Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1867-10-19

| LEFT Fishguard early next morning, and,
passing along the fine rugged coastline.
reached St. David's by nightfall, and paid
my first visit to the cathedral by moonlight,
going back to mine inn with a creeping
sensation down my back-so ghostly and
lonely did the walls look, and so truly did
they remind me of a certain city by the
Euphrates; and yet over 10000 pounds of
good money has been collected toward
propping up the decayed walls. "Charity
begins at home," is a useful motto, and it
would be well if the good folks who helped
to swell the subscription for the restoration
of St. David's would look closer at home
and do something for their own mouldering,
tottering parish churches-where truly
rust and moth doth corrupt" and where
that most inscriptions of thieves, procras-
tination, is sapping the very life-blood of
an lll-paid, and therefore careless priest
hood.
Much has been written on the state of
the Church in Wales; but not one 1.-THE of
what might be said has yet astonished the
public, and scandalized the supine mem
bers of the Ministry and Church.
left st. David's, then, with a feeling
which dare say many of my readers have
experienced when, from the squaild cabin
where neglect and disregard had nour-
ished the tares so ready to spring forth in
every human heart, he had stood beside
some great and costly monument which
has been raised to commemorate a mans
life and deeds. s-.5L ...-..
Moralizing. then, upon the s'evil that l
had seen under the sun-the lust of the
eye, the pride of life," found myself gaz-
ing up at queer eerie tower, perched on
an Isolated rock. Not far from the ruins
sat the most dilapidated specimen of
piper had ever Glanced upon-he was
literally ragged and tattered. Probably
he did not honor bed very often with his
company; but if he did it must have required
both time and skill to clothe and unclothe.
There was little of everything in his at
tire, sort of conglomerate from the red
rag of a soldiers jacket to the blue slate
colored lining OF all old woman's petticoat.
His head was covered with closely crop.
ped iron gray hair, a gray beard and nous
tache, bright blue eyes, sparkling and rest
less; a straight, thin nose. whose nostrils
expanded and quivered with every emo
tion added to a tall athletic figure, and (re-
memberiEg always the habiliments) you
have pretty accurate picture of the ilan
| found meditating at the foot of Roche
Castle. -a
''Good day to y'ur honor" said he, look
ing me sharply over he as touched his fore
head; 'it's fine day for the ducks. If|
y'ur honor will only condiscind to this
stone safe yeli find it dry; for I've been
sitting on it all night"
''All night. my friend ?" said 1, somewhat
incredulously.
.'Sin, sunset anyhow"
"Why, it poured with rain"
sFaix, it did; rain was no name for it; it
came down anyhow; but, rain or no rain
here sat, listning and Watching till the
eyeballs of me were well most out of their
sockets, and niver so much as scrape of
his feet did see or hear.'' =
s'You expected a friend. did you?"
sFaiX, y'ur not far out"
"Rather a wet night for a rendezvous"
/ went on wondering what kind of char
acter l had fallen in with. "You must have
had lonely time of it, unless you are par
tial to the society of ghosts, which | sup
pose Roche Castle supplies ad Hbituns, after
the manner OF Welch ruins ia general"
Sand indeed they do, half-a-dozen at
least; [ seed them plain enuf in the night
Can you see spirits?"
No. Can you?'
The man laughed and looked triumph
ant.
In coorse Gun. Sure. it was a spirit |
was waiting for so long; but it may be it
was too wet for him.
81 didn't know spirits thought of such
trivial circumstances"
.'Then y've sOmethin' to larn, anyhow,n
he said, cunningly. Hes been used to
warm climates, ye see, and after that, it is
small shame to him it he was afraid of last
night.''
Then, if it's not an impertinent aues-
tion," said, '.tell me, what climate is your
friend used to?' ... ........' .
The desart, to be sure. Faith, then.
clever as ye look, it's somethin' else than
y'ur Bible ye've bin reading; didn't he
walk forDenst for the children of Israel,
through the big desert for 40 years?'
Oh" said l, slightly taken aback, and
giving wider birth to my friend, ''Oh, it
is Moses you mean."
''True for ye, its no less. Ye've heard
tell of Moses, and may be ye've heard tell OF
the piper that played before Moses"
q | acknowledged that had, wondering
what would come next, though scarcely |
prepared for his answer.
''FaiX, then Pm he."
confess to being startled, perhaps not |
SO much by the assertion-that L had no in
clination to dispute-as by the fact that |
was sitting cheek by jowl with madman.
l took hurried glance over the piper, and
a tirmer grasp at my walking -stick-a toll |
cradle weapon of defense, being bamboo
and loaded at the top.
Suddenly he turned round and eyed me, |
asking eagerly:
(which way did ye come ?n
"FrOm st. David's," Ireplied; and ney-
er2tih my dying day shall L forget the yell !