Blair Collection > Rhys Lewis, minister of Bethel

256 RHYS LEWIS.
shoving tlie pend'lum it went on pretty well, but directly I
stopped shoving he stopped going. To tell you the truth, I
laughed till I was ready to split. I could not have stopped if
someone was to kill me. So here endeth a true account of the
clock cleaning. But wait a bit. Presently, my boy, our
ancient pilgrims came home, and the first thing they did, of
course, was to go and look at the time. I had tried to guess it
as near as I could, and placed the hands where they should be,
so I thought. But the old woman spotted the clock to be on stop.
' What's the matter with tliis here clock, William ?' she asked.
' Has it stopped ?' said I. ' Looks like it, these two hours,'
she replied, jogging the pend'lum. I was nearly bursting with
laughter. ' What's-the-matter-with-the-old-thing ?' said the
dame fiercely, giving it a shake such as you've seen people give
a drunken man who has fallen asleep by the road side. In
order to get an excuse for laughing, I said, * I rather fancy,
mother, he must have ruptured himself, like the Hall owner's
hunter, and that we must either open or shoot him.' But the
servant girl comes up at this point and lets on that I've been
engaged all day cleaning old Eight. You never heard such a
flustrationl Mother bust up; the guv'nor went mad. I half
believe the old man would like to have given me a licking, only
he knew ho couldn't do it. This child subsided into his boots.
Next day they sent in great haste for Mr. Spruce, the watch-
maker, to set old Eight a-going. But I knew he couldn't, for I
had one of the wheels in my pocket. So did Will have revenge.
' I give it up,' said old Mainspring. But when this chap sees
the old folk's backs turned for six hours he's bound to work a
miracle on the old Eight Day. There ! I've told you my
trouble. But, honour bright now, is it a fact that you've been
born again ?"
" Will," replied I, " don't you think it time we should both
turn over a new leaf? I am not able to tell clearly whether I
have been born again or not ; but I'll say this much— my mind
has undergone a wonderful change of late. I have got to look
upon everything in a different light, and I'm certain I can
never again find any enjoyment in the old ways. Hell, another
world, and the things of religion have been constantly in my •
mind for months past, and I couldn't drive them out though I