Cabe says: The ellipsis in this context suggests to me that some education is unfit for kids and that Father Flynn was providing that kind of education.  But on the ironic level, the ellipsis is funny because education is usually (and certainly at that time) accomplished by words that come out of a teacher's mouth.  Here the boy's uncle suggests that Mr. Cotter ought to put something into his mouth (since nothing else is coming out?).  It's a slight joke, and hard to explain and keep it funny.  If it exists, it is a joke from Joyce directly to the reader, since no one else in the story would