The Scranton tribune. (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, July 29, 1896, Page 10, Image 10

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    10
THE SCR ANTON TRIBUNE-WEDNESDAY MORNING. JULY 29, 189.
CYNTflY ANN BOWKER'5 STRANGE GOEST.
BY FRANK W. SAGE.
Copyricht, lbUQ, by the
PART r.
"No, wo nln't got a hotel In Portland.
Jl'e ought to have one, but we ain't
But there's my half-sister, Cynthy Ann
Uowker, right across the road there.
It she's In the humor of it, It lays In her
power to git you up a tltnnor tit fer
U king er a banker."
.Sol amended his speech as the result
of a process of unconscious cerebration
whereby had been suggested the likeli
hood of this well-dressed stranger's be
longing to the banker's guild. He wa
of striking mien, unquestionably tt person-
of distinction In whatever circle
he moved, if mere externals counted
fur anything. But Sol, with worldly
wisdom beyond the average rustic, re
lied not on mere appearance. He learn - J
on his hoe handle, eying the stranger
warily.
On second thought he found his ap
pearance to answer equally well news
paper descriptions of gamblers and con
fidence men.
The little dead-and-alive village was
In an unwonted stale of excitement
that hot July day. An occurrence the
most Improbable, anyone could have
predicted had literally shaken the
j,:."e. At seven minutes past one
o'clock the Chicago fast mail, which
daily for months hail not once fail'd
to thunder past the little station
promptly on time, never stopping, nev-
CYNTHY ANN WAS STITCHING A
CHAZY Ql'ILT.
er so much os slackening speed, had
Jumped a switch, ditching the engine
and piling two mail cars In ruins across
the main track. A blockade of several
hours being Inevitable, various pass
engers unprovided with luncheon were
inquiring at private residences for din
ner. Hut Inasmuch as Portland had
turned out en masse to view the wreck,
their quest was for the most part vain.
"Kf you'll .wait here, I'll step across
an' see what Cynthy Ann says," Sol
volunteered. "She's an old maid, an'
notional like them kind mos'ly Is. We've
got to manage her kind o' by con
tra Iries, er she won't move n hand. You
sec now how she is; everybody jls' crazy
'bout the accident, an' a-runnin' to
break their necks, an' she wouldn't stir
out o' the house er even look out o the
winder, ef it was to save tin? hull rail
road system from bein' stove to flin
ders. That's the w&y she always was.
Put mebbe I kin fetch her."
He leaned his hoe against the fence,
and, plodding across the dusty street,
knocked at Cynthy Ann's door.
"It's goin' on to two o'clock, Cynthy
Ann, middlln' late fer cookin' a meal
o' vittles," he Insinuated, after stating
the case. He shook his head disap
provingly. "I wouldn't 'n' mine over,
only I felt obleeged to make a show
o' askin' seein' he was so set. It's a
b'illn' hot day in the bargain, an a man
that's half a man wouldn't peisume on
nskin a woman to stew over a cook
stove n-glttin' up a fancy meal, when
there's crackers on' dried herrln' to
be had at Ply's grocery. Wouldn't en
courage sech doin's. Illi-um. You
wouldn't see me takln' long to decide
How tan we tell but what he's a gam
bler, er onp o' them bunkum fellers?"
Cynthy Ann was seated In a rocking
chair, stitching on a crazy quilt. Now
and then she indulged In a habit of
Etooplng and anxiously Inspecting the
toe of her embossed canvas slipper, as
If to assure herself that It was still on
her foot. Her short hair was roached
straight back over her head and con
fined with a seml-etrcular comb. Her
features were heavy; her countenance
Immobile. She half turned and peered
through the slats of the shutters.
"He's decent lookin' enough, Sol Ad
ams. As fer It's beln' some trouble, It's
a chance to do a sufferln' feller critter
a good turn, an' put a quarter In my
pocket nt the same time. I'm goin' to
do It. So you Just move yourself and
ketch me a couple o' pullets, nn' I'll give
him a taste o' fried chicken thut'll make
him own he ain't ever knowed before
what fried chicken Is."
"You ain't goin' to do no sech foolish
extravagance, Cynthy Ann Powker.
Two fried chickens fer a qaurter! What
er you a-thlnkln' about! Now, you lis
ten to me; you fry him one pullet, ef
you're bound to be so contrary, an'
you keep half o' It fer your suppef an'
mine. Then see here; you set out the
other half fer him, an' them cold greens
lift over from our dinner, an' whatever
you've got handy, and then you promise
me you'll charge him forty cents, an' no
hemmln' er hawin' about it, or I'll go
straight back and tell him you won't be
pestered with him. I as good as told
him so before."
"You don't do no such a thing, Sol
'Adams. All you got any call to do is to
let him know I'm tollable high chnrgln',
an' leave me to tend to the rest. I ain't
a-goln' to say what I'll charge him;
depends on what sort o' luck I have
cookin'. An' say, you see that you don't
bring htm In this house fer a good hour
to come. Chickens has to fry slowly. I
ain't a-goln' to be drove fer the presi
dent o' the United States, an' you kin
tell him that, ef you want to. It's ask
In' enough o' me to stay home a-stewln'
over a hot stove while the hull town Is
out enjoyin' the accident, without hav
ln' a strange man rockin' an fannln' In
my settln'-room. a-fussin' an' fumin'
'cause I ain't hurryln' faster with his
dinner. Now you go 'long an' ketch me
two pullets, do you mind, er I'll go an'
hunt a cool place In the cellar an' let
your Mr. Stranger hunt somewhere else
fer a dinner. Put here; first of all you
take him a couple o cookies to kind o'
Vtay his stummlck, an' you draw him
out a bit, an' see ef he's one o' the kind
to be stingy "bout payin'. Ef he Is, you
needn't come back."
"He's got money, you may depend,"
Mid Sol, confidently. "I'll ketch you
Bachellor Syndicate
the pullets right away; the cookies will
keep, I reckon."
Having discharged this mission, Sol
returned leisurely to report to the
stranger cheering news of his success.
"Pt you see me lean my hoe agen the
fence, you may know It's a bargain,"
he had said to Cynthy Ann nt parting.
"It's all settled, but you're not to go
nigh the house fer an hour. She pinted
Iy told me to tell you she would't be
drove fer the president himself. I had
a wras'lin' match with her, you better
believe. Mighty ni2h give it up, once.
You see she was sewin' one o' them
piece-qullts she's so crazy about, an'
when Cynthy Ann Powker is busy at
work o' that kind, it's about like tryin"
to whistle a hog out of u sweet-per-tuter
patch to git her to lay it down.
Put you see I sort o' let on about the
nuisance o' people cumin' round an' pes
terln' fer favors nt unhandy times, an'
doubtin' whether you'd got the price of
a meal o' vittles about you, an' things
like that 'till I'd got her a-pullin' con
traircywisc. . An' now she's got started
an' no stoppln' her. She'll jes' try her
self, an' fix you out with luxuries o'
the season, from corn-bread to weddln'
cake, I reckon."
Hoi bent himself, laughing Immoder
ately at the Orollness of this Impromptu
conceit. Then, suddenly bethinking
himself, he delivered the cookies. "She
thought you mightn't be able to .wait."
he explained. The man gave a queer
smile, but accepted the gift with be
coming humility. Sol leaned his hoe
against the fence and stooed to re
move an Imaginary pebble from his
shoe. Then the guest-to-be retired to
the shade of a toweling sycamore on
a creek-bank near by. to beguile the
Interval of wailing with a newspaper.
"I don't properly recall your name,"
said Sol, Inquiringly, as he ushered the
supplicant for Cynthy Ann's favor Into
the dining-room.
"Prown," said the guest, simply, nnd
ns his hostess, heated and perspiring,
came in at the moment from the kitch
en, he bowed smiling, before Sol could
formally introduce him.
"It's too bad to put you to so much
trouble. Miss Powker," lie apologized,
glancing nt the bountifully furnished
table with a look of appreciation which
spoke at the same time sincere concern
for the labor It hail cost her. "I fear I
have imposed on your good nature. J
really must apologize for allowing you
to undertake such a task, this warm
day."
"It ain't the trouble, ef things was
only cooked right," Cynthy Ann replied,
graciously. The grim look of reserve
faded from her features under the touch
of his sympathy. "There's times when
I'm that Mustered, like I've been since
the accident, that I can't cook lit fer a
section-hand. Speakin' o' that, I want
you to tell me, Sol Adams, what ails
them biscuits."
A curious smile lurking beblnd the nlr
of mystery which Invested this query,
suggested that the solution of the prob
lem would be found to shed light upon
various indeterminate factors which
operate frequently to bailie the cook's
calculations.
Peing thus expressly challenged to
pass Judgment. Sol seated himself nt a
respectful distance from the table, but
tered a biscuit and nibbled at It with n
countenance composed to nn aspect of
profound ratiocination far removed
from any suggestion of animal appetite.
Mr. Prown and Cynthy Ann awaited
breathlessly the verdict. After a mo
ment Cynthy Ann broke the silence.
"I see you ain't makin' no headway,
Sol. No. it ain't the lumps in the Hour,
ner the mite too much sody, though
them faults I kin notice if you can't.
Well, then. I reckon I'll have to tell you.
men Is such poor guessers; it's the lower
.crust's bein' n speck underdone. I'd
outiht to left the pan settin' fin the bot
tom of the oven half a minute longer.
Kf I'd 'a' had time I'd 'a' filing the hull
batch out to the chickens an' begun all
over. Put they'll have to do, so draw
up your chair, Mr. Smith, while I fetch
the sweet pertaters."
As the meal progressed, Cynthy Ann,
llattered by her guest's favorable com
ments on every dish, rehearsed her ex
perience as a cook, from the earlier
days when her faculty was universally
recognized as a heaven-bestowed gift,
to the present time when, ns she averred
but the merest suggestion of her former
aptitude remained.
"Since I've taken up pleee-quiltin',
I've noticed a sliddy fallin' off, goin' on
four year now. Put a body can't be
A PACK SUDDENLY APPEARED AT
A WINDOW.
cookin' all the time. So what will I do,
Mr. Smith?" she appealed, plaintively.
"There's nothin' goin' on in Portland,
the year round, l'eople ain't sociable.
The men sits on store boxes day in an
day. out, wastin' their time discussln'
politics an' such nonsense an' the wom
en sets nt home, mendln' clothes an"
fussln' with the children. Its turrible
humdrum."
Availing himself of her preoccupation
while awaiting a reply to her perplex
ing question, nnd noting the fact that
Mr. Prown ate sparingly of the chicken.
Sol drew his chair closer to the table,
helped himself to chicken nnd gravy,
and proceeded to eat after a grave,
decorous fashion, his eyes meanwhile
being llxed with nn expression of pro
found and absorbing Interest on the
face of their guest. At this bit of pre
sumption Cynthy Ann frowned at him
Indignantly from behind their guest's
chair, unconscious of the fact that the
lntter's countenance gave token of
amusement which was incompatible
with the Idea of possible offense. De
spite her nods and grimaces Sol sat
unmoved.
It was at a moment when Cynthy
Ann, having removed Mr. Brown's plate
was In the act of placing before him
safe; w IMi
a dish of apple pudding, that a face
suddenly appeared at a window.
Across the front of the caller's cap was
blazoned In silvered letters the single
word "Conductor."
"We've Rot the track cleared, gov
ernor. The Chicago express is In sight
and will be here in three minutes. I'll
hold It for you, If you want to finish
your dinner."
"Oh, don't do that; I'll come at once,"
Mr. Prown replied, rising quickly.
"I can easily hold the train, governor.
Or if you prefer to wait, we'll have on
other engine for our train In an hour."
"I'll take the express," and, with a
hasty good'-by and a warm handshake
and profuse thanks to his entertain
ers, he was off before either could col
lect their wits.
PART II.
''Did you hear what that conductor
called him. Sol? He said Governor,
didn't he? Why what ails you!"
Sol had started up, dropping his knife
nnd fork, and stood aghast, facing Cyn
thy Ann.
"Py Jickity! Cynthy Ann powker,
do you know who that man Is? It's
tloVei nor Brown!"
"Who's Governor Prown, then?" A
shade of rising apprehension appeared
In Cynthy Ann's tone. -
"Who do you reckon? Ozro L. Prown,
the governor of this state!"
She bolted to the open door.
"Fiddlesticks, I don't believe it!"
"Well, y.u needn't if you don't want
to. 1 knowed I'd seen that man before.
Wasn't I. at the Inauguration, un" didn't
1 shake hands with him? Mighty
strange I Old n't recall him. I'll warrant
be knowed who 1 was, nil the while.
Them politicians never forget a face.
Ureal Jupiter! Cynthy Ann Powker,
me an' you has gone un' done it this
time, sure!"
As if expressly to confirm Sol's dec
laration, shouts of applause resounding
from the direction taken by the depart
ed guest reached their ears, prompted
by the piping voice of un urchin yell
ing vociferously: "Three cheers for
Governor Brown, that lives In the state
house!"
"There didn't I tell you?" said Sol.
"The land alive!" Cynthy Ann ejacu
lated, "was 1 ever rn plum beat In my
burn days! To think o' me sittin' here
so ca-ain. In tills old faded gown, an'
you loungin' there, on u cheer beside
iilm. catin' as composed, without nry
collar, an' nweatln' like a wash-b'iler!
CYNTHY ANN SAT IN HER PAR
LOR, PEN IN HAND.
What's n-poin' to happen to me an
you, Sol Adams? What sort o' account
er we goin' to give of ourselves?''
Cynthy Ann's voice wus husky with
emotion.
"I say, you'd ought to run after h;m
an' 'umbly beg his pardon, ef you're
half a man."
"I ain't a-goln' to do no seech a thing.
Cynthy Ann Powker!" Sol exclaimed,
sturdily. "I say It was his part to 'a'
give his full title when he introduced
himself. Kf you feel os bad about It
you kin write him a note. I nin't n
goin' to make no move in the matter.
You know I'm about settled on makin'
that Kansas trip soon, to see Miiy's
folks. I'm liable to start tonight, In
fact. You've boon so contrniivy about
goin' with me; mebbe this'll help you
decide. Kansas is out o' 5uv. Pruwn's
Jurisdiction."
"I wouldn't mind near so much ef
I hadn't kep' callin' him 'Mister'
Prown all the while," said Cynthy Ann,
wiping tier eyes.
"You didn't call him Mister Prown."
"I didn't?"
"No, you didn't; you called him Mr.
Smith every lime you opened your
mouth."
Cynthy Ann throw her apron over her
bend and dropped despairingly Into a
chair. Emotion seemed to have be
come paralyzed In her.
"An" you said some disrespectful re
marks about politics." Sol remindod
her. with a gleam of mirth.
"I know I did, but thnt wasn't half
ns bad ns your a-settiti' there eatin'
like a harvest hand, an' that without
bein' invited. An' you never riz up,
ner hardly stopped catin' when he
shook hands, on goin' away."
"You sent him two cookies, like ns
ef he'd been a sfven-ycar-nld," Sol
retorted.
"What ef I did? Tt was you gave 'cm
to him. Thank goodness they was
crusted with my best granulated susnr,
nn' not 'With brown. An' he et one. fer
I watched him. I ain't ashamed o"
them cookies. This Is too solemn a
case for tiunrrelin,' Sol Adams; we've
got to think up what's best to do to
clear ours-dves."
After further conference the case
seemed to assume, if anything, more
desnerate features.
"I don't care!" Cynthy Ann at last
cried, defiantly, "there's things to be
said on the other side. I've got my
opinion of anybody that'll set a poor
woman to Htowlii' over n hot stove an
hour an' more, nn' then run off after
he's et his till, without offerln' a cent o'
pay."
"Why, he didn't either; I plum forgot
to tell you. Here."
Sol produced two silver half-dollars,
and spun them across the table towards
her.
"You see, I made him pay In ad
vance." "You didn't! Sol Adams, I did give
you credit fer liavin" some sense. What
possessed you to do that? What did you
say to him?"
"Why well er I told him you was
the leas' mite jubious about his looks."
Cynthy Ann gasped spasmodically,
then rose from her chair and dropped
upon the lounge, where she sat for
three minutes with parted lips, and eyes
fixed stonily on a distant church steeple,
a picture of woe, unutterable. Sol care
fully wiped away a drop of gravy on
his sleeve. He had an air of having
resolutely set uside, for a moment, the
pressure of overwhelming tribulation.
All unbidden, as it seemed, a gleam of
mirth slowly overspread his counten
ance. "We come nigh forgettin' about-your
sendln' him word how you wouldn't be
drove fer the president himself, Cynthy
Ann," he suggested, with an air of
mh mm
Impartially arranging the worst fea
lures of their offense, and having It
over with.
"Owdacious scand'lous affair. Don't
see no possible way o patchln" it up.
neckun you'd better take the Kansas
trip with me. Desprit bad scrape. I'm
goin upstairs to pack my gripsack.
At noon the next day Cynthy Ann
sat behind closed shutters In her par
lor, pen In hand, arduously composing a
letter. It was an unfamiliar task, and
her progress was slow. Her eyes were
leaden; she had slept little the
night before. There came frequent
knocks at the locked doors. Curiosity
to know Just how she had entertained
her distinguished guest was not satis
fied with Sol Adams' minutest rehearsal
of particulars. Women coaxed through
1 ' J f.ZtV .
M!IV.i:
w pi
THEN SHE OPENED MX. THE
Slll'TTKitS.
keyholes; children wantonly rattled the
siiuuers. v yniny Aim gave not tne
slightest heed to either. Even Sid
Adams, returning promptly at ths
stroke of twelve for his dinner, pom
meled vainly at the kitchen door. An
hour later he returned and called fret
fully through a shutter: "What al:s
you, Cynthy Ann, are you deaf? Limine
in. f say. I've got a letter fer ye."
Cynthy Ann rose at that and peered
thnmgh the slats. "Hand It in," she
said, laconically.
"No, I don't," Sol replied, masterfully;
You're -join' to lot ine In before you
git your hands on it. It's got an official
envelope, an' concerns me, tin). I don't
make n doubt. I'll jist read it fer you."
At this threatening intimation Cyn
thy Ann cautiously opened half the
shutter, and Sol, clutching the letter
guardedly, climbed in. Then he gave
her the letter.
There's somethin' stiff inside," he
said, as she snipped an end of the en
velope with her shears. In a moment
she had removed a photograph and the
li tter. This she read several times
over; then, without a word, handed
It to Sol, while she examined the photo
graph. Sol read eagerly:
State House, July W, IS. My Dear-
Miss Howkc?r: Allow me more expressly
to thank you for your hospitality to a
stranger in distress, yesterday, and to
apologize for what now seems to me a ills
advantage I took of you anil of Mr.
Adams in not revealing my Identity, which
must have been made known to you by
tills time. I hid no Intention of having
my little Joke at the expense of cither
of you. As a token of regard and friend.
hip please accept inclosed photograph of
Mrs. fhown, the children and iny?oK'.
very faithfully yours,
"ir.no p. piiown."
Cynthy Ann deliberately pinned the
open letter and the photograph In a
conspicuous place upon the parlor wall.
Then she oiiened all the shutters and
unbolted the doors.
"I reckon we might as well let the
neighbors In, Sol," she suggested drear
ily. "They've been so pressin' nil the
forenoon, I ain't intendin' to be mean."
SHORT SILVER CATECHISM.
From the New York World.
O. Mexico has been a sliver standard
country for four centuries. What is its
present monetary condition? A. It Is on
a silver specie basis. Till banks issue
notes "$s, l'JT.uim In all. The specie (sil
ver) reserve to pay them Is $W,.VJi),ii'X'.
There Is Sir.,DOii,ivJe In silver dollars in cir
culation, iiml the cointry has about $",
(iiki.iKjO of money 1n use, counting in gold
and subsidiary silver. TlM" population !s
.lii.W $I..'iU pi r capita. There are no
government notes.
O- What has become of the f,3L'1,(,
Oliii coined by Us eleven mints? A. It lias
been exported as fast as It was coined,
ns bullion, to pay for imports, at Its com
mercial price as bullion.
q. What is n Mexican dollar equal to
in our silver coinage? A. Jl.tdl. it con
tains 4'Mi.sa grains of tine silver; ours
371. X"..
q. What is It north In Mexico in gold?
A. Kx.tetly 5s cents when sliver Is worth
US cents per ounce, ns bullion; and 13 cents
for a legal tendr five cents being the cost
of ooPiuse. It fluctuates from day to day
as bar silver rtiietuates in London.
q. Then a Mexican silver dollar Is worth
no more in Mexico than It Is anywhere
else in the world Its market price as bul
lion. A. Yes, live cents Ihe cost of coin
age. It has no other Hat value In Mexico.
q. Then Its practical "free and unlimited
coinage" adds nothing to Its value? A.
only the legal tender fiat value in Mexico
of five cents over the bullion value. If
Tree coined this would disappear, u:nl It
would only be worth in Mexico its weight
In silver.
q. What Is the cost of living in flic City
of Mexico? A. About one-foili'th more
than In New York city In Mexican money.
Hotel rates are J." per day. C.ibs cost
$l.rrii per hour. Street car fares ure ti'-i
ci tits. Hciits are higher than in New
York city: board Is dearer; restaurant
meals ccst more.
q. What Is the cost of food? A. Hour,
T.'g cents: sugar. 111 cents; beef. H'j cents;
pork, cents; coffee, 1 cents, tea (cheap
est), $1;" cheese. SKI cents. All staphs Im
ported cost sold prices In addition to du
ties. (,). linw much of the Mexican silver
money can a man earn'.' A. The siree car
companies pay cunductors, drivers and
collectors from M cents to 1 per day.
The hlKliest wage paid blacksmiths is
J2.."hi; bookbinders. Jl; carpenters, Jl.r.O:
engine-drivers. l.'.a: harness makers, hat
ters, locksmiths,, silversmiths, plumbers
and turners. SI; machinists. H.7.".; brick
layer", stonecutters, house painters,
Manv noik for half those rales.
q. Then the cost of living Is much high
er and wages of craftsmen much lower
than Willi us? A. Decidedly. A crafts
man In Mexico receives practically one
half American wages, and h!s living ill
the snme way as here costs much more.
q. How is' it with laborers? A. They
get from 37: to M cents per day In this
Mexican silver nionev.
O. And how do they live? A. "At less
expense than a farm horse In New Eng
land." and not so well, John Window once
remarked. "The laboring classes," says a
Mexican newspaper, "regard themselves
as a plant, which moves by extraneous
aids only, and has no power or volition,
and no desire to exercise It If it had."
IN A XL'TSIIKM-
m
I'n r free coinage at sixteen, to one,
the following classes of people will be
robbed of half their investments:
All depositors In savings banks.
All members of building associations.
All pensioners.
All persons carrying life insurance In
any form.
All persons carrying Are Insurance poli
cies. Are these people wllllnff to vote for ft
proposition which robs themselves of
their earnings or Investments for the fu
ture? Toledo Blade.
I! i.jjJ
(tlu
i I
EBEN FARDD
GORAF CYMRU
The Great Welsh Bard Wins the Chair
at Twenty.
" DINYSTR JERUSALEM " A BEAUJY
Puriug the t,iit Few Years the Xn
tiounl Cistcddfod of Wales is t o:n.
iug .More in Favor with our Coumu
John Pull-. We Tcacli Hi m How to
Sing.
i
Eben Fnrdd was only 20 years of age
when he gained the chair of I'owys in
at the Welshpool eisteddfod, the
subect being "The Destruction of Jer
usalem," and this composition Is still
reckoned among the best ever com
posed in rhythmical concatenation of
sounds, which, according to the high
est authorities on Welsh poetry. Is jo
characteristic of and essential tJ Welsh
poetry. A very good poet, who had
gained the envious dlrtinctlon of be
ing a "chaired bard." said upon one
occasion that he would give all the
poetry he had ever composed for being
the author of the following two lines.
l.lithrlg yw'r palmant llathrwyn,
.Mor gwacd ar y marmor gwyn.
The young poet introduces his subject
very abruptly, exclaiming
A! dinyrsr! dluystr! yn donau, chwalodd
Cchelion riigtiulau;
A thlrion byrth yr hen ban,
I'a.ei'saleia icr el seiliau,
one of the adjudicators remarking thnt
Win powers of description were most
admirable, and that Hiram himself
could scarcely have described the ornrt
mental architecture of the Temple with
greater precision.
'Ilclrdd golefnau, elliailau goludog
Cunpwyth rywrelnjawl, rnapwailh coro
nog," etc.
Having followed his subject until be
found "the city of the great King" re
duced to a heap of rubbish without a
living inhabitant, he concludes his ode
as abruptly as he begins, which abrupt
ness Is not considered a defect, but
rather nn excellence, for was the sub
ject not the Destruction of Jerusalem,
and nothing more?
A'r lie glan, wedl'r holl glod,
I.lenwlr o ddylluanod;
J'oli bwystlll yma gllla, J
dliilll yn hon el ITau a wna;
Diaii i.f llnau o'r tan
.Mno'n well 1 ntnan allan;
A gailo'r fan rwygedig,
lHU-drcfa i'r gawl yaddi drlg.
In the days In which the old Owyn-
eddlglon society was leading Welsh
thought, candidates for prizes given' by
this good and patriotic society com-
posed In the twenty-four metres, termed
of Carmarthen, the metres framed by
Dnfydrt- ah Edmund, a gentleman of
property from North Wales, nnd one
of the chief bards of his nge, who hav
ing attended the Cannarthen eisteddfod
In MD1," gained the silver chair, and
was subsequently called the silver-ton
gued bard. In the "Creal," In ISO."),
Nos. 1, 2, .'!, Is published an account of
this notable eisteddfod, nnd it Is re
corded in his new system several now
metres of his own Invention, and
though he was not opposed at the sal.l
eisteddfod Ihe bards of Gwent nnd
Morgnngw objected soon after to the
substitution of his new Inventions In
lieu of some very ancient metres which
he had omitted and convened another
eisteddfod within their own district,
giving the customary notice of a year
nnd n day, for the purpose of protesting-
against the new system, asserting
thnt they had a code of 21 metres, which
had the authority and sanction of ages.
The protest docs not seem to have any
effect outside their own province, nnd
the bards of North AVales have ad
hered most rigidly to the Caermarthcn
metres from that day till very lately
so late Indeed ns the Pontypridd eis
teddfod held ill WKi, when one ef the
adjudicators, a North Walian, Insisted
In giving the prize to the only bard
who had composed on the 24 metres,
but the other adjudicators .were against
him, since they considered another
poem which had been sent in to the
competition of a higher merit. There
fore, of later years, the best composi
tion of candidates for the chair prize
are generally upon a few selected me
ters, nnd this Is quite In order since
the Caermarthen eisteddfod of 1SH,
where nt a Oorsedd "me.-ring at this
eisteddfod, which U called Corsedl
Dyfcd. among other tilings It was unan
imously agreed that from that time
henceforth the bards of the Isle of Brit
ain were at liberty to choose the metres
considered most suitable by them for
their subjects. The resolution is as fal
lows: "Hod o liyn cllan ryddid 1 felrdil
Ynys Prydain gyl'ansoddi cu caniad.iu
nr y nn-surau mwyaf teihvng n chyf
addas bid en testynnu; nc na byddn
rhagllaw .wahnnlaeth o barth teilynv
dawd I el roddl i fesurau yr un dosarth.
na'r ben na'r ncwydd, rngor, lieu uwe'n
cu gllydd: nnd bod urddiant cerdd pen
nwdl I gad el farnti with gymmhwyll
ndau synwyr n plnvyll. a chynghanedd.
rywlawg a diledryw yn hytrach tiae
with amrywlat lh mesiirau.
The chief bards present nt the C.or-
sedd tnoetlr;; when the above resolu
tion was passed, were lola MorgMnv.'S,
Daniel Ddu, Dewi Sllln. ('.waiter Mec"-
ain. Robert Naiilglyn, Hywel lilandwr.
CSwilym Mnrganwg.
It was a common saying among the
bards that Die Sion Pafyiid was taken
very ill at this eisteddfod, and after
pining for four years, died at an eis
teddfor held ill the same town In ISlC,.
At the I'owys eisteddfod In the year
JS21, a prize was offered for the best
piiatih to put on his grave, ami about
fifty were sent In, a specimen of which
are the following:
Rliof 1 Walla orfolo ld I ie Klon Sais,
A sulfas geiifedil
Piioer Pa! ha! o"r iihvo.1 1,
J'yuia li ur iloiii el led I.
Dyirodd darfo.leilliraefh, y Caegyn,
Cegog i furwolaeth:
Trwy ing el nyeh. trersu wnao'.h.
Am regit y ('ymivlgiae'.ii!
During the last few years the na
tional eisteddfod of Wales Is coniinpr
more In favor with our cousins across
the border. They seem to enjoy our
singing, and there seems n desire to un
derstand what the Welsh "A wen" lias
to say. There has been some com
plaints made lately that the works of
our best poets have not been translat
ed for the benefit of our English read
ers. To make up for this deficiency the
column of "Welsh Tld-Hits" may be
of some service, and we propose to give
now and nguln specimens of .Welsh
poetry In English dress. We commence
with the eminent Clan Oelronydd's
the following Is only a liberal transla
tion of the englynlon, which gained a
prize at the I'owys eisteddfod, 1824:
TO THE RIVKH SEVEUN.
Onward pellucid stream, through towns
and fertile plains thou tlowest, thou
bearest riches to our country,
smooth-gliding In meandering course.
To her, renowned In rank, Bahrina fair,
thou ow'st thy name. O, how wltn-
In thy rolling flood found she her hap
less grave.
O. gay, how many heroes bold rushed
through th foaming flood, where,
now, the dashing waves that saved
the warrior's side?
Still shall thou flow, though a king dhoald
strive to avert thy native course, thy
roar or ages none may huso.
While the din of anus and the clash of
contending toosta shook thy liixuri
lint banks, thou, reckless glideitt
by with thy swift bubbling stream.
Forever, like, a driver snake, shall Severn
sweep to ocean far, steal over its
pebbly bed; bnt man, llght-heartej
man, though high in pride, must bow
and moulder in the dust,
MOTIVES FOR PREACHING.
Some preach from love to Cod and man
i'nith, truth, and nlor.s wishes;
While pome, of slender talent vain.
Some, o-atory's meed to gain,
Some, without honesty a train.
l'lcoch hard for loaves nnd tlshe.l.
WHAT Id "AWEX?"
What Is "A wen?" 'tis a name,
Rom and nurtured there on hiah;
Fraught with mercy, uown it caine,
To forbid frail man to die.
Cymru, thou hast c.-umht the lire,
Ever bo It purely thine;
Ever may thy ton cfjlre
Py ijj deathless licht to shine.
SIR JOHN.
Englishmen's estimation of Sir John
Llewelyn Is by nn means Inferior to
that entertained of the honorable baro
net by his own countrymen. In the
current number of "The Science and Art
of Mining." an excellent little sketch,
with, a portrait of Sir John Is given.
"The Dillwyn ami Llewelyn are
names that have been distinguished In
the annals of Wales for too long a period
to be distinctly fixed and the John Dil
lwyn Llewelyn, of whom I write, is the
eldest son of the late John Dillwyn
Llewelyn, of Penllegaer. Porn of a good
family, and fortunate in the possession
of a fair share of the world's goods, he
Identified himself early In lite with the
gland game of cricket, and generally
has always ranked as an ardent Bports
man. His youthful patriotism all
Welshmen are patriotic found vent in
association wi'.b the Rille association
of the County of lilaniorgan. Py mar
riage he became related to the present
unliable and distinguished chancellor of
the exchequer. Sir Alichncl Hicks-Peach
and is a worthy biother-in-luw to that
eminent statesman."
We have heard again from the man
(Mr. James Price, of Llanislien Dairy)
who sent some leeks for the Queen's
dinner on St. David's Day. These are
the new lines:
H. R. H. THE PRINTS OE WALES.
This year upon St. David's Day
I sent our gracious queen
Six of the finest leeks that wo
lu Wales had ever seen. '; 1 ',"
J u
To tho Master of the Household
Her Majesty she speaks,
"Please write and thank the Cardiff man
For sending me the leuks."
I have that letter framed and liunjf
In an ex-ilied place.
I'll leave it to my only son
Whin I have run my race.
My wife says, "Leave It to the girls,
For wp have daughters three."
I um most afraid to My her nay.
For she's as good us me. '
We men are really sat upon
In this i'linclpalltv:
The women say the Queen doth rule.
nu iney will rule o er we.
And long may live our Oracious Queen
To rule o'er them and we.
lint when Creat Hi Haiti hath a King
We'll claim our liberty.
We men that day will proudly say
To .Madams Win-ily-lungs,
"Now, madams, knuckle under.
And please to bold your tongues."
NOTES.
There is a man at JSrynnm.m who Is
the very embodiment of broadmlndeness.
At a recent eisteddfod committee meeting
numerous subjects submlited for the
awdl competition were dough t unsuitable
by him as being "rliy leol" (too local). At
last Ihe profound oiglynwr "Owydderig"
suggested "The Da .vn of Day" und even
that wis "rhy leol, rhy leol."
Major Jones, formerly American con-
sol (it Cardiff, sot ev. n with Llanelly for
rejecting him nt the last election. .Most
of iti chief citizens were at London recent
ly locking after their parliamentary bill.
nnd ihe major has gol his artist to make
sketches of thPm for the "Shipping
World." We back the portrait of Mr. Tom
Hughes, J. I'., to create a sensation wher
ever (he genial i-"nt bin.1 n Is known. Uy
the way, tho "Shipping- World," in lis
weekly guise, is going strongly. It is ex
cellently printed and well Illustrated, nnd
It is enough to say that the weekly edi
tion Is not behind the monthly one in its
nsi fulness to the shipping world and com
mercial men generally.
Welsh list rnnomers are directing atten
tion to themselves atl'l their society. At
Ihe last meeting but one of the Hrltlsh
Astronomical association there was quite
an excitement over a telescopic observa
tion by .Mr. F. Jackson (:n A. d. W. mem.
ber, and which a well-known astronomer
present characterised ns almost unique.
At the last meeting of the H. A. A. ill con
nection with a paper on Jupiter's satelites
by .Mr. C. T. Whltniell. .Mr. Croimuelln
pointed out, to the amusement of the
mci ting, that ut certain points on Jupi
ter It was impossible for three total
eclipses to be seen within a period of three
hours nnd eleven minutes, of which the
total duration was elghiy-four minutes.
Tills, he remarked, was very tantalizing
to us on the earth, where total eclipt.es
were of very rare occurrence, and lasted
at mast only a few minutes. Other pa
pers read Included "P.'illey's Rends, a Sur
gleal Explanation," by .Mr. (icorge St.
Clair. Roth vice president and active
members of the Astronomical Society of
Wal'-s.
It ha. b.'on usual for several years to
give the oor London WYNh a treat once
a year by taking I hem Into the country.
Tire expense has always been defrayed by
well-to-do Welshmen and others connect -cJ
with tho Principality. rrMis year the
Intention is to take several hundreds to
Epplng l''ove.-t, and the promoters are
hopinvr to carry out tic scheme on a large
rnl more libera! scale than usual. Those
who rea 1 in our columns some months aiio
the pathetic and stirring account of the
Welsh poor in London can understand
how this trip I- appreciated. The organiz
ers are tho four Welsh missionaries of tho
London t'ity .I'ssion. sunporled by ?.Ir.
Crlfhth Junes, Sir. I. L'.uifer Thomas
and Mr. Llewelyn Williams. If any one
who reads this would like to (lid the
movement, subscriptions may be sent to
the treasurer, Sif John Pnleston, Whitehall-court.
S. W., or Mr. David Thomas.
Si nlor missionary. Mission House, 3,
Prldewell-place, London, E. ( '.
ON THE LINE OF Tllfc
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xU. j
STATE NORMAL SCHOOL
NEW GYMNASIUM. ' ,
EAST STROUDSBURG. PA.
A Famous School in a Famous Location
AMONG THE MOUNTAINS OF THE
noted rcwort, the llelanre Water Usp.
A school of three to four hundred pupils, wita
no over-crowdinR clnsxeK, tut wher teachers
run become ncqnainted with their pupils sad
help them individually in their work.
Modern improvement. A tine new symna
slum, in clmrva of expert trsinen. W tench
Kowinff, DrcMsmnkliK, ( lay Madeline, Free
hand nnd Mechanical Drawing without xtra
charjit.
Writo to n nt once for our rntalogne and
thr Information. You (run more in a small
school than in tho overcrowded schools.
Address
GEO. P. BIBLE, Principal.
SCRANTON
SCRANTON, PA.
The Fourth Year of the Scranton
Training School for Kindergarten
ers will open in this city SliPTE.1I
IJHR U, 1S!)(J. l or further parti
culars address
MISS S. W. BDERWOOD,
WINCHTSTER, MASS.
SPECIAL TIIROIGII CARS
Dally fexcopt Snndiij") via
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Beginning Juno W. leaving Scran
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This will bo kont nn for the entiro season.
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J. H. ObllAUSKV, II, I". BALDWIN,
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For aala by MATTHEWS BROS.. Druggl
fccrantaa. IX