owse acted as
secretary.

The first day I gave a dock-gate meeting, and spoke from a lorry, and
that night I had my great meeting at Cardiff. Sir Frank Younghusband
came down for it, and the Mayor took the chair. The audience was
enthusiastic, and every place was filled. At one moment they all rose to
their feet, and holding up their hands swore to fight for the right till
right was won. It was one of the scenes I shall always remember.

Every day after that I used to have tea and an egg at 5 o'clock, and a
motor would come with one of my committee to take me to different places
of meeting. It was generally up the Rhondda Valley that we went, and I
came to know well that westward drive, with the sun setting behind the
hills and turning the Taff river to gold. Every night we went a little
further and a little higher--Aberdare, Aberystwyth, Toney Pandy,
Tonepentre, etc., etc. I gave fourteen lectures in thirteen days.
Generally, I spoke in chapels, and from the pulpit, and this seemed to
give me the chance I wanted to speak all my mind to these people, and to
ask them and teach them what Power, and Possession, and Freedom really
meant. Oh, it was wonderful! The rapt faces of the miners, the hush of
the big buildings, and then the sudden burst of cheering!

At one meeting there was a bumptious-looking man, with a bald head, whom
I remember. He took up his position just over the clock in the gallery.
He listened critically, talked a good deal, and made remarks. I began to
speak straight at him, without looking at him, and quite suddenly I saw
him, as I spoke of our men at the war, cover his face and burst into
tears.

The children were the only drawback. They were attracted by the idea of
the magic-lantern, and used to come to the meetings and keep older
people out. My lectures were not meant for children, and I had to adopt
the plan of showing the pictures first and then telling the youngsters
to go, and settling down to a talk with the older ones, who always
remained behind voluntarily.

We had some times which I can never forget; nor can I forget those dark
drives from far up in the hills, and the mists in the valley, and my own
aching fatigue as I got back about midnight. From 5 till 12.30 every
night I was on the stretch.

In the day-time I used to wander round the garden. One always meets
someone whom one knows. I had lunch with the Tylers one day, and tea
with the Plymouths. It was still, bright autumn weather