The morning call., 1893-11-26

Nathan Murgatroyd had risen from
modest beginnings in woolen manufac-
turing TO the prominence of being the
principal mill-owner in Thorlowby, West
Riding of Yorkshire. He was rich and
still in middle age. had a country estate
and mansion at Bishop Burton. remote
from the CRIME and noise of industrial
grinding, and was gentleman Of impor-
t nee In his quiet neigoborhood and a
magistrate 10 boot. He had prospered so
well that, as is the English manner. he
was disposed to leave the business mainly in
the hands of his nephew, Thomas Beanson.
and to follow such BY pursuits as beguiled
The considerable amount of leisure at his
command. As good, old-fas honed type
of Tory, he liked to be cons dered a squire.
a friend of the church and a votary of
country sports, fond of riding to hounds,
and having strong views on the duty of
preserving game and suppressing poach-
ers. One social am mhition be had not at
tanned. He was not member of Parlia-
ment, and yet in those good days of indif-
ference between Wings and Conservatives,
between the forces of Lord Derby and Lord
Palmerston, he would be just as notable
at St. Stephens as hundreds of other
not drive his horses toward that goal?
Perhaps it would rot have occurred to
the simple -natured Nathan Murgatroyd
that legislative duties were suited 10 his
genius had not Mrs. Mursatroyd proved
that there is Qui a difference in social
rank between ladies who can speak of their
husbands as members of Parliament and
those whose lords are commonplace no.
bodies of business, more or less wealthy,
but not distinguished. This home thrust
of contrasting truth had been brought into
significance at those little ceremonies
which are indispensable in conducting
baZaars for the good of multlfarious
causes, at extravagant expense TO depleted
pockets. The airs which little Mrs. Grubb
gave herself as patroness of local charities
and treasurer of the annual bazaar for
Goals and blankets to the numerous Door
were little withering to the sef-res pect-
ing Mrs. Mnrgatroyd, who had had the
benefit of a boarding school education and
tuition on the piano when Mrs. Grubb was
a mlIlhand, picking up such scraps of
schooling as she could get in Sunday
classes. while her husband stitched cloth
that Mr.. Murgatroyd might have manu-
factured.
The Grubbs had fourished so amazingly
that Grubb became mayor of his town and
was deemed worthy Of being sent
to Parliament which meant that he
thought the constituency honored in get
. tluS tno coINlCeo VI q otll-ludUb man. IL
this transformation could be wrought by
the simple process of being sent TO her
Majesty's faithful Commons, why might
not Nathan Murgatroyd and all that We're
near aud dear to him be elevated in the
same way?
There was also the example of that
odlous upstart BOggs. BOggs had father
who was nobody, common mechanic who
had saved little by keeping a tavern.
From that he had hoped into shipping
and iron and got richer and richer, and
cut up for lot of money when he depart
ed. Now his son Tom was baronet, be-
cause be had known how to befrleDd the
Wings with his checks, and Lady Boggs
was a person of consideration in society
and in church. Boggs, in short, was no
more entitled to rank among old families
than John Grubb the tailor, who now
eschewed the fame of slops for the multi
tude, and liked to be thought of in Parlia-
mentary circles as a retired merchant and
country gentleman, whose ears were
sOothed with the cawiDg of rocks and the
cry of Tally no! on a hunting morning.
Had not the Murgatroyds their carriage
and liveried servants also? The one thing
needed was borough to return Nathan
as patriot defender of the constitution in
menacing times. The days are always evil
when patriots want something.
Richard Royden. solicitor and election
agent, familiar with the political proclivi-
ties of all the constituencies in the North.
was consulted. AS his living was inti-
lmately connected with the success of po-
litical aspirants. he naturally saw eminent
fitness in Nathan nursing a constituency
until his opportunity came. The fates
willed il that he should be announced as
the Tory candidate for the ancient bor-
ough of Rumfit, which was very sleepy
the greater part of the year, but woke up
to an active sense of dignity when party
strife was in the air.
But" said Royden. "Rumfit is a tick
lish place to please. The good opinion of
the electors is expensive"
THAT leave to you." said Nathan. 81
want to win"
"Win you shall"
Those we're the happy days before the
reform OF election procedure, when that
time-honored prostitution of common
sense, the hustings, was still used for
nominations, and weeks were given to
canvasslng from door 10 door ana speech
making and voting was open and corrupt.
The honor OF representing such place as
Rumfit depended upon the humiliation of
as much bribery. wheedling. and promis-
ing benefits indiscriminately, as was nec-
essary TO secure majority, and as both
sides shared in the nfamy, elections were
welcomed as godsends in the stimulation
of trade and the preservation of every
thing needy. Mr.. Pay Most had to use tact.
however, as he ran the risk of being un-
seated, upon petition, but corruption
required to be very 1sgrant indeed TO in
duce lenient House of Commons to inter-
fere with the jockeying and jocularities of
voting.
Mrs Murgatroyd went on visit to her
sister-in-law. Mrs. Cornock, in the vicinity
of Rumft, and there surveyed the field.
She suddenly became interested in the
welfare of the town and is inhabitantss
was taken notice of in the local paper
for benefcence and liberal subscriptions
to the staple charities which flourish in
English communities, and captivated the
hearts of the women by her affability and
courtesy. When Roostea's circas and me-
nagerie came. and also when Tritton's
panorama entered the town. Mrs. Murga-
troyd's foretbought gave the poor children
of the place a treat. and Nathan found
that all the choirs. glee clubs and cricket
clubs needed restoration of ebbing funds.
The parsons though; Mr.. Murgatroyd a
remarkably amiable candidate, and as his
Wing opponent, Lord Pantagenet Fitz-
fudde, the sitting member, had for years
practiced the same courtly ways as an aid
to his family influence, the Rumtit electors
were as stalwart body of purchasable
and unprinciDied creatures as ever had ex-
ercised the franchise. How the memory
of the oldest inhabiiant runs back low