Blair Collection > Rhys Lewis, minister of Bethel

inS RHYS LEWIS.
or give sleep to your eyes, or slumber unto your eyelids, \vhen
your heart knows, by this time, tbat you have hurried an
innocent lad to gaol, one who — and it is not because I'm his
mother I say so — has a good deal more in his head than many
who think themselves somebodies ; one who, although, more's
the pity, he does not now profess religion, has led a life against
which no one can say a word. I have no wish to hurt any-
body's feelings, but my son never, in his life, touched a drop of
intoxicating drink, nor was he ever in the Eed Dragon playing
boogoodell, or whatever you call it. And although he was but
a common collier, I think as much of him as other people do of
their children who have been brought up in bordin' schools,
and taught to frivol, and to feed their pride and fulfil the
desires of the flesh ; that I do. No one need have spoken to me
of help from the parish, if you, Mr. Brown, and the owner of
the Hall had not wrongfully imprisoned my son. I hope, stiU,
to be kept from going on the parish, although there are many
to whom it is useful. But as to going to Church, I never will.
As you know, I've been there several times at thanksgiving
services; but, I am bound to tell you, I never found anj'thing
for my soul there. Methodis' have I always been, and, by the
help of God, Methodis' I shall always remain. I'll try and
rough it, somehow, till my son comes back, without help of
either parish or parson."
Mother delivered this address fluently, and with a withering
scorn upon her face which I never knew it wear, before or
since. Constant fear that the chair would give way under Mr.
Brown, and deep shame for my mother's audacity, threw me
into a great sweat. I was glad from the bottom of my heart to
hear her put an end to her lecture. Mr. Brown seemed
thunderstruck and wounded ; and not without cause. But he
was not the man to defend an act, though it were his own, if he
thought it to be unjust. Mother knew him well enough to
make bold with him in this. She knew, also, that if the belief
were common in the town that Bob and his companion had
been wrongfully imprisoned, no one could be more fully
aware of the fact than Mr. Brown, who was never, at any
time, a stranger to public opinion. Mr. Brown ciid not attempt
to defend himself. "When he got up to go I felt mightily