The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-11-03

II was not stranger tnan 1lclion. ANY
one so Inclined could indulge pretty
freely in drawing the long bow, and his
romances would all be credited by a
large class.
That makes me think of the old fish
woman we met washing seaweed down
at the Mumbles when we were ut Swan
sea Bay the other day. We were watch
ing her at her work. and talking, and she
asked us from what parts we were;'
and when one of the gentlemen told her
we sailed from America she calmly SAID
An did ye come all that way in the
cars?" Some of us We're so impolite as
to fairly scream with laughter, but we
explained and she forgaVe us. OF course
there are all kinds OF people here, as
there are everywhere, and some OF them
are less informed about our bright
country than others. but whenever any
one comes TO me for information or
comparisons between ours and other
countries you may be very sure that l
just make the eagle scream.
The Singers of Wales.
We meet a great many singers over
here. some of them very fine. That Is
as it should be, too. for there is certain
Il
need want for training with London
and the best teachers i'll the world with
in half days journey. At one of our
concerts. Ferndale. | think, we had the
pleasure of meeting Miss Mary Thom-
as. the daughter of Mr. Tom Stevens
solo basso. of the Rhondda society. She
is q charming young lady, and called on
us behind the scenes before the concert
l. i, in,
she is a pupil of the celebrated Shakes
peare Her voice is contralto and Is
said to be very fine indeed. l met
another pupil of Shakespeare's after
our Pont-y-Pridd concert few weeks
ago, too. This one was Il soprano and
informed me that she had gone 10 the
concert that evening To hear the Amer
lean voices, which she admired very
much indeed, That same evening, too,
! had quite chat with Madame Will
liams-Penn, of Pont-y- y-Pridd, whom had
met before at st. GATHERINGS, aftel
service one Sunday. She, also, Is a
soprano Of whom | hear great things
and who is engaged for concerts all
over Wales. Her pet London teacher
was FiOri, of whom she talked very en-
Enthusiastically to me- Madame Penn Is
always engaged by the venerable Car
adog 20 sing the solo soprano parts IN
the works which his Choral society pro
duces here every winter. and, by the
way, Miss Mary Thomas, of Porth, aho
of whom Just spoke above, is the CON
tralto whom Caradog usually sends lOI
To take part in his production.
| hear very fine things OF Caradog
choir. Within the last year, think
-. N. MOI
formances, one OF Handers Israel IN
Egypt" one of "Athalie," by Mendels-
sohn, and one of "Sobgesang,' alsC
Mendelssohn They are produced
with Il large and very well trained
chorus, many Of whom have sung under
his direction for years, and with the
aid of full orchestra, many OF the au'
dience coming from places miles away
sometimes To enjoy these rendltlohs
Caradog has never entered competition
[ believe. since he won the big prize
with his choir long ago in lS12 at the
Crystal Palace, London.
An Aneedote of Caradog.
Speaking of that reminds me of GU
riOus little anecdOte | heard about nm
when he was competing for this prize, IL
seems that the composition on Whlcf
the competition was held was publlSheo
in two editions, one in three-quartei
time and one in siX-eighths time. Now
Caradog's choir had been practising
from the three-quarter time edl'
ton, while the orchestra, with Whlcl
the chOirs were made to sing were play
ing from the music of the edition whicf
used SiX-eighthS time. Well. when tins
fact was made known to Caradog, a
the conteSt-that his choir could no
sing with the orchestra, nor the orches
ira play with his choir, because of tho
slight difference, instead Of Withdraw
ing from the contest on account OF TINS
awkward situation, as any other less
gritty man would have done, Carado&
bravely mounted q chair. stood on II
with one arm towards his choir ana The
other towards the orchestra, and witt
the arm towards the choir he beal
three-uuarter time for their singing
while with the other arm towards the
orchestra he simultaneously beat ou
their siX-eighths time for them, and hi:
choir won the prize, | do not know how
true this is, but / suppose it is all true
and | give it to you just as it was giver
to me by Il fine young Welshman, who
is very proud of this countryman of his
Harvest Home Festival.
Oct. 12-I have just come home from
Treforest, where | went this Afternoon
to attend q Harvest Home Festival
which the English churches celebrate
at this time, all over the kingdom. Th'
Treforest festival last evening was helC
in the church Glyn Taft, which is but {
stones throw from the beautiful homt
where the famous arch-Druid, Moriei
lives. Both are located in very wilt
and picturesque spot, upon the top OF
hill. from which q fine view of the sur
rounding country can be obtained whei
once YOU have climbed up to it. l hat
a very good time at the festival. Tit
church was elabOrately decorated Will
immense pyramids of produce such a
cabbages, carrots, turnips. pumpkins
apples, etc, and over these towering
monuments to the plentiful harves
were festooned long vines of ivy, prett.
grasses and bouquets and wreathes o
wheat and flowers of all kinds. Palms
stood about in the corners, celery stalk
nestled at the feet Of great stalks o
ripe wheat, an immense fir tree occu
pied the middle of the floor in one of tn
aisles. while every gas jet was festoon
ed with ripe wheat and roses which ar
still blooming over here. The who'll
church smelt green and sweet with ;
sort of big conglomerate smell of all tn
little different fragrances of the man.
kinds of fresh fruit, vegetables an'
flowers.
Around the altar the decorations wer
most elaborate. The pulpit, lectur
desk, and in fact, everything decorat
able We're festooned and garlande'
beautifully, and around the steps lead
ing up to the altar were strewn in grea
profusion the ripest and most beautiful
fruits, the handsomest vegetables. ant
even great, big, splendid loaves of HON
made bread, with here and there a fin
cheese showing its yellow disk agains
q background of green parsley and Gel
cry tops. 1t was very artistically done
the whole thing, and the church looke
as if the horn of plenty had indeed beel
poured out over the parish.
/ happened to remark to my frien
that supposed all the decorations pre-
sent were really not the products o
Welsh ground, as / had caught
glimpse of some white grapes and "a fey
tomatoes at the top of a pyramid; bu
she hastened to impress upon me tha
not q thing was allowed in the Harves
IIn,.o. INaottx,n1 1annpn tinnG that WAC mo