The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-07-09

told the assembly that he had come from London to bring to them the sympathy of the workingmen of the great city. He entreated them to join in the Chartist movement so that through a parliament reconstructed the government might be administered for the greater welfare of all.
 They listened awhile 10 all his l-ea- soning and philosophizing, and then, becoming impatient began to cry out that it was not theory but bread that they wanted. And bread we will have" cried one burly laborer--a sentiment which was loudly echoed and applaud ed by his fellows. We want nothing of politics" cried another: we wan, bread" And again the cry of Bread ! breadr' was taken up. "Go, then" cried Alton, losing all possession be- tween disappointment and the madden 1 ing desire for inf1uence-"Go and get bread. After all, you have a right to it no one is bound to starve"
 Now carried away by his hysterical emotions he went on in a diatribe against those who grind the faces of the poor" and the first thing he knew he had a riot on his hands. He had aroused passion which he could not control; he had raised the spirit of demons. Amid wild yells and execra- tions the whole mass poured down the hillside, sweeping him with them. He was shocked and terrified by their threats. Again and again he tried to stop the onrush begging them to listen | to him once more. But his voice was drowned in the uproar. his commands and pleadings alike unheeded. They 1 burst open a granary and fought to- gether for its contents they began to fire haystacks They broke into a farm house and began to pillage.
 Alton saw a looter run by him car rying a writing desk and crying out that he had found the money" AL ton seized him by the throat crying, Pascal, robber, lay that down." T won't have no sharing" gasped the man, and shook the frail Cockney from him as if he had been a rat and dealt him blow over the head with the cor ner of the desk.
 Alton just rememb cred the tramp of the yeonmanry horses. the gleam and jingle of their arms as they galloped into the yard. He caught a glimpse l of tall young officer as his great bay ] swept through the air over the yard ] poles-a feat to him utterly astonish- ing. Half a dozen long strides-the wretched ruffian who had stolen the money and was staggering away with his booty was caught up. The young officers clear, blue blade gleamed high | After that Alton recollected nothing until he came to himself lying on q 1 truckle bed stone walls and grated windows before him. He was in jail badly injured He had been arrested as one of the rloters-as. the leader who had come down from London tc excite the farm hands to their work of rebellion and pillage.
 Sandy MacSaye came down to see him and Alton began to speak of him self as martyr to the Cause, 'Ye1l just leave out the martyr dodge, my poor bairn," replied sandy: we are simply very foolish young man who lost his temper and cast his pearls be- fore swine-and very quosionabl le years they. were. too, judging by the
 
 day of Alton's trial ca rie, and he got off with three-year sentence. When his time was up he returned an out cast to london. His experience in jail I had made him more bitter enemy than ever of the existing state of the social organization.
 Enfeebled in body and embittered in spirit, he took part in the fiasco of the | great Charist demonstration of 1S4S Authority, fierce (and pouring rain dispersed the mob which had thought to turn London into Paris of the days of the French revolution. The Cause Alton felt, was lost along with all else he had hoped for and dreamed of. In his madness he went to the house of Dean Winnstay. His cousin George was there, and he saw Lillian and George sitting upon a sofa, Lillian's head upon Georges shoulder.
 He had looked into the room before the footinan had time to announce him