The Worthington advance., 1878-11-21

Then watch, Oh hope and gladness,
Watch for the Using cloud,
Sun it away, frank warmth OF youth,
Biz " 1t away, bright breeze Of truth.
For oh, thero is neither mercy or ruth,
should It once your heaven cnshroud
AL tho Year Round.
A BROKEN BRIDGE.
reached the little Welsh town of
Abermaw ono boisterous afternoon in
autumn, at about four O'Clock, after a
long tramp over the mountains. Aber-
NAV, as its Eaine implies, is situated at
the mouth of the river Nav, which here
forms an estuary about mile broad. The
town itself faces the open sea; the harbor
lies about half mile up the estuary,
whilst between the town and the bridge
was the outline Of huge bridge, then in
the course Of construction. Abermaw is
a little bit Of place, consisting of ho-
tel, few shops,a church, q chapel of ease
and half dozen lodging houses, which
are built on platform Of sand, the work
Of the sea and river in concert OF in con,
flct. The old t1shing village is perchad
upon the rock above, tier upon tier, the
Intel stone of one house looking down
the chimney Of the house below, and is
reached by rude, rocky steps, where the
children of the village swarm up and
down, and yet rarely contrive to break
their necks.
The farther shore of the estuary was
triangular spit Of sand, across which was
q track that joined the high road
at point where it commenced to mount
the shoulder of wave beaten cliff on the
fence of which it was terraced, Tor on the
further OF southern side of the estuary the
sea washed up to the very base Of the
rocks that formed the rugged fringe OF the
iron-Dound east. There was a ferry from
the Abermaw side to the spit of sand,
thence by detour OF several miles, you
could make your way along the southern
bank Of the river to the town of Dolbadarn.
As the crow flies, Dolbadarn was not
more than seven miles distant from Aber-
nav, but it could not be reached by any
practicable track in less than from ten tr
twelve miles, for the river to sweep to
the north, and in addition to the detour
thus caused, the first bridge where the
road crossed the river was at point q
good way wide Of Dalbadarn, 50 that, al
together, the distance was heightened to
if you crossed the ferry and made your
way across the sand to the highway, the
distance was much the same, and this
latter route was of course only practaca-
bic TO foot passengers.
Although I had reached Abermaw in
the guise of free and independent Pc
destr;an, yet my liberty was Of restrict
ed nature. My wife and children had
gone by the regular coach route to Dol
badarn, and had crossed the mountains
by a wild footpath, promising to join
them that night at Dolbadarn in time for
dinner, for l had intended to take the
coach at Abermaw, which would have
brought me to the end of my journey in
good time. This coach, however, I had
missed just five minutes. My walk that
day had been long one, and was rath-
er tagged, and should probably have hir-
ed a conveyance for the remainder of the
distance, bat the manner of the landlord
Of the hotel was so abrupt, and, as
thought offensive, in answer to my inqir-
les, that resolved, come what might, he
should not be sixpence richer for me.
walked on till I came to little pub
lie house at the farther end Of the town
close to the rough quarters that bordereo
the estuury, and turned in there for ,
glass of beer and a crust Of bread anG
cheese, as we'll Us for the purpose O
making a few inquiries a. to my route.
swell, indeed SAID Evan Rowlands
the landlord, ''thers's no possible way tt
get to Dolbadarn tonight, unless 20,
take car from Mr.. Jones's."
IL shan't have q Car from Mr. jones'"
said. "Can hire one somewhere else2'
Evan shook his head; there was n,
horse or car in Abermaw except the hors
cs and cars owned by Dir. Jones.
"Very we'll, tncn,' I said, II viii
walk"
"Not possible" said Eva; sits NOR
than ten miles"
IL wouldn't mind the distance, only
have walked fivc-and-twenty miles al
ready"
"Dear me-" said Evan, "you're very
strong!'.
"Can't get boat part of the way1
l then suggested.
Evan put his head out at the door.
NO." he cried, "the tide has Just turn
cd; it is running down very strong"
"Then there is nothing for it but walk
ing," said: II must 20 round by Liam
tair BRIDGE" but didn't like the idea O
this ten miles walk through the mist ant
gathering gloom.
"Stop" said Evan. ''Wny shouldn'
you 90 over the blidge-the railroat
bridget"
us the bridge paasible thcna Can
get across2''
"Oh, dear, yes. The gentlemen from
the railway come over very often. and to
day, Hugh Pugh and David Morrise di,
come over from the Dolbrith quarry"
"And what distance will that say
mel"
"Four or Eve miles; yes, sure"
"And the bridge is quite safe2'
"Ob, it is very strong and safe indeed
or how should Hugh Pugh and Davis
Morris come over, and the railway gen
tlemen; yes, sure"
"And the railway people won't objec
to me going overt"
"rheyve all knocked off for day, an
there won't be a soul near the bridge bu
yourself"
"Then of course I'll 60 over it."
I found that there was certain Difficult
ties in the way. The railway bridg
crossed the estuary at a point about
quarter OF mile from the little inn tina
I'd formed the extremity of the town at
spot where its channel was narrowed t
"a distance of three quarters of q mile
~1 The unfpishcd bridge was constructed q
piles firmly driven into the bed Of th
river, from which rose hugh piers of tim
Der to the height Of about forty fec,
Along these were massive balks, destine,
to support the. platform of the bridge
whilst each pier was strengthened AN
= supported by its neighbor by arrange
~ ment of cross beams and ties.
-. When I reached the bank of the rive
with my guide, Evan Rolands, 1 fouu,
that there vas . considerable hiatus be