The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-10-27
Picturesque Views
Of Lille Wales
How Welsh CheeSes Are Made and
Sold on Market Day.
THE REAL NATIONAL COSTUME
Miss kaiser Pleasantly Describes the
school System, the Markets and the
General Neatness of the Hospitable
People of the Land of Song.

Special Correspondence of The Tribune.
Pont-y-Pridd, S. W., Oct. TO-
We have now but two weeks more Of
engagements left, and they will be filled
right through every night, until they
are done, when l fancy, We will all feel
like heaving a great big sigh as we con-
template the past six or seven weeks of
hard, but nevertheless much enjoyed
work, which we will consider, and with
out vanity, very well finished. or
course you are aware that it is no easy
matter, this concertizng night after
night with the fatigues of travelling
sometimes thrown in very emphatic
ally, and to be up to the inspiration
point every evening is quite credit to
us, especially since we have gotten so
used TO our audiences that they cannot
interest us very much, no matter how
much we interest them by our work.
1t has been quite an experience, and one
for which l am very thankful, consld-
ering it from all points of view, |
think that | can say | have learned all
there is to be learned of the art OF
packing trunks and such traps, and OF
the quickest and surest way of getting
ready to catch a train. Indeed, thsfe
has grown upon me, during these past
weeks. a sort of feeling that l am ever
ready" like the much-advertised dress
stay, for instant application anywhere.
Our voices have all stood the wear ana
tear remarkably well--lndeed we nave
not failed to win very high praise Tor
every concert-and our violinist charms
every one all over, wherever she Is
heard. We are all immensely proud oil
her, and, Of course, justly so
Market Day in pont.y.Pridd.
Today is market day here in Pont-y-
Pridd, where all the country people
come into town to sell their butter ana
cheeses. and contribute 10 the public
house keepers profits. These cheeses
are wonderful. or course everybody
has heard of Welsh cheese. Well, II is
not made in factories, as our cheese Is,
but Is made at home in the country
here, where every woman who has
COW has also cheese press, i'll Whlcn
these cheeses, which are made OF Sehu-
inc milk and cream, are shaped, before
bringing to market, where they are dis
posed Of to the grocery stores ana 10
the cheese and butter merchant. They
come in all sizes, some small as dln'
ner plate, while others are as large ana
pOnderous as an American car wheel,
and weigh as heavy as twenty-five
pounds. Today being market day, the
town is full to overf1owing with drum
mers or commercials as they call
them here. These travelling men come
on Wednesday to deliver orders given
the previous market day Qast Wednes-
day. and the Shopkeepers buy OF them
i'm the morning and then close their
shops in the afternoon, opening up the
next morning with a flourish. on the
strength of having a lot of new things
in stock.
But speaking of market day re-
minds me of Llanelly, where there Is
! a real market, and u real market day,
| to be sure. In the center of the town Is
very large inclosed space which, once
you get into it, seem to be little town
in itself. In it's very center stands
large market house, about the size OF
the armory in Wilkes-Barre, / should
| judge, and all over in this pavilion are
| tables and counters on which are sold
poultry, and cheese, and butter and
such things for the housekeeper's sake
alone. AS the people who have these
| tables and booths are Enthusiastically
country people, | suppose they pay a
small rent for whatever corner OF
| this market they occupy with
| their goods. What / noticed partcu-
| larly about this part of the market, was
| the absolute cleanness and prettiness Of
everything. The poultry is already
dressed for cooking and decorated with
parsley, and as dainty as it can be. So
also are the cheeses and the casks Of
butter-everything simply eXquisitely
| clean. Really, one glance at these mar.
kets with their clean, dainty arrange
ments and bustling, business-like wo,
men attendants would be enough to
cause the blush Of shame to mount the
forehead of the most Indifferent Ameri-
can butcher or grocer. They are cer-
tainly way ahead of us in this, I must
admit. We went all through this mar
ket house and then walked through the
little streets around the outside of it,,
which are themselves part of the mar.
ket, and are lined with booths all the
way around, just like little bits OF
stores. In them are sold butchers 8
meat like mutton and beef and pork,
all dressed so cleanly and prettily, and
| further on are ShaWlS of Welsh wool
and woolen rugs and blankets, which,
from the feeling of them, one would
think would outlast century. or fifty
years, at least.
Some Fine knitted Goods.
Then there are Welsh yarns and SIM
ply beautifully knitted woolen goods,
and everything so remarkably cheap.
There are the black and white and
black and red Welsh plaids to be found
here, too, and basket-ware also of very
clever workmanship. AS / passed by
the shoes, glassware, sweetmeats,
fruits, toys, shawls-in fact, every
thing under the sun-each little booth
attended by its owner, one, perhaps,
fakir from London town. while his
neighbor, country-woman from back
in the mountains somewhere, jostled
Swansea man on her other side,
could not help thinking of all / have
read about the great fairs at Nshgi
Novgorod and those other towns in
Russia that have such great trav-
elers fair every year. saw the od-
dest things! l can't begin to tell then,
ALL because | cannot express myself
correctly. II could write, what lot
of lovely things | could picture for
you, but the flesh Is weak, even
though the spirit be willing enough.
1t was at this market that saw the
real, genuine Welshwoman's national
costume for the first time, and as 1t was
under such happy auspices as Welsh
market fair. / shall never forget 1t
We were passing a butter and cheese
stand when l caught sight of big
finely built woman, past middle age
but as hearty and healthy looking rs
sound apple, dealing out butter tc
her customers. / don't know which
would be the most effective in the enc
to begin at the feet or at the head
but | will take the chances and begir