Blair Collection > Rhys Lewis, minister of Bethel

I -74 J^HYS LEWIS.
" He did, William," replied mother ; " and were I as trust-
ful in my Redeemer as Job was, it would come all right with
me too, look you."
" It's sure to come all right with you, Mary Lewis. You're
as pious as Job was, I'll take my oath of it," observed "Will.
" Don't presume and blaspheme, William," commanded my
mother.
•'I'm telling the truth, from my heart," returned Will.
"You're as pious as Job was, any day he got out of bed. And,
according to the way the preacher gave his history, I see you
both very much like each other. Job had a bad wife and
you've had a bad husband, and you've both stuck to your
colours, first class ; so I'm sure the Lord'll not be shabby in
your case, in the end, either; you shall see if He will."
"I beg of you not to say any more. Will," said mother.
"You ought to know I'm in no humour, to-night, to listen to
any nonsense from you."
"Nonsense!" cried Will, honestly indignant, I am sure.
" It is no nonsense at all. I'll bet you— that is, I'll take my
oath— it'll be all right with you in the end. Didn't the
preacher tell us about Job that the Lord was only trying him ?
So is He doing with you. He only just wants to show the kind
of stuff there's in you."
"William," said mother, for the sake of turning the con-
versation, "were there many colliers at the railway?"
(" Eailway " was mother's name for the station.)
"Thousands upon thousands," replied Will.
"There you are again," observed mother. "There's only
three hundred altogether in the Eed Fields pit."
" Well, yes, in a manner of speaking, you know, Mary
Lewis," rejoined Will. "I'm sure there was near a hundred
there."
" Didn't one of you happen to speak to John Powell? What
did he think about Bob's not coming ? " mother asked.
"John Powell wasn't there," we both replied.
" Not there ! John Powell not there ! " exclaimed mother,
in surprise.
" He was working the day shift," obesrved Will.
" Who told you that, William ? " asked mother.