My Neighbors | Page 8

servant Lissi Workhouse,
and her he told to take Gwen to Deinol. The cow lowed woefully as she
was driven; she was heard even in Morfa, and many hurried to the road
to witness her.
Abel was at the going in of the close.
"Well-well, Lissi Workhouse," he said, "what's doing then?"
"'Go give the male his beast,' mishtir talked."

"Right for you are," said Abel.
"Right for enough is the rascal. But a creature without blemish he
pilfered. Hit her and hie her off."
As Lissi was about to go, Ben cried from within the house: "The cow
the fulbert had was worth two of his cows."
"Sure, iss-iss," said Abel. "Go will I to Vicarage with boys capel. Bring
the baston, Ben bach."
Ben came out, and his ardor warmed up on beholding Lissi's broad hips,
scarlet cheeks, white teeth, and full bosoms.
"Not blaming you, girl fach, am I," he said. "My father, journey with
Gwen. Walk will I with Lissi Workhouse."
That afternoon Abel brought a cow in calf into his close; and that night
Ben crossed the mown hayfields to the Vicarage, and he threw a little
gravel at Lissi's window.
* * * * *
The hay was gathered and stacked and thatched, and the corn was cut
down, and to the women who were gleaning his father's oats, Ben said
how that Lissi was in the family way.
"Silence your tone, indeed," cried one, laughing. "No sign have I seen."
"If I died," observed a large woman, "boy bach pretty innocent you are,
Benshamin. Four months have I yet. And not showing much do I."
"No," said another, "the bulk might be only the coil of your apron,
ho-ho."
"Whisper to us," asked the large woman, "who the foxer is. Keep the
news will we."
"Who but the scamp of the Parson?" replied Ben. "What a sow of a

hen."
By such means Ben shifted his offense. On being charged by the
Parson he rushed through the roads crying that the enemy of the Big
Man had put unbecoming words on a harlot's tongue. Capel Dissenters
believed him. "He could not act wrongly with a sheep," some said.
So Ben tasted the sapidness and relish of power, and his desires
increased.
"Mortgage Deinol, my father bach," he said to Abel. "Going am I to
London. Heavy shall I be there. None of the dirty English are like me."
"Already have I borrowed for your college. No more do I want to have.
How if I sell a horse?"
"Sell you the horse too, my father bach."
"Done much have I for you," Abel said. "Fairish I must be with your
sisters."
"Why for you cavil like that, father? The money of mam came to
Deinol. Am I not her son?"
Though his daughters, murmured--"We wake at the caw of the crows,"
they said, "and weary in the young of the day"--Abel obeyed his son,
who thereupon departed and came to Thornton East to the house of
Catherine Jenkins, a widow woman, with whom he took the appearance
of a burning lover.
Though he preached with a view at many English chapels in London,
none called him. He caused Abel to sell cattle and mortgage Deinol for
what it was worth and to give him all the money he received therefrom;
he swore such hot love for Catherine that the woman pawned her
furniture for his sake.
Intrigued that such scant fruit had come up from his sowings, Ben
thought of further ways of stablishing himself. He inquired into the

welfare of shop-assistants from women and girls who worshiped in
Welsh chapels, and though he spoiled several in his quest, the
abominations which oppressed these workers were made known to him.
Shop-assistants carried abroad his fame and called him "Fiery Taffy."
Ben showed them how to rid themselves of their burden; "a burden," he
said, "packed full and overflowing by men of my race--the London
Welsh drapers."
The Welsh drapers were alarmed, and in a rage with Ben. They took the
opinion of their big men and performed slyly. Enos-Harries--this is the
Enos-Harries who has a drapery shop in Kingsend--sent to Ben this
letter: "Take Dinner with Slf and Wife same, is Late Dinner I am
pleased to inform. You we don't live in Establishment only as per
printed Note Heading. And Oblige."
Enos-Harries showed Ben his house, and told him the cost of the
treasures that were therein.
Also Harries said: "I have learned of you as a promising Welshman,
and I want to do a good turn for you with a speech by you on St.
David's Day at Queen's Hall. Now, then."
"I am not important enough for that."
"She'll be a first-class miting in tip-top speeches. All the drapers and
dairies shall be