Blair Collection > Rhys Lewis, minister of Bethel

I^RYS LEWIS. 93
teacWng the people to abolish the silly custom of beer-drinking
at burials. I was in Thomas Bartley's house on the eve of
Seth's funeral, when Abel Hughes paid a visit to the mourning
family. Abel endeavoured to draw some useful moral from the
sad occasion, and it was evident that Thomas and Barbara
Bartley were touched to the quick under his instruction. But
directly Abel alluded to the practice of drinking beer at
funerals, and expressed the hope that Seth's parents were not
going to perpetuate it, Thomas raised his head, and, with a
look of displeasure, remarked : " Abel Hughes, you don't think
I am going to bury my son as if he were a dog, do you ? No,
there will be bread and cheese and beer for all who come, if
my eyes are still open."
Abel seriously argued the point with him, but without avail.
"No, no, Abel Hughes," he declared, " even if Seth wasn't
like other children, I aint going to bury him with a cup of tea "
— wiping his eyes with his coat sleeve.
He was as good as his word. When Will Bryan and I wer.t
there, early on the morrow afternoon, we saw upon the table
haK a cheese, with a knife by its side, a loaf of white bread, a
good-sized jug, fuU of beer, a number of new pipes, and a small
plate containing tobacco. We were received by Thomas
Bartley in person, whose first word to us was : —
" William, put something to your mouth; Ehys, put some-
thing to your raouth."
As for me, I did not feel anything the matter with my mouth,
and I fancy Will felt no differently, fori noticed him staring at
Thomas Bartley, who, finding we did not know what he meant,
cut a chunk of bread and cheese, and filled a small glass of beer
for each of us. I marvelled how Will Bryan could drink the
stufi' without pulling faces. I had great difficulty in swallowing
my portion, of which the effects became speedily known to me.
I felt myself, all at once, on wonderfully good terms with
everybody. I fancied my hands had grown remarkably fine and
large, and I had a great desire either to sleep or laugh, I
could not tell clearly which. I knew that neither the one nor
the other proceeding was proper at such a place, and, strongly
exerting myself against the influence of the glass, refused to put
anything more ' ' to my mouth." Divers of our old neighbours,