y.

In the growing excitement of the times, father and daughter were growing
daily into closer union. The Parliamentary elections were coming on, and
Richard Lincoln took a deep interest in the preparations. He had been
asked to stand for several places, but he had firmly declined;
nevertheless he had become almost a public character during the
campaign. From all sides men looked to him for counsel. His
correspondence became burdensome, and Mary, having urged him long to let
her help, at last had her way.

In this way it was that she became familiar with the troubled issues of
the time, and learned to think with her father in all his moods. Their
house in Nottingham, with comings and goings, committees and councils,
was soon like the office of a great Minister.

"This can't last," said Mr. Patterson to Mary Lincoln, one day; "he is
needed in London again, and he will go. I believe they mean to nominate
him for President."

Two days later, Patterson, with all the rest of England, was allowed to
see the secret that had moved the political sea for years.

The National Convention was held to nominate the President. The Radical
wing (they were proud to call themselves anarchists) had developed
unlooked-for strength, chiefly from the cities and great towns, and had
put forward as their candidate the blatant demagogue, Lemuel Bagshaw,
whose name has left so deep a stain on his country's record.

On the first day of the National Convention the news of Bagshaw's
strength caused only a pained surprise throughout England. Men awaited
with some irritation the proper work of the Convention. But on the
second day, when the two strongest opposing candidates did not together
count as many votes as the demagogue, there was downright consternation.

Then the Aristocrats showed their hand: they abandoned their sham
candidate and voted solidly for the demagogue--and Lemuel Bagshaw, the
atheist and anarchist, received the nomination for the Presidency of
the British Republic!

The ship was fairly among the shoals and the horizon was ridged with
ominous clouds. The petrels of disorder were everywhere on the wing. The
Republic was driving straight into the breakers.

A few days later a great meeting was held in Nottingham, at which a
workingman proposed the name of Richard Lincoln as their representative
in Parliament.

A great shout of acclamation greeted the name and spoke for all
Nottingham. Then the meeting broke up, the crowd