, 1916-12-28

ing Iou especially for the prospect,
his silence seemed to disconcert
her. She may have been conscious
or something In her that imagined a
rebuke he did not intend. She bit
her lip and threw a backward glance.
Three cheers for the president 7,
The candor in her eyes lent a SINGER
ity to her words. She turned and
beckoned to her father, who was chat
ing at the door. He seemed to be
used to her humo.s, for he came for
ward i~ndulgently with, "WelI, daugh-
ter?"
He had the broad, red face of n
prosperous British farmer. Il ruddy
disk in which you might discern no
sun-spot of guile. Heartiness radi
ated from him as from the maturing
sun. His shrewd little eyes looked
on David with so honest a kindliness
that David gave him instant trust. A
strange thing, for David knew 1t was
the farmers of England whose flour
made the threepenny loaves whose
price had made the weavers go hum
CRY.
IL want gpu ~ SHE turned
winsomely to the young storekeeper-
what is our name?"
The young man surrendered. "Da-
vid laurence"
This is my father, Mr.. Job Gran
mer. My name is Lydia, and I'm his
only daughter and he does what I tell
him to, don't you, father?" And she
gave him a tug AZ his elbow.
The name Lydia instantly became
for David one of those on the calen-
dar.
Your daughter is very kind, Mr..
Cranmer."
The girl hastened to impart the one
piece of information she had Cleaned
about her countryman.
HE says he is going to live here"
"A fine country, this, young man."
approved Mr.. Cranmer heartily. Il
mean to settle here myself. They tell
me land is as cheap here on the will
r border as Goals in Newcastle
I'm a farming man."
You're no farmer?" hazarded the
girl to David.
mol was n weaver"
"Oh" said Cranmer, comprehend
ing, then it hasn't been all skittles
with you, hey, young man2'
A wave of dark red swept over Da-
vid's face and he seemed unable to
answer.
Nottingham way, maybe?' pursued
his q%uestioner.
"Tes," he assented, and choked over
the word.
Your people have been hard trod-
den, haven't they?" pressed Cranmer
kindly.
"Oh, do not mind me of til" broke
from David's lips. He bowed his head
to hide the tears he could not control.
Lydia turned to her father for AK
PLANTATION.
Likely this young man suffered
with the Luddites," he remarked.
Tell us" whispered Lydia, I'VE are
sorry"
"Ay, dTn England" clustered
Cranmer, without an apology for the
oath.
David looked at the man i~ntently.
There was something about him that
reused question.
nottingham market place is a fair
sight" observed the farmer.
you've been there?'
SAY, one Whit-AIonday feast"
"Clifton groves were green then"
cried Lydia eagerly.
"There was blood on the parade at
Martinmas two years ago" David
burst forth, fire smoldering in his eye.
"Our people gathered first at market
goose-fair in October; maybe it was
the plenty we saw there then that
made us wild. My father and my
brother and l had eaten but one meal
a day for weeks before. There were
others worse off than we. l saw IL
starving child knocked down and beat
en- hat stole an apple from a cart.
They drove us out of the market when
cursed England.
1t wasn't till NOvember-that we
could bear the rent of the frames no
longer. The men were fair wolves
by then. Every night they gathered
in front of the Exchange. Then when
the cold began and we had no Goals
nor even peats from Sherwood-the
men blasphemed. They shouted that
it was the machinery that vas taking
the bread from us. My father . .
they called my father Preacher Lar
renee because he begged them to wait,
though he was n of them. My IA
her L read to him at home
the night they stormed the mills .
out of st. John . his eyes were
gone they broke the looms
that night"
He stopped. His eyes were burning
like Goals.
"Newcastle sent his men from their