Blair Collection > Rhys Lewis, minister of Bethel

RHYS LEWIS. 165
said that wHcli everybody kuew already, namely, that Thomas
and Barbara Bartley had remained.
" Ho ! will you have a word with them, William Hughes ?"
said Abel, addressing the preacher, adding, "you must not
expect much from thein ; they have not been hearers for long."
He thereupon sat down beside the preacher, in whose ear, so I
have imagined, he whispered all he could, in half a minute,
tell about the converts. After some slight demur, the preacher
.£rot to his feet and, with hands crossed upon his back, under
his coat-tails, walked, as if reluctantly, towards Thomas and
Barbara. As far as I can remember, the conversation which
ensued was somewhat after this fashion : —
"Well, Thomas Bartley," the preacher began, "I know
nothing about you, so perhaps you wouldn't mind telling us,
freely, a little of your history."
"I will, name of goodness," replied Thomas. " Father and
mother were poor people, and I was the youngest of three
children. There's none left 'cept me; and I don't know of
anybody belonging to us but one cousin down in England, if
he's alive. It's a dying-out sort of "
" I didn't mean you to give the history of your family," the
preacher interposed. " What I wanted to know was a little of
your own experience. What made you and your wife remain
behind to-night ? "
"O! beg pardon," said Thomas. "Well, 111 tell you.
Barbara and I, for weeks past, have been thinkin' a lot about
comin' to Communion to you. Mary Lewis told us it was high
time, and that we could never do anythin' better. So, hearin'
you a-beggin' of us so earnestly this mornin' to turn to the
stronghold, we both made up our minds to stay to-night;
because we knew verj' well it was to us you was referrin'."
Barbara nodded her concurrence.
" You did well," remarked the preacher ; " and I don't doubt
but that the friends here are very glad to see you. Yery likely
you look upon yourself as a great sinner, Thomas Bartley .' "
"Well, I'll say this much," replied Thomas, "I never nursed
a spite towards anybody, as Barbara knows ; and I always try
to live honest."