Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1891-10-19
LETTER FRON WALES.

Iantic, and take pleasure in sending
you a few lines from Wales. l trust
you win pardon the abruptness with
which 1 begin my remarks by saying
it is ''wretchedly" cold.
have been in Wales since the 30th
of July, and there have not been more
than four days entirely free from rain,
and two of those four were dark, cold
and cloudy. The dampness alone is
something very disagreeable to a per
son accustomed to the heat of an
American summer in the New England
states; but that, together with the low
temperature, has resulted in keeping
me painfully uncomfortable most of
the time. The people here try to pac-
ify the complaining American tourist
by saying, ooh, this is a very unusual
season." and when said to me, L very
naturally reply, ''that for the sake of
those who live here, 1 sincerely hope
it is" They try to laugh at me by
saying, ooh, well, it's the Americans
who beget this weather, and they send
it over to us; to which l reply that II
one accusing her of being so i'll con-
ditioned as to cause any people-her
own or those of any other country
the Inconvenience and discomfort
with which this season has been
fraught; and that, although it comes
in an ironical dress, the very thought
that America has the power to pro
create weather that can effect other
nations, is a sort of tribute to that in
ventive faculty and ingenuity which
Americans possess, and the superiOri-
ty of which is acknowledged the world
over. But jesting aside. Though we
all at times may desire a control of
the weather, in regard to our own in
dividual life in this world, we are far
happier in knowing that, after all, it
comes from Him who maketh the rain
to fall alike on the just and on the un
just, and whose judgment can not err.
So I will freely forgive my Welsh
friends the accusations in regard to
America, and willingly believe that
this truly beautiful country would be
far more enchanting seen under sunny
skies. l think in making a long rail
way journey through Wales, the three
things which would first impress a
stranger most strikingly would be the
extremely rough and hilly aspect of
the country, the great amount of rock
imbedded in the earth and the hedges
mostly hawthorn - which appear
like a beautiful tracery by the fingers
of man, upon the perfect picture from
the hand of an Inimitable Painter, ,gra-
ciously given for his enjoyment and
happiness. They are truly lovely ,and
when in bloom, must be more beauti-
full than person can easily conceive
whose eyes have been accustomed to
looking upon dreary miles and miles
of black boards, stumps and barbed
wire. One remarkable thing about
these hedges is that not only are they
kept in excellent condition upon the
estates of the nobility and wealthy
classes, but upon the lands inhabited
by the poorest people, they are almost
without exception in firstclass order.
The land rolls in hills and valleys. In
many respects the scenery is not un-
like that of Vermont and New Hamp-
shire, and there appears to be more
woodland, more unfelled forests than
in either England or Scotland. The
strong soil is something remarkable
to me, and as my father wrote you OF
Scotland, so here the public buildings
and houses are nearly all built of grey
stone. 1t gives the architecture of the
smaller towns, a very fiat, ugly look,
and from the uniformity of color,
makes them appear very dull, espec-
tally to Americans who are accustom-
ed to seeing so much variety in our
cities and towns both of color and form
But think the farming people in this
country are born gardeners, and with
the cultivated grounds around the
houses, which are nearly covered with
the creeping English ivy, perhaps they
more than balance in their quaint beau
ty what they lack in grandeur of de-
sign.
One characteristic of the Welsh
people has for obvious reasons struck
=
tIemely musical element pervading
them, not only as nation, but 1 may
almost say as individuals, for with
hardly any exceptions, they all sing
During the 18th, 18th, 20th and 21st
of August last / attended a musical
affair called the National Eistedpod,
held in the city of Swansea, So.
Wales. 1t is an annual occurrence,
and was very interesting to me. 1t
was held in an immense pavilion seat
ing twenty thousand people. This pa
yilion was constructed on the plan of
circus tent-a strong wooden frame
work covered in with canvas 1t was
stationed little way out of the city,
and tremendous throng of people
continuously passed through the
streets and in and about the grounds
surrounding it. Prizes are given by
the Association and also a few by Roy
atty to the successful candidates i'm
music, art and poetry. These prizes
are won by competitions of all kinds
solo singing by the different voices.
choral singing, which is one of the chief
competitions, a grand competition in
painting, both oil and water colors
and on many different materials, and
competitions in poetry; a large sum
of money being paid to the writer ot
the best poem on certain given sub
ject. This year it was named Gar
Ode to the Sum-" and the prize was
won by a clergyman from Liverpool
England. There are also competition:
on great variety of instruments. The
Eistedpod lasts four days, ,and includes
four very grand concerts at which the
best talent appears that can be secur
ed. You understand me, trust. Ther'
is no rehearsal of anything at thi
Eistepod. 1t is only grand perform