The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-10-08
HOW ALAW MADE
HIMSELF GREAT
True History Of The Composition Of The Welsh
National Hymn.
HEN WLAD Fly NHADAU'S ORIGIN
Miss Kaiser Relates a Spirited REM
iniscence of the Site of the Hotel in
Pont-y-Pridd Which Professor
Haydn Evans Party Makes Its
Headquarters-Welsh Church Mu-
sic, Welsh Peaches and Tomatoes
and Welsh Weather.
Special Correspondence of the Tribune.

Special Correspondence Of the Tribune.
PoNT-Y -PRIDD, S. W., Sept. 81.
n HAVE just been reading and en-
II joying George B. Carter's letter to
The TRIBUNE in defense Of classic
u music, and l liked it immensely. l
do not know how long ago it was writ
ten. as it takes things so long to get
from America to Wales but for all
that am glad indeed to have seen it,
as good things can never be too old to
read. Just as he says, classic music
will never, while this world lasts, be
too old or abstruse to play. He ex-
presses splendid sentiments in splen-
did way. have shown the article in
question to all the rest OF the party
and they have enjoyed it very much
indeed, and we all say "bravo" for the
writer Of it,
We heard very interesting bit of
news at the concert on Wednesday
night. l hope can tell it faithfully,
for it moved me very much at the
time, and | know it will deeply interest
all the Welsh-Americans over there in
Scranton and Wilkes Barre. You see,
over here it is the custom, at the close
Of u concert, to sing "God Save the
Queen" always in England and usually
in Wales. But at some Of our concerts
when we sang "God Save the Queen"
it fell rather fiat, l must say, the audi
ence in one case not even rising on
their feet to salute the song / am
sure il Queen Victoria could have seen
the effect of her national hymn on
those people, she would not have felt
very chippsr. to say the least. So. the
next night, at Trehsrris, for q change,
we arranged to sing the Welsh national
hymn, instead of the English, with Mr..
Auwyl leading off and the rest of us
| joining in, In Welsh. Well. it seemed
like the end of big eisteddol, the
interest was 80 intense. Every man,
woman and child rose up as one as
soon as the first notes fell on their ears,
and Joined in with US heart and soul.
AN INCIDENT IN LYRIC HISTORY. d.,
Then, before anyone had stirred, one
Of the gentlemen on the platform,
Morien, think. began to talk In this
wise:
Friends, Cymry, all of us, hear
that these visitors of ours are staying
at Pontypridd, and that their head
quarters is the County hotel at that
place. Now, 1 want to tell you and
them something that they do not know,
as yet, and that is that they are living
every day right over the spot where
this great Welsh song, "Hen Wlad
Fly Nhsdau," was composed. Instead
of the hotel which now stands there,
there were an old factory and some
houses and here Owaiu Alaw, the COM
poser of the words, lived He was at
nome one Sunday night, and In rather
of the song. After chapel, home came
James James and he said to his fris nd
"'James, here l have written some
verses, and am not much Of mus.
ician. but you are, so go get some por'
ter, and we will make up tune for it,
"Well, the Sunday closing law was
not then in force, and the porter wal
fetched, and between them and tn,
harp, and the porter, the tune Of this
never dying Welsh song was composed
And when these dear young ladies clost
their eyes in sleep tonight, | want them
to remember that by special provi.
dence, 1t seems to me, they have beef
guided to the very spot upon whict
this Hen Wlad Fly Nhadau, which
they love so to sing, was composed"
He spoke more, of course, and mucl
more entertainingly than can remem
Der, and very wittily, too. but that il
the gist Of what he said. l confess tc
you that as l dropped to sleep thai
night did feel very thankful that we
had been SO privileged as to pitch oul
tents iD such hallowed spot as this.
SINGING IN WELSH.
BY the way, / am becoming yer,
fond OF Welsh. Mr.. Anwyl and
, have a pretty Welsh duet In our roper
. torie. which we sing with good success
and. of course. we all sing the oil
Welsh Hen Wlad Fly Nhadau" an
other Welsh songs. can say ''goo
, morning" and good night" and "goo
, afternoon" in Welsh besides "thanl
you" and such words. l have ais
J "boy' and ''girl" and driver" in m
vocabulary and hope to enlarge it a
the time of our stay here wears on. Th
other night at our little banquet afte
the concert at Treharris Morien spok
from across the table to me in Welsl
and was so sorry to have to shake m.
head and ask for English instead.
8 We have had no Welsh weather what
a ever since we were over here until to
day, when 1t began to rain. OF oours,
: We are very sorry, as the rain inter
fered somewhat with our delightful
= drives into the surrounding country
There has not been a drop OF raj
= here for four weeks, very unusua
3 thing, they tell me. Last evening as
was talking to a gentleman who
visiting his relatives here mentione
that had been told 1t always raine
over here in September. He informe
me that this was true, but that thi
was American weather, he thought.
n PLENTY OF MOISTURE.
Z Sept. 23. II is ali true. am afrait
about the rain in Wales They ga
o that when it once starts it does nc
9 stop for fortnight, and ever sine
| Friday the 21st 1t has been raining 6
!. quite lively rate. and at this minui
y is coming down in very straightfol
: ward manner, to put 1t mildly. W
are to sing this afternoon in SON
Q church In town here. and how dres
D going out In this weatherl But IL
| naonla hera do not mind IL Mt all TT