Wild Wales Volume 2; Its People, Language, and Scenery (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1862 Excerpt: ... CHAPTER VI. i INN AT L .--THE HANDMAID.--THE DECANTER. -- RELIGIOUS GENTLEMAN.--TRULY DISTRESSING. -- SENTENTIOUSNESS. WAY TO PAY BILLS. I Pboceeded on my way in high spirits indeed, having now seen not only the tomb of the Tudors, but one of those sober poets for which Anglesey has always been so famous. The country was pretty, with here and there a hill, a harvest-field, a clump of trees or a grove: I soon reached L, a small but neat town. " Where is the Arms ? " said I to a man whom I met. " Yonder, sir, yonder," said he, pointing to a magnificent structure on the left. I went in and found myself in a spacious hall. A good-looking young woman in a white dress, with a profusion of pink ribbons con Ch. VI.] THE HANDMAID. 57 fronted me with a curtsey. " A pint and a chop " I exclaimed, with a flourish of my hand and at the top of my voice. The damsel gave a kind of start, and then, with something like a toss of the head, led the way into a very large room, on the left, in which were many tables, covered with snowy-white cloths, on which were plates, knives and forks, the latter seemingly of silver, tumblers and wine-glasses. " I think you asked for a pint and a chop, sir ? " said the damsel, motioning me to sit down at one of the tables. " I did," said I, as I sat down, " let them be brought with all convenient speed, for I am in something of a hurry." " Very well, sir," said the damsel, and then with another kind of toss of the head, she went away, not forgetting to turn half round, to take a furtive glance at me, before she went out of the door. " Well," said I, as I looked at the tables, with their snowy-white cloths, tumblers, wine-glasses and what not, and at the walls of the room glittering with mirrors, " surely a poet never kept so magnificent an...