want of success. He soon raised subscriptions enough to open a room for permanent lectures. Secretaries, treasurers, and deputy-lecturers, were appointed; these offices being used as a sort of bait to catch some of the more busy, vain, and talkative, who liked bustle and display. With the exception of these, the association consisted principally of the poorest and most illiterate of the people. Meanwhile, emboldened by his success at the town-hall, and the countenance of the liberal Mayor, Mr. Suttle felt himself quite at ease amongst the people of Laxington, and did not fail to introduce himself and his opinions wherever he found opportunity.

It was market-day-the principal business was over-and a party of honest farmers was assembled at the Britannia, prepared to do justice to a magnificent round of beef and other viands which were placed on the table. At this moment the waiter entered the room, and announced to the company that a gentleman who had been staying in the house for some days would, with their kind permission, do himself the honour of joining their party.

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O, by all means," said farmer Franklin; "I am sure we shall be most happy to accommodate the gentleman. Who is he? What's his name?"

"His name," said the waiter, "is Mr. Suttle : he is a gentleman who has been lecturing in the townhall for several evenings, with the permission of the Mayor."

Joseph Franklin was standing at the head of the

table the place usually assigned to him-and was just about to say grace; but no sooner had he heard the announcement of the waiter, than his purpose appeared to undergo a sudden change-he very deliberately threw himself back into the oaken arınchair, and desired the waiter to send his master. The absence of the waiter gave the company an opportunity of conferring together; and there was but one opinion among them as to the proper course to be pursued. In a few minutes the landlord entered the room with an inquiring countenance.

"Mr. Boniface," said the farmer, "I understand that a person of the name of Suttle is coming to dine here."

"If you have no objection, sir," said the landlord," he will do himself that honour."

"I am astonished," said Franklin,

"that you

should think of proposing such a thing; if, as I understand, he is the same person who has been preaching blasphemy and immorality at the townhall."

"He has certainly been delivering a course of lectures on Socialism," said the landlord; "but I can assure you, sir, you will find him a perfect gentleman. He has been several days in the house, and really his conversation is most interesting-I may say instructive. Indeed, Mrs. Boniface is quite fascinated with him."

"All I can say, Mr. Boniface," said the farmer, "and I speak for these gentlemen as well as myself,

is this,—that if Mr. Suttle dines here, he may dine alone. We have made up our minds not to sit down

at table with a person of his principles."

The landlord looked rather abashed at this intimation, and muttered something about charity and liberality.

"As to charity and liberality, and all that stuff, don't let us hear any more about it. I need not tell you, Mr. Boniface, or any other person here present, that if Mr. Suttle were really in want of a dinner, I should be as ready as any one to share mine with him; but I am much mistaken if he is not paid pretty handsomely for his precious lectures, and is quite able to pay for his dinner himself. The plain question is, whether we will countenance a man of his principles by admitting him to our company, and expose ourselves to the danger of his conversation. I have only to repeat, what I said before, that we have all made up our minds, if Mr. Suttle dines here, we shall look for our dinner somewhere else.”

At this moment the Socialist entered the room, having evidently heard a part of the discussion. He affected to be highly indignant.

"What, sir," said he, in a blustering tone, "is not a man at liberty in this country to hold his own opinions? Is it come to such a pass that people of different sentiments in religion and politics are not to mix together in social intercourse? Are men in the nineteenth century to be persecuted in this manner for their conscientious opinions?"

"Come, come," said the farmer, with perfect coolness, " your lectures will be lost upon us here: it is very plain to us what you are come about. We have heard of your interesting conversation,' and fascinating' manners, and don't choose to come too close into contact with them. We know very well that the object of your wishing to dine here with us is because you think you may be able to talk over some of us to your Socialist opinions. You have talked over other people, so it's not unlikely you may talk over some of us, if we give you the opportunity. I do not wish to have any words, and will not tell you all I think of your principles and opinions. But this I will say, that I think a man might just as well take a snake into his bosom, as make acquaintance with a Socialist."

"Allow me to observe," said the Socialist," that I have seen a good deal of the world, and I never remember to have met with such illiberality and bigotry in my life."

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'Why, look you, sir," said Franklin, with a provoking calmness, "we never professed to be liberals; we look upon liberality-such, at least, as people like you call liberality-to be all moonshine and nonsense, intended only to deceive us; and as to bigotry—if it be bigotry to act according to our conscience, and to set our faces against falsehood and vice, and avoid the company of those whom we think will do us no good,-if it be bigotry to refuse to taste poison, when we have got good roast beef

before us, why you may call us bigots too, if you please."

For men to confess themselves bigoted was something quite new to Mr. Suttle. The whole force of his usual arguments for Socialism turned on the morbid sensitiveness of shallow-minded people in the present day, who cannot bear to be called illiberal, and for fear of the bugbear of being thought bigots, act often in direct opposition to the plain dictates of conscience. The Socialist really, for once in his life, was at a loss how to deal with men who utterly despised such arguments, and were entirely indifferent to what he chose to think of them. Seeing, therefore, the determined manner of the farmer, and not quite liking the looks of some of the rest of the company, who appeared somewhat disposed to eject him by summary means, he thought it most prudent to withdraw, after protesting warmly against their most unreasonable prejudices.

"And now, my good friends," said the farmer, rapping the table, as was his custom, with the end of a knife-whereat all the company rose from their seats and reverently bowed their heads,-" let us beg a blessing from God. May He make us grateful for His bounty to ourselves, and charitable to the wants of others, for the sake of Jesus Christ His Son, our Lord."

And with this grace they sat down to their meal.