv
3 years ago from God knows where, an
"a whose history prior to his arrival her
ID remains secret to this day. He wa
n then, as you know, IS years of age, an
le was a painter By trade. You ais
ID know that he painted Judge B. 3 hous'
A. and that he and Mary B., the judge
y eldest daughter. fell in love with eac
D other at frst sight, and that they wer
r subsequently, married in spite Of th
10 judges objections, and that three chi
dren were born to them before you lei
il home. The judge, who was made u
or Of prejudices, never forgave his dsugl