Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-06-18
The sohITongue, and the Bones it Broke,

Wales; a musical contest; the signers of Mach
yllyn were to compete with its singers, and very
great was the excitement that prevailed, On the
morning of the great day there was an influx Of
strangers; special train had brought many an
old townsman, and many who were Jealous for
the honor of Machyllyn, to the quaint and 70.
mantle Aberyffly, which was built on the sea
shore, in the centre of a beautiful bay.
Knots of visitors sprinkled the market place
| and the rocks and the ruins Of the castle and the
| shingly beach, on which the tide was making
| its own music, so dear TO the true lover of the
sea. The gay dresses and ribbons Of the COM
| pany shone in the sun like broken up rainbow;
and the old high crowned Welsh hats, of which
there were many, heightened the interest OF the
| scene.
Crossing the market place. near the great
| clock in the centre, was broad faced, merry
faced, strong faced old Welshmau, Owen Grif-
| fiths by name. He was eTeIybodys friend, and
| more truly 1.-THE representative" of the people of
Aberyffly than was the gentleman whom they
sent TO parliament; for he was the champion of
their rights in the total and the sympathizer in
their sorrows and joys Individually
Nobody liked TO think what Aberyffly would
be without Owen Grifiths; nobody knew his
age: everybody had always remembered him
he was as much an institution of the Place as
the sea, the rocks, or the old ruins. Such a
smile was on his broad face that morning, as he
nodded to one, gave word TO another, praised
| Winny Watts fowls, and told Mary Jones her
they sprang up wherever he was TO be found as
naturally as weeds grow by running water; and
whether they got shower of nuts, or a flourish
| of his stick and threat, made with contradict
| ing laugh, that he would throw them all into
the sea, it mattered not; they were round his
| legs, while he allowed it, thick and three fold.
| "Who'S yonder? Isn't it Richard Hughes,
surey?' he said to Winny Watts, as he noticed
a man hustling through the crowd of women
and their baskets with an anxious face.
| tfTudpnd II 10 - said WiuuV
"What will he he doing here2 Sure it's get.
| ting time for the last practice" said Owen.
Good day, Mr.. Griffiths. Excuse me staying
| to talk-I'm in a wonderful hurry said Rich
ard, who was leader OF the coming contest on
| the Aberyffiy side
"But, man, what brings you this way at this
| time" cried Owen.
ooh, I'm going to see if Robert Jones will
come and try the first tenor" said Richard,
Robert Jones What ais you to want first
tenor, when you've got John Phillips"
Richard shook his head. "Bad job, Mr.. Grit
fiths-bad job. John is gone off IN a heat, Just
| because told him he sung fiat; and doubt if
Robert will come now, because he wasn't given
the first place at the outset. It's wonderfully
provoking, and I'm Just bewidered aboufk"
| "Stop!" cried Owen, as Richard was hustling
| on his doubtful hunt after Robert Jones; "dOn't
| go; he's a sulky man, aud bringing out of Sulks
| is a long job when You are in hurry; and he
| is no tenor worth looking for. I'd as soon bite
Il II crap apple as IlStGu ~ lllu ANY tlult. IL
john you must have. Wait a while, and FL get
him for you. He's a peppery fellow, but he'll
come right with good words"
But Mr.. Grifiiths, the practice is in less than
| an hour" Richard eXpostulated.
Owen waived his land 81 think Wen be at
| the hall together in good tme,' he said. "He
didn't say he wouldn't Join you again2"
mot TO me, but he did to others; and he has
not been near me since the last practice
Every GOOD. Keep his place for him, and
Il rs,f, ni,,,r ha,I- Il
all right" said Owen, going off on his eXpedi-
tion.
Sooner than man of his size could have
been expected to travel, he was at the door of
John Phillips, a shoemaker by trade, and noted
for possessing the richest tenor voice in the whole
district.
"What, joint" he cried, "you at home when
all the baud is going up yondcr to the hall?
| never thought, when my pony strap broke
this morning, and put it ready for your man
to fetch and mend, that should see you in the
shopY
John looked rather forlornly about on the piles
of sand boots he had just been bringing to the
stand by the door, and said nothing.
"John, mani surely you don't know the time"
exclaimed Mr.. Gritfiths, pulling out his watch.
cts little more than three-quarters till you meet
and you not dressed upl Make haste, and give |
over the shop to Morgan, and come with me. /
expect to hear you sing until you make my
| heart dance again"
''No indeed, Mr. Gufiths, no indeed, sir. III
| not sing to-day nor tonight, said John, quickly
| and little thickly.
"Why-what has got into your pipes, John?"
| asked the old man, kindly.
"Pipes?-Oh, anything bat good tunes is in
my pipes, Mr.. Grifflths. VIII you please try a
! pair OF sand-Shoes? You spoke about pair last
| week.
"No, John, no; Pm not the man for such light
| wares when think about it. But the singing,
| John-you don { mean to say you are not going
| to join Tonight? Why, should miss you out
| of The March of the Men of Harlech' as good as
| a hundred of the best men if didn't hear your
| beautiful voice."
"Indeed, Mr. Grifiths, and you are very good,
and kind, and civil always and | wish every
body was the like of you" replied Phillips, in
| comforted tone
SIS it cold, JohnP asked Mr.. Gritliths.
"No, indeed, sir; it was more of heat that
| took" answered John, sufficiently Modified to
| smile little at his joke
"Took heat? oh-what, little milf, l doubt
"a little affront somewhere
"Not little affront, Mr. Owen. Haven't
been laboring my best to do credit TO the sing
ing, and never kept from a practice, and was
to be told before everybody that sung fiat and
put them all outP cried John, red in the face
and greatly incensed.
"Who put that on you, John?" demanded
Owen, calmly.
"No other than him who knowed best it was
nothing but spite, and envy, and jealousy;
Richard Hughes it was, the leader of us who
thinks his own cousin, Rice Hughes, is better
tenor. Let them put him first. l hope they'll
be sorry for it,"
$50 he said you sung fiat, did hep asked
Owen.
dyes, indeed, Mr. Grifltbs," said John, rather
staggered by Owens hearing of the affront so
quietly.
"WeI, WE'LL l shouldn't have thought he'd
have the courage TO do it, seeing the value
VOpp is n them | shall al yua
Richard for it, John; he has shown himself
true friend. You have only one fault, and .he
has told you of it-you do sing flat?"
John looked down demurringly at the sand
boots, and said nothing.
Come, come, put it by; get cool of this heat;
go to the practice, and keep up your voice, so as
to show them"
mo indeed, sir, no! interrupted John, very
decidedly, for he had been sent into fame
by Mr.. Grifiths unexpected approval Of the
affront.
"Well. man, well, take your own way" said
Owen; "we'll make no more to do about it, but
the loss of your tenor will make the Men of
HarlecR halt in their march. Well, which way
do 20 to see Morgan? Is he in the wareroom?
I'll speak to him about the strap for he'll do IT,
and it'll be better give him my directions"
"MOrgan's no man of mine, Mr.. Grifflths,"
said the shoemaker, who looked still more
yexed.
GLOW long has that been p asked Owen, who
knew the circumstances ana all concerning II
very well.
"Siuce Tuesday, sir; he got notice from me
then; yes, indeed"
"Eh! but he was such workman" said
Owen.
"Indeed he was; but he had an ugly temper,
and he got hot when ! found fault; and you
know, Mr.. Grffiths was the master, and knew
my own business best
'Surey, surely; so he went, did e?"
| eyes, indeed, and in terrible passion, too"
every foolish Of him-regular work, good
pay, large family"
eyes, indeed, very foolish" said John.
al daresay you are sorry2"
eyes, indeed; and Pve no man yet, and if |
would go to the singing | couldn't leave the
| shop" said John.
you'll have him back Z"
"a wouldn't humble to him for it, indeed, Mr.
| GTifiths; if he won't hear word from me how
| can work with himl"
every true; people shouldn't be so touchy
when they are wrong they ought to confess
| it, and not quarrel with those who tell them OF
| it,"
Eyes, indeed" said Phillips, looking little
| foolish, as he turned over the boots and shoes.
| ppm sorry for his family. I'll 90 and speak
to him, if you like; maybe he'll promise to be
| well tempered in time to come; / dare say he
1 -. II. I IL