 several stories, it will be
necessary to enter a little upon the subject of ancestry.
    Joseph Mutimer's father, Henry by name, was a somewhat remarkable personage.
He grew to manhood in the first decade of our century, and wrought as a
craftsman in a Midland town. He had a brother, Richard, some ten years his
junior, and the two were of such different types of character, each so
pronounced in his kind, that, after vain attempts to get along together, they
parted for good, heedless of each other henceforth, pursuing their sundered
destinies. Henry was by nature a political enthusiast, of insufficient ballast,
careless of the main chance, of hot and ready tongue; the Chartist movement gave
him opportunities of action which he used to the utmost, and he became a member
of the so-called National Convention, established in Birmingham in 1839. Already
he had achieved prominence by being imprisoned as the leader of a torch-light
procession, and this taste of martyrdom naturally sharpened his zeal. He had
married young, but only visited his family from time to time. His wife for the
most part earned her own living, and ultimately betook herself to London with
her son Joseph, the single survivor of seven children. Henry pursued his career
of popular agitation, supporting himself in miscellaneous ways, writing his wife
an affectionate letter once in six months, and making himself widely known as an
uncompromising Radical of formidable powers. Newspapers of that time mention his
name frequently; he was always in hot water, and once or twice narrowly escaped
transportation. In 1842 he took active part in the riots of the Midland
Counties, and at length was unfortunate enough to get his head broken. He died
in hospital before any relative could reach him.
    Richard Mutimer regarded with detestation the principles to which Henry had
sacrificed his life. From childhood he was staid, earnest, and iron-willed; to
whatsoever he put his hand, he did it thoroughly, and it was his pride to
receive aid from no man. Intensely practical, he early discerned the truth that
a man's first object must be to secure himself a competency, seeing that to one
who lacks money the world is but a great debtors' prison. To make money,
therefore, was his aim, and anything that interfered with the interests of
commerce and industry from the capitalist's point of view he deemed unmitigated
evil. When his brother Henry was leading processions and preaching the People's
Charter, Richard enrolled himself as a special constable, cursing the tumults
which drew him from business, but
