Welsh Journals

486 WALES. one hand, and securing David John's chibby fist in the other, set forward, whilst the little maid, balancing the second heavy can on her head, tripped on in front, leading the May to the woodland cottage. As they drew near, the schoolmistress was aware of an old woman standing in the doorway, who greeted their approach with a loud exclamation in Welsh, and burst forth with a torrent of speech, her voice rising to a note of indignation, which the downcast faces of the children made easy to interpret. Having despatched the culprits within doors, she nodded and winked at the schoolmistress, as if to reassure her. Then she added,—" Come you in, my dear; there's kind you are to be looking after them children." Stepping briskly back into the kitchen she pushed forward a chair, which first received an extra polish from a woollen apron. The interior of the house possessed some of the picturesqueness lacking to the exterior. In the growing dusk, the fire¬ light threw a warm glow over the dark- coloured furniture, shining on the brass candlesticks and old-fashioned china plates, which stood on an ancient dresser opposite the hearth. This dresser and a chest in one corner were of oak, darkened by long sojourn in smoky cottages, whilst remnants of brass fastenings of fine workmanship also marked their age. Two or three chairs of good design, showing signs of hard usage, might be assigned to the same date as the chest and dresser. In glaring contrast with the old-world aspect of these stood, in offensive prominence, a great square chest of drawers, of that peculiar reddish tinge, hideous alike in youth and age, the coveted possession of all colliers, stamping its owner as a man of taste and respectability. The schoolmistress took note of these things, and also of the large Welsh Bible and hymn book, and of the china dogs, which, in solemn array, kept watch from the obnoxious chest of drawers. She had visited the interior of many a collier's cottage, but was struck by a difference in the present one for which she was puzzled to account. Old Mrs. Thomas was not one to leave her guest for long in silent abstraction. Her visitors were not so numerous that she could afford to lose the chance of a gossip with a new comer. ': I've seen you passing by this many a time," she began. "Up the mountain you do go, is it ? I say to John,—' there's a nice young 'ooman, who be she ?' ' Oh, school-teacher, I s'pose,' says he. ' Well, well, there's cap'tal she do walk,' says I. '; She's strong legs upon her, John.' ' Ay mother,' sa}Ts he, ' and a strong head they do say. I hear she do teach splendid.' Well, well, I wass a good 'alker in my day, —'ansum 'alker I wass." " Indeed," said the schoolmistress. " Were you living here in those days ?" " No, no, my dear; Breconshire I do come from. I wass living in------Farm twenty seven years afore I come here,—I and my old man. Dear, dear, there's pity for you, there's pity." The tears started at the recollectioa of the old days, and for a minute or two she stood groaning and shaking her head, and wiping her eyes with her woollen apron. " And what made you settle in Cerdyn ?' inquired the schoolmistress sympathetically after a pause. " Bear anwyl! When my old man wass buried, there wass Watkin John, the land¬ lord, look you, saying as my little boy too young to go on with the farm,—wanted some strong, tidy man. No money, neither, see; poor years we had had, and my old man obliged to borrow. So Tom Thomas, my old man's brother, says,—' Go you down to the pits; there's good money to be got by there.' Deed, I did see it strange when we first come; and John,— ' Oh. mother,' says he this many a time, ' shall I go down into that dark dirty hole.' ' There's fine you'll be, John,' says I to keep his heart up, ' when you've made money and have got a house to put the things in.'" " Ah," said the schoolmistress, " you brought your furniture from Breconshire, I suppose ?" " Yes sure; they wass by Tom Thomas till I'd got a bit o' money together and could send for them. John was a steady one at his work, got on famous. Never did nothing like drink or idle. No, 't wass work with him when work there wass." " You were not in this house at first ?"