children some money and
departed.

"We do not want your money, sir," screamed the woman after me; "we have
plenty of money. Give us God! Give us God!"

"Yes, your haner," said the man, "give us God! we do not want money;" and
the uncouth girl said something, which sounded much like Give us God! but
I hastened across the meadow, which was now quite dusky, and was
presently in the inn with my wife and daughter.

CHAPTER V

Welsh Book Stall--Wit and Poetry--Welsh of Chester--Beautiful
Morning--Noble Fellow--The Coiling Serpent--Wrexham Church--Welsh or
English?--Codiad yr Ehedydd.

On the afternoon of Monday I sent my family off by the train to
Llangollen, which place we had determined to make our head-quarters
during our stay in Wales. I intended to follow them next day, not in
train, but on foot, as by walking I should be better able to see the
country, between Chester and Llangollen, than by making the journey by
the flying vehicle. As I returned to the inn from the train I took
refuge from a shower in one of the rows or covered streets, to which, as
I have already said, one ascends by flights of steps; stopping at a
book-stall I took up a book which chanced to be a Welsh one. The
proprietor, a short red-faced man, observing me reading the book, asked
me if I could understand it. I told him that I could.

"If so," said he, "let me hear you translate the two lines on the
title-page."

"Are you a Welshman?" said I.

"I am!" he replied.

"Good!" said I, and I translated into English the two lines which were a
couplet by Edmund Price, an old archdeacon of Merion, celebrated in his
day for wit and poetry.

The man then asked me from what part of Wales I came, and when I told him
that I was an Englishman was evidently offended, either because he did
not believe me, or, as I more incline to think, did not approve of an
Englishman's understanding Welsh.

The book was the life of the Rev. Richards, and was published at
Caerlleon, or the city of the legion, the appropriate ancient British
name for the place now called Chester, a legion having been kept
stationed there during the occupation of Britain by the Romans.

I returned to the inn and dined, and then yearning for society, descended
into the kitchen and had some conversation with the Welsh maid. She told
me that there were a great many Welsh in Chester from all parts of Wales,
but chiefly from Denbighshire and Flintshire, which latter was her