My Neighbors / Stories of the Welsh People

her marriage the people of Kingsend Welsh Tabernacle crowded about Gwen, asking her: "How like you the bed, Messes Harries fach?" "Enoch has opened a shop butcher

puzzle to her; and she got to despise the man whom she had married, and

in the way of a bob-wig. Enoch gave in to her in all things; he took her among Welsh master builders, drapers, grocers, dairymen, into their hom

y Gwen exalt

she said. "It's so common. Let'

" Enoch replied in Welsh. "Hap g

. With a show of care for her husband's welfare, she added: "Wo

s trade in the hearing of anybody. She gave over conversing in Welsh, and would give no answer when spoken to in that tongue. She devised means continually to lift herself in the esteem of her neighbors, acting as she thought they acted: she had a man-servant and four maid-servants, and she instructed them to address her as

d buy the whole street up. I'll have you a motor-car.

hornton Vale English Congregational Chapel. She gave ten guineas to the rebuilding fund, put a carpet on

of a light that shines-shines, mark you-he was thinking of such l

Gwen said to the pastor. "I'll orga

to her mind came Ben Lloyd, whose repute was great among the London Welsh, and to whose house in Twickenham

im such a lot of good. You know what

nner room cried:

way," said

with writing paper and a

's a language, dear me. This will not interest you in the least. Put your ambarelo in

rries. Not forgotten have I your singing in Queen's Hall on the Day of David the Saint. Inspire me wonderfully you did wit

n tone am I,"

hymn? Come in wil

yd will sin

her duties. She's a

ayed an

of Cromwell. "My friends say I am Cromwell and Milton rolled into one. The Great Father gave me a child and He took him back to the Palace. Religious am I. Want I do to live my lif

are." Gwen w

your eyes. Deep brown are they-brown as the nut in the paws of the squirrel.

try," sa

nd me. Think yo

long I would

ing ended his reading and having sobbed over and praised that which he had read, Ben u

s in love with you. And he loves you for your brain. He is not your husband. He is more to you than your husband. I hear his silver

e deceived herself that they were true.

en. "The mother is wrong. How many ch

nd is weak and he i

s gushed from Ben's eyes. "If the marriage-maker had brought us together,

aid Gwen. "You will be

rag is the wife. Happy y

ou speak l

kissed her and drew her body nigh to him; and in a little while he

husband. "There is no one in the world l

indsor for me to know hi

" Gwen replied w

myself

me from his shop of Enoch, Ben always said: "Messes Enos-Harries has been s

ft at peace they could not

He ought to be in Parliament and give up preaching entirely,

conceived, whereof Ben counseled

e stomach to do," t

ncer has the wife. Perish soon she must

r husband looked at it and said: "Going u

e London County Council. Enoch rejoiced: summoning the congregation of Th

have been thrust on me by my people. I did not seek for them, but it is my duty to bear them. Pray that I shall use God's hoe with understanding and wisdom. There is a talk of putting me up for Pa

mrodorion and St. David's Day gatherings, always speaking in this fashion:

call, his wrath heated and he sa

ked. "Do you estimate fo

ought h

d. A word I

e head of

ads make red,

name is B

-day. How would you like to pu

ng. Happy would I and the wif

ess; and Enoch bewailed: "A

d Gwen to

dvert an M.P. would be for the business. Be you dresse

er distress and she strew abroad her charms; for no man could now suffice her. So

the shop. County court him will I. He ate my food. The unrighteous ate the food of the righteous. And he was b

stry, with carved works, with fine linen of Egypt.... Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning

ovely," s

xpounded. "And Irish linen. And

ended to

ill learn him to keep his

ith her. Gwen stretched out her arms to be clear of him and to speak to him; her speech was

e of her husb

ry spit he is," said

d; and it came to pass that Enoch was asked to contest a Welsh

ced. "You, Gwen fach, will wear the chikest Paris model we can find. B

r son," s