Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1900-03-07

The walls Of the pretty county town OF
uerbury. in Kent, were all placarded
nth the name of Martin Ray-Martin
Raw the Radical, the Reformer; ''the
vo;es Of the People" as he liked best to
,sI himself; the philanthropist. the hater
., Oueen and aristocracy, the teacher of
,-asson. the man who worked for, yet
lived upon the people; the man who had
,enius. half mailman, half poet. full of
Sreat thoughts all distorted, of grand
ideas all wrong; a man whose lips had
beeu touched by the divine fire Of elo-
or,nce who could stir the hearts of the
nsople as the wind stirs the leaves; a
man who had magnificent conceptions of
what the world might be made; yet fail
.d utterly in making them practical.
- He could be tracked easily as the fam
Ing 6re that lays bare the prairie; wher
over he went he was followed by loud
murmurs Of popular discomfort, and then
came riot and Imprisonment. In quiet
hsmlets. 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 a trial for
bribery at the elections. There is sure
to be a flaw in the armor there thought
Martin Ray; 1T is the very place for a
paying lecture by the Wofklngman
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 II popular rights.
The largest placard of all was that op-
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 a solicitor, with
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 defiantly in the face,
while his pretty daughter Doris was gaz-
ing AT them intenty.
Papa" she asked, what is a Radi
CALI"
The old lawyers face flushed hotly.
Il will not answer you until l feel
cslmer; to say the least Of it, il is most
atrociouS to place that name there"
The girl looked at it with softened eyes.
Martin Ray is not a bad name, papa.
should like to hear him. said Doris. Il
have never heard 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
4 wur,l
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 a 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 a girl who must be hero
worshiper by nature. 1t was like playing
on some grand harp; touch what chords
be would, the response was certain. After
while the girls face held him captive
he found himself speaking to it, thinking
OF it, watching it it changed and paled.
1t was no longer himself and his audi
ence, but. himself and this girl. He was
explaining 10 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
ceive him. Still Martin Ray could not
tear himself from the girl, and he found
means TO meet her and to tell her how
vel be loved her.
Doris Hatton was always inclined to
take romantic view Of matters, and she
made Of the man perfect hero. She loT-
ed Martin Ray with perfect love, such as
be 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 q
right TO interfere with the marriage of
his children.
Through the sweet month of May.
while the hawthorn bloomed on the
hedges and the clover grew. he cOntrived
70 see her every evening. He found that
Hanbury was a good school. He found
ed a society. and taught the people what
were workingmen's rights and wrongs
He .aborpd honestly enough, and in the
, intervals Of work he secretly wooed Doris
Doris. who believed in his dreams and
bis visions. and who foresaw a time when
al men would be equal. when poverty
and toll would be done away with, and
universal peace, charity. harmony and