The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1899-11-18
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CHAPTER |.
BY CHARLOTTE M. BRAEMI


The walls of the pretty county town of
Harbury, in Kent, were all placarded
with the name of Martin Ray-Martin
Ray the Radical, the Reformer; 1.-The
Voice of the People, as he liked best to
call himself; the philanthropist the hater
Of Queen and aristocracy. the teacher of
treason; the man who worked for, yet
lived upon the people; the man who had
genius, half mailman, half poet. full of
great thoughts all distorted, of grand
ideas all wrong: a man whose lips had
been touched by the divine fire of elo-
quence, who could stir the hearts of the
people as the wind stirs the leaves,
man who had magnificent conceptions of
what the world might be made; vet fail
ed utterly in making them practical.
He could be tracked easily as the fam
ing fire that lays bare the prairie; wher-
ever he went he was followed by loud
murmurs of popular discomfort, and then
came riot and imprisonment In quiet
hamlets, in sleepy villages, In peaceful
towns, in factories. workshops and gar
rets, his words fell, and set fire to those
who listened.
At Harbury there had been q trial for
bribery ut the elections. There is sure
to be a flaw in the armor there thought
Martin Ray; lit is the very place for
paying lecture by the workingman's
friend" SO the walls of the old town
were placarded with the name of Martin
Ray, and the people thirsted to see the
new champion of popular rights.
The largest placard of all was that OPP
posite the house of Amos Hatton, the
last descendant of what had once been
wealthy and powerful family. For gen
erations they had faded and decayed;
they had no longer houses or lands, nor
even POSITION and Amos Hatton had
been compelled to apply himself to one of
the professions. He was solicitor, with
q small but paying practice; and, being
stanch Conservative, the name of Mar
tin Ray in large letters opposite to his
door displeased him greatly.
When he came down to breakfast on
this fine May morning, there the words
were looking him defantly in the face,
while his pretty daughter Doris was gaz-
ing at them intently.
Papa" she asked, what is a Radi
cal?''
The old lawyers face flushed hotly.
Il will not answer you until L feel
calmer; to say the least of it, it is most
atrocious to place that name there"
The girl looked at it with softened eyes.
Martin Ray is not bad name, papa.
should like to hear him" said Doris. Il
have never heard a really eloquent speak
er. May | go to the lecturer
Il shall be ashamed if you do" replied
the lawyer.
But Doris laughed.
Not quite that. Sir John Darke is
going, with his wife and daughter l
should like to go also"
We'll, you can go, Doris-that is, if
your cousin will accompany you. Just
once will not matter, and it will prove to
you what nonsense such men talk. Go,
but do not mention the mans name to
me again.
Doris Hatton was well pleased to go.
She had all her life heard her father
speak Of Radicals as of class of beings
quite different from other men. Here
was a chance of seeing the enemy. Part
ly because she had nothing else to do,
partly because fate or destiny led her
Doris HattOn went to the lecture
Looking over the sea of faces, chang
ing, Frightening, or darkening under the
fire or scorn of his words, Martin Ray
saw one that lived in his heart for ever
! more-a pale, refined, pretty face, with
great, earnest eyes and a tender mouth,
the face of girl who must be a hero
worshiper by nature. 1t was like PLAYING
on some grand harp; touch what chords
he would. the response was certain After
a while the girls face held him captive
he found himself speaking to 1t, thinking
of il, watching it as 1t changed and paled
1t was no longer himself and his audi
ence. but himself and this girl. He was
explaining to her his doctrine, imbuing
her mind with his ideas.
All night Martin Ray dreamed of one
face. one pair of eyes. He tried to get
an Introduction at the house, but failed
completely; Amos Hatton would not re-
ceiye him. Still Martin Ray could not
tear himself from the girl, and he found
! means to meet her and to tell her how
well he loved her.
Doris Hatton was always inclined to
take romantic view Of matters, and she
made of the man perfect hero She low
ed Martin Ray with perfect love. such as
he could have won from no other crea-
ture living. There was a long struggle
IN her heart between allegiance to her
| father and this swift, sweet. newborn
| love; but, as this new teacher told her.
the old landmarks were swept away:
they existed no longer-no father had
right to interfere with the marriage of
his children.
Through the sweet month of Nav
while the hawthorn bloomed on the
hedges and the clover grew, he contriyed
to see her every evening. He found that
Hamburg was a good school. He found
ed society, and taught the people what
were workingmen's rights and wrongs
He labored honestly enough, and in the
/ intervals Of work he secretly wooed Doris
Doris, who believed in his dreams and
/ his visions, and who foresaw q time when
all men would be equal, when poverty
and toll would be done away with, and
/ universal peace, charity. harmony and
! comfort reign. Martin Ray, her hero.
was to bring about this.
Amos Hatton stormed and rayed when
he received one morning a letter from
! Martin Ray, asking for his daughters
hand. Nothing could exceed his wrath
and Indignation.
"lo on have good blood in your veins >"
he cried to the trembling girl "You have
ancestors who fought and died-diad
mind you-for the king and country, and
you ask me If you may marry the man
who has boasted that, if no one else were
found willing, he himself would behead
/ every sovereign reigning."
Il love him-I cannot help it, papa. You
miSjudge him." she answered, despairing-
/ y. Il must love him; no one under
| stands him but me-.
You must choose between US. Doris, y
/ said her father, trying to speak calmly.
/ II You marry him l will never look upon
/ your face again: | will never speak 10
I you or hear your voice; you will be no
! child of mine; l will cast you off from
/ me-"
She uttered low cry of pain and de-
! Spair.
4 WONDER" she said, IF ever a sirl
( had TO choose between her father and
| her lover before:"
Yes he replied; hundreds. As 4
/ rule. they choose the lover; but you ought
/ TO be an exception, Doris-you ought not