Blair Collection > Rhys Lewis, minister of Bethel

374 HHYS LEWIS.
— I was old comin' to religion— and 111 'low it's but few of 'em
I've heard preach, and p'r'aps those weren't the besfc. When
you preach, sir, I understands you, champion ; but to tell the
truth, honest, I couldn't make horse-hair nor hobgoblin of the
students yonder; and Barbara couldn't do anythin' in the
blessed earth with 'em. They don't talk enough about Jesus
Christ, sir, and heaven. A man like myself has a purty fair
grip of that. There was one of 'em over there who spoke
more'n enough of ' mechanism,' or some'at like that, but I
knew no more than a mountain hurdle what he meant. Ehys
told me you didn't teach 'em to preach, sir ; which is an awful
pity. I know you're wiser nor me, but if I was you, sir, I'd
make 'em preach before you— one every week — and when he
had done, I'd show him where he had failed, and if he didn't do
as you told him, I'd give him the sack. It's by preachin'
"Welsh the boys expect to get their livin', and it's no good larnin'
the languages of people who've been dead hundreds of years if
they can't preach in a language which everybody as is now
alive understands. That's my opinion, sir, but p'r'aps I'm
wrong ; 'cause all I have is a grip of the letters. I'm surprised
it's in an empty house you keep school, and I'm glad, now I've
seen you, that I gave half a sovrin to the sickly little man who
came about collectin' for a new school. That was one of the
noblest men I ever saw with my eyes, sir. He told me it was
from Bala we got all our crowin' cocks, and I never hear the
young ones in our court-yard without thinkin' of his words.
If you've noticed, sir, it's a queer enough clamour young cocks
make, for four months or so, if there isn't an old un there to
set 'em a pattern. But, whether or no, they come little by
little to tune it lovely. I takes a bit of interest in fowls, sir — as
Ehys knows — and, to me, the most disagreeable thing on
earth is those chicks which you can't tell whether they're
cocks or hens. If they don't show purty quick what they are,
I chop their heads off. Well, I'm glad from my heart to see
you all so comfortable, and I hope you'll forgive me for takin'
up so much of your time."
Thomas resumed his seat amidst loud and long-continued
applause.
"What's the meanin' of these cheers, Mr. Williams?" I
heard him ask. " Did I speak middlin' tidy ? "