Blair Collection > Rhys Lewis, minister of Bethel

304 RHYS LEWIS.
"It's got on very well up to now, Thomas," I returned.
" How are they all with you? How is Barbara, and why
didn't she come along ?"
" Well, Barbara's only so, so ; sure to you. She's troubled
shockin' with the rheumatis and pains in the legs. I'd a hard
scufl&e to come here to-day, and she'll be very glad to see me
back agen, I can tell you. She wished to be remembered to
you, kindly. D'ye know what ? I haven't bin from home, be-
fore, for five and twenty years."
"What do you think of Bala, Thomas ?" I asked.
" I haven't seen much of it yet," replied Thomas. "But,
from what I've seen, it looks, to my mind, very much like a
town built in the middle of a field. Why on the blessed earth
don't they cut those trees, t'tiere ? Ain't the crows troublesome,
sometimes ? Never saw a row of big trees, like the Hall's, in
the middle of the street before. I should fancy you've no
Local Board here."
"Bala people think very much of their trees, Thomas
Bartley, and place a very high value on them," observed
Williams.
" Now I think of it, 'deed, Mr. Williams, I shouldn't
wonder but what they're handy enough on fair days for
tvin' cattle to. But they struck me as odd when I first
saw 'em. Here you, Ehys, are you goin' to take me a bit about
to see the town, say ? I haven't much time, you know, and
the house'll be on wires till I come back. Have you got
time?"
" I think I have," I answered. " I'll show you as much as
I can. I take it for granted, Thomas, you've had something
to eat."
" Yes, name of goodness. I had dinner with Mr. Williams
here, suffishant for any man ; and I did oncommon hearty, I
can tell you."
" Good," observed I. " After I've had a wash I'll show you
around."
"A wash! What d'ye want to wash for? You're like a
pin in paper ; there isn't a speck on you. Are you gettia' a
bit stuck up here, say ? "
Williams laughed, and I ran away to perform my ablutions.