The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1910-07-14
s sTILLwATEk MINNESOTA, THURSDAY, JULY H. 1910

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man, SO in a gentlemanly way he
laughed:
He! He! What do you think / am,
you lazy scoundrel?" and with a clump
aside the head he knocked him back
to his seat.
Get on with that lesson,' he COM
manded, his p pale and drawn
wolflike with passion. d a n shook
his head. Whereupon Conroy raised
the floodgates Of his frenzy and
punched left and right alternately,
until Dan with sob laid his head
upon his arms and was still.
After school his sister Margaret
found him in the midst of a crowd
Of ympat b etic, but resourceless
schoolmates weeping with the aban-
donment Of hopelessness. Indeed
the condition of Dan was SO pitiable,
that Conroy made it his business to
call upon Mrs. Mulroy with an ex-
planation couched as might be ex-
pected in terms warranted to throw
no discredit upon himself. Mrs.
Mulroy was proud and exceeding
ly vain woman whose life prior to
her marriage was spent in the service
of wealthy, aristocratic family from
whom she inbibed sentiments and
prejudices that destroyed her fitness
for the position she occupied as the
wife of laboring man. Conroy knew
her weakness and played upon it with
the skill of an experienced diplomat.
It's heart-rending, Mrs. Mulroy,'' y
he said. Yes, / repeat it, it's heart
rending that such a splendid woman
as yourself should be harrassed with
such an ungrateful and vicious son.
His conduct today was disgraceful.
There is nothing in the world | SO
much abhor as the infection of corpo-
raj punishment. But-discipli i n e
must be maintained. It's sad, very,
very sad and hope you will see to
it, Mrs. Mulroy.'
She promised she would, where
upon t h e voluble and Immaculate
mentor Withdrew.
"Oh, yes, I'll see to it," said Mrs.
Mulroy when he was gone. I'll
show him what it means O make a
laughing stock of his mother SO I
will" With musing of this descrip-
tion she succeeded in working her.
self up to a state bordering u p O n
insanity. When Dan eventually ap-
peared fumbling along un er the
guidance of his sister, the pathos of
the situation was lost upon her.
So you've come at last, have yer?''
she screamed and seizing him by the
coat collar she dragged him into the
kitchen where she proceeded to adj
minister pummeling similar to that
administered by the charitable Con-
roy.
Dams spirit was broken. The ter
rible darkness that enveloped him
and the inhuman treatment to which
he had been subjected had accom-
plished in day what, had he lived
a century he could not have undone.
And for the second time on this. his
first day of affiiction he found rest in
unconsciousness. The next morning
his appearance was distressing. The
serenity which had made him such a
prepossessing youngster had depart
ed. He was cowed, hopeless, utter
ly miserable and he looked it.
Mrs. Mulroy's vanity was stung to
the quick. oh, you're bootifull-
lookin, bic ct," she commented.
Yes, you're credit to you're moth
er, SO you are. Git dow them
books an off o school at once," she
commanded.
And Dan in an effort to obey
stumbled and fell.
oh! Youhaint cured yet, are you?"
inquired his mother. You're still
h'obstinate, hey?"
Dan answered, / cant see."
Cant see? Cant yer? I'll settle
that trick for you, me boy. I'll see
what DIR. Sewell has to say about it,
an woe betide you if you're foolin'
me.''
So to DR.. Sewell he was taken.
The doctor was of a class not uncom-
mon to large cities. He had qualified
as physician, but having obtained
his diploma his interest in medicine
had ceased. It be am rather an
avocation. His business was real
estate and politics. A giant in all
things but intellect he made up in
assurance what he lacked in knowl-
edge.
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