The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1891-10-03
LITERARY.

"Dr. Huguet. By Ignatius Donnelly. Chicago.
F. J. Schultz & Co., 1853 Dearborn street.
DR.. Huguet is an aristocratic Southern
er Of French descent, possessor of fine
estate in South Carolina. He becomes
acquainted with Mary Ruddiman, who
attendsa boarding school next door to
his residence. Having been told that
she is fond of books he welcomes her to
his library. In the course of their con-
versation he finds that she not only
reads the best of books but that she
comprehends that which she reads and
profits by it. DR.. Huguet falls in love
with Miss Ruddiman and the affection
is reciprocated. During one of the Doc
tors visits at Miss Rudd1man's, where
some of the neighbours had assembled,
the subject drifted toward the Negro
The doctor had political ambitions in
which he had been encouraged by Col.
Ruddiman and his daughter. However,
be spoke so frankly and honestly as to
the rights of the Negro as man and a
CITIZEN that his prospects seemed to grow
less favorable. Miss Ruddiman told him
that unless he changed his ideas, he
need never hope to be elected to Con-
gress from South Carolina. She pleads
with him SO. earnestly that he finally.
though with great reluctance, gives up
the championship Of the Negro. Leav-
ibg Miss Ruddiman's, he goes home and
in the night has vision. He sees the
head of Christ with millions of hands OF
Colored people raised in supplication.
He is so much warned that be arises, but
what is his aste enlistment to find that be
has been transformed into burly Negro
and instead of being in his own mansion
he is in cabin. He goes into the street
and tries to run out of his black body,
but in vain. In trying to reach his
house he is arrested as Sam Johnsing, a
chicken thief, and is laughed at when he
tells the Court he is DR.. Anthony Huguet.
He finally gets home to Ben, his faithful
servant, who tells him that Sam John
sing does not hesitate to take advantage
of the white body of DR.. Huguet. Being
highly educated and wealthy, DR.. Hug
uet feels that he can do great deal for
the lettering of the condition of the
Colored people. The misery that he nm.
dergoes and the prejudice to which he
is subjected seem almost incredible yet
it is the same that is the experience of
thousands OF Colored people in this
boosted land of the free. The doctor
labors for the Negro; sparing neither
time nor money. This makes him OBJ
noxious to some OF the whites and they
come with mob to lynch him: He
manages to escape and in course of time
he is changed to his former white color,
mar,ies Miss Ruddiman and they both
agree to devote their lives to the amelio-
ration of the condition of the Colored
race in America. Ignatius Donnelly has
certainly carefully analysed the feelings
Of an educated refined mind when sui.
fering under the, restraints imposed by
The possession of black skin. s'Uncle
Toms Cabin" gave true picture of Ella
very days; DR.. Huguet9 is tr1e expo
'i'ion of the conditions which exist to-
lay 1t shows how hellish, damnable
predjudice in the Southland refuses to
rec gnize and encourage merit if pos.
'essed by q person with black skin.
y ! i
Or. Huyuet should be read by every
ro-American in America.