CORROBORATIVE READINGS 



" My wonderment was to grow when we entered the 

 school-room, for where I had expected to see children 

 was a great beast of indefinite outline and motley colour 

 resembling a dragon. I would have fled affrighted, but 

 Mary, after a few words of exorcism, proceeded in the 

 most matter-of-fact way to drill the creature in the 

 theorems of geometry! Over and over again the same 

 phrases were mumbled in endless repetition by its many 

 mouths. Greatly did I marvel at her patience in endeav- 

 ouring to mould this heterogeneous organism into some 

 coherency of thought and action. And what power the 

 woman displayed ; not only did she hold in subj ection one 

 eye, but a hundred eyes ! At times the creature seemed 

 tractable and open to suggestion for noble purpose, but 

 in a moment it became black and glowering if crossed in 

 any way. While it was quick to see things and receive 

 impressions, it could do little reasoning of itself. I 

 learned later that its memory faculties were also very 

 feeble, notwithstanding the unceasing drill. 



" Finally a bell rang and the dragon rose, swayed to 

 and fro, then rushed from the room with the sound of 

 countless feet. I had just breathed a sigh of relief, 

 when in came sprawling another beast like unto the 

 first, and called Class B; and all day long did Mary 

 train these monsters in mathematics, to what end I have 

 yet to learn." 



CORA LENORE WILLIAMS: As If. 



" Since civilisation first dawned on earth the family 

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