The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-10-11

bigot about parts of speech. 7 talk Welsh
to them The smile with which they cock
ready vague kind of sympathy between
us.
The farmer himself is fiery. short man
with beard of most uncommon color.
Now and then / fill a nook in the kitchen
chimney corner under his ancient gun, and
we smoke our respective pipes while the
mother rocks with her toes an ancient
era. like the ark in the picture books.
This is a solemn time for my friend the
farmer. 1t is his chief ambition to rear
Welsh mutton for London. / quite agree
with him that his chops are better far
than those | usually get in England; but
/ have struck upon the idea that Welsh
sheep transplanted to English pastures are
bound to lose their original qualities as
mutton; and L rather like celebrating such
arguments as arise in my mind in support
of this idea. If the good man did but know
how little / know about what / talk on this
subject, he would not flatter me with SO
much attention. nor pull such long faces
at at my words. However. it helps to occupy
the moments His beard is ordinary Rus
STA leather color, and very ragged. / never
saw such a beard.
That Sunday service at the chapel four
days ago was memorable to me- / Should
not wonder if it will not also be memorable
to the pastor and his congregation. The
building is as ugly as a Welsh chapel only
can be and is labeled MORTAL what
ever that may mean. The menkind of the
valley stroll up to it at service time in stiff,
awkward black, and with decidedly per-
functory bearing. The women trip holding
their skirts high and with a wagging Of
high black bonnets that seem set on wires
The boys sink to its portals with no sort
OF enthusiasm.
My good farmer was resolved that 7
should be honored in this place of worship
He led me to the front middle pew and shut
me up there alone. / had blank spaces all
about me when the service began. and was
quainted with the ritual in process The
preacher was above me in a cylindrical
pulpit. provided with a very large Bible
the cover of which he worked to and fro
without pause during his forty-five min
utes' sermon. If they are all like him, they
Welsh chapels. There was aged deacon
IN the 1nclosed space just under the pulpit:
q severe, white haired man, who calculated
during the prayers and sermon and held
his hand to his ear all the time. He did
as he pleased, it seemed to me: sat- knelt
or stood up when the fit took him. And as
L had no other clew to the conduct 1 follow
ed this important mans lead. 1t was not
etiquette. Even nay farmer admits that
and all the household smile drearily when
/ to do? All know is that I will not go
to another service in the valley chanel
Yesterday the local subscription list was
brought formally to me. / subscribed cor
alaIy When | understood that it entailed
no worShipful responsibilities.
That brings me in conclusion to the prime
best of my home in this remote mountains
valley. am in the very holy of holes of
Dame Nature. Probably the place would
breed PantheiStS as readily as London civ
prayers in endless streams. and the temple
IS tapestried with crimson heather The
wind on the rocks is my organ and the
mountain tops themselves are the Sentient
divinities TO whom I bow the knee At
least | would fam believe them sentient in
defiance of erf10d0v oriri0r -