The advocate., 1894-03-14

A1O JuuSuJ OuI UlSJIlCb SCuOOl Ou6 Will
ter and boarded at our house. He was
going to be preacher. He taught me
my socialism that winter. That was
the first / ever knew there was such a
thing"
"What is his name, and where does
he preach?"
81 don't know where he hangs out
now. Last night was the first time I'd
seen him or heard of him since that
winter. l guess his first names Mar
shall-we used to call him Marsh Ma
son."
"MGrSh0U Mason? How old is her"
asked Mrs. DelOrme with great excite
ment.
81 Judge he must be about 30 now."
"Can it be possible?" said she as if
talking to herself. Then turning to
John:
"Do you know whether his father is
living?"
"Why, when he lived at our house he
told me he had widowed mother to
support. That's all l know"
She seemed much agitated, but
quickly recovering her compOsure, said:
"Well, Mr.. COtterell, our club has
been wishing to have someone who
understands and feels the subject, lee
ture to us on socialism. All the pro-
feSsiOnal lecturers talk of it as if they
considered it mere fad-aS if it were
something we must never expect to see
realized; not, at least, for some CEN
turieS yet. Now, wished to see you
this evening and secure your services
as lecturer at our next meeting"
'It would be a great pleasure as well
as an honor, but I'm afraid l can't get
away in day time"
"True, should have thought of that.
What detestable state of things! Well
then, we shall have our meeting in the
evening. The Major never gets home
before eleven, anyhow"
'I'll come. I'll be here at s o'clock
next Tuesday evening"
"Thank you, Mr.. COtterel. We
shall be under the greatest obligation.
l have already informed some of the
ladies of my project and they are sleep
less till they learn l have persuaded
you to come. We shall expect you, and
anticipate delightful evening. If you
should disappOint us l cannot answer
for the consequences"
"I'll be on hand-sure," said John,
and he rose to go. Mrs. DelOrme de-
tanned him moment to say
"Suppose, Mr.. COtterell, you explain
to us Tuesday evening the relation of
the doctrines of the new party-the
Peoples party, l believe it is called
to socialism We are so anxious to
learn just what the new political move
ment really means, and all we can hear
about it is mere vulgar ridicule which
has not the merit of being either ra-
tional or witty. Will you do us the
favor of explaining the whole matter
to us?"
"To tell you the truth, I've not had
much use for the new party, myself,
because it don't go far enough. It's
too much of farmers party and don't
have enough to say for wage workers.
But It's bound to grow. Nobody can
ever get interested, away down in his
boots, in the Peoples party program
without pulling up at out and out social
ism before he gets through, and l
havn't the slightest doubt but that be-
fore three years-by 1894-the Peoples
party, here in Kansas anyhow, will be
talking straight socialism right out in
meeting, with no ifs or ans about it.
That's the only reason a good many
working men 60 with the party at all
right now. My father is an enthusi-
aStic Peoples party man. He's a
farmer, but he's in it because he wants
to help others. l don't believe he ever
thinks of himself at all, although he
has hard time and his own place is
too. He is a born socialist,
but he don't know it yet, and there are
plenty other farmers just the same
way"