The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1909-04-22

the course of nations. They dispensed
the fruit of equity. Nature had intend
ed their vocation as the ideal. There
could be no doubt bur that this son
should continue the work of Il e father,
adding incre ased prestige.
Another decade cIept by. The dawn
of maturity had spread around these
youths. The respective fathers had all
passed from active life. Two or THREE
of item had gene from existence
The Iaborer's boy owned a small mer-
camille business in western village
that was destined to become me.r0p-
oils. With him lived gray haired
couple, the breadearners OF his youth.
A plain, sensible woman he had chosen
as cemrade. Fruga!ity, thrift and
common sense were written in big let
ters across his living. The manufac-
turers boy was trying to negotiate a
loan, with fifth mortgage, on his last
property right. The foreman's boy
was president, secretary, tie easurer, di-
rector and general advisor to fifteen or
twenty stock corporations, with an ag-
gregate capitalization of ten or fifteel
million dollars, which covered every
thing in the whole range of commercial
possibilities, from chewing gum to
wireless telegraphy. 1t certainly would
be satisfying if the conceptions Of his
boyhood were to be consummated. The
doctors boy was pharmacy clerk, ac-
tive and courteous. A nice, bright
young man. Lawyers are long lived.
The lawyer was now highly honored
judge. The son had just received a de-
, gree. Early prophecies bid fair to be
realized.
Ten years later.
A. neat front sign over the entrance
to herb-scented store announced its
sA proprietorship. Good taste was every
3 where manifest. Gilded vials; plate
8 glass showcases, granite floors, all i'm
: maculately clean, indicated proficit MT
] management. The doctors boy was a
t pharmacist; a successful one.
i On the side of a sand bill a great con
3 course of teams, wkeslel scrapers
d stone-jiggers and bronzed, touzled mel
\ labored necessarily throughthe sitting
!, heat of midsummer. And over in {
: hollow some fifty yards distant worked
s man at dumping. 1t was the manu-
s facturer's son. He had seen Europe
C He had owned q sevel-master; he fat
o once been prince of club mel.
If The lawyers son was collection at
n torney-with u ten-dOllar Office in
e. skyscraI er. His ability to collect wa
9. largely due to his ingenuity at evasion
% Mastery of district politics seemed t
be his highest ambition. 1t was pei
"a sistently rumol ed that he was an al
n tist in buffet etiquette. Surely h
I'd was not the man which fancy ha
80 painted thirty years Lefore. Yet
could not be said that he had come
u abject failure.
er The business venture of the stn @
1e the laborer had grown. Fortune ha
- smiled OIL the providence of the DO
and the passing " ais had done the res
eu He had developed into man of mean
IS All the attributes of integrity were nj
,r- The community which knew him Kol
at ore him and he in turn honored tn
=. community. Persistency, economy, il
o'' dustry, insight, and uprightness ha
re. brought their usual reward.
g- In q narrow eel in county ia
on chafed comparative young man {
- spirited appearance. Back and fort
'e- lie paced-hair and
As thrust deep into his trouser pocket
ke A distant clock had just tOlled off
or late hour. Tomorrow was to spe
mi something; the man best knew wha
=" Poor fellow, his father had been a for
no man, capable one. The son had see
mis- larger things for his future and the fo
mis- ly OF shallow friends had added col
ITO to the dream. Now the direfnl cons
-. quences of perfidy discovered loom'
uu before him. acquisitions from ha
to score of states crossed and recrOsst
alf each otter in mad haste to lay hold
bic this violator of social ethics. He hi
re- vast gardens; he had revelled in lux
Dre ries untold: he had. held the reigns
cir dominion unhindered; his life had f1u
n tered over q golden strand of splendt
But it had all been q adream; its elegan
lio all ethereal. And now there was he
tit. ror everywhere. This child of wea
ness was the last of this selection fro
red the second generation.
-. Each life learns and teaches lesse
'o0 A full rounded lesson. And time
ed. full of lives. Yet what life Is to
oc- emulated? What lesson is to
ess taught? Personally would rath
ted Continued on column this pdge.l