Innocent Amusements.—Description of a Welsh Castle.—History of a Welsh
Harper.—A tyrannical Landlord.—Family Pride.
As it was now harvest time, the new scene, and the fine weather delighted
the children, who ran continually out to view the reapers. Indeed every
thing seemed to wear a face of festivity, and the ripe corn bent under
its own weight, or, more erect, shewed the laughing appearance of plenty.
Mrs. Mason always allowing the gleaners to have a sufficient quantity, a
great number of poor came to gather a little harvest; and she was pleased
to see the feeble hands of childhood and age, collecting the scattered
ears.
Honest Jack came with his family; and when the labours of the day were
over, would play on a fiddle, that frequently had but three strings. But
it served to set the feet in motion, and the lads and lasses dancing on
the green sod, suffered every care to sleep.
An old Welsh harper generally came to the house about this time of the
year, and staid a month or more; for Mrs. Mason was particularly fond of
this instrument, and interested in the fate of the player; as is almost
always the case, when we have rescued a person out of any distress.
She informed the children, that once travelling through Wales, her
carriage was overturned near the ruins of an old castle. And as she had
escaped unhurt, she determined to wander amongst them, whilst the driver
took care of his horses, and her servant hastened to the neighbouring
village for assistance.
[Picture: Trying to trace the sound]
It was almost dark, and the lights began to twinkle in the scattered
cottages. The scene pleased me, continued Mrs. Mason, I thought of the
various customs which the lapse of time unfolds; and dwelt on the state
of the Welsh, when this castle, now so desolate, was the hospitable abode
of the chief of a noble family. These reflections entirely engrossed my
mind, when the sound of a harp reached my ears. Never was any thing more
opportune, the national music seemed to give reality to the pictures
which my imagination had been drawing. I listened awhile, and then
trying to trace the pleasing sound, discovered, after a short search, a
little hut, rudely built. The walls of an old tower supported part of
the thatch, which scarcely kept out the rain, and the two other sides
were stones cemented, or rather plaistered together, by mud and clay.
I entered, and beheld an old man, sitting by a few loose sticks, which
blazed on the hearth; and a young woman, with one child at her breast,
sucking, and another on her knee: near them stood a cow and her calf.
The man had been playing on the harp, he rose when he saw me, and offered
his chair, the only one in the room, and sat down on a large chest in the
chimney-corner. When the door was shut, all the light that was admitted
came through the hole, called a chimney, and did not much enliven the
dwelling. I mentioned my accident to account for my intrusion, and
requested the harper again to touch the instrument that had attracted me.
A partition of twigs and dried leaves divided this apartment from
another, in which I perceived a light; I enquired about it, and the
woman, in an artless manner, informed me, that she had let it to a young
gentlewoman lately married, who was related to a very good family, and
would not lodge any where, or with any body. This intelligence made me
smile, to think that family pride should be a solace in such extreme
poverty.
I sat there some time, and then the harper accompanied me to see whether
the carriage was repaired; I found it waiting for me; and as the inn I
was to sleep at was only about two miles further, the harper offered to
come and play to me whilst I was eating my supper. This was just what I
wished for, his appearance had roused my compassion as well as my
curiosity, and I took him and his harp in the chaise. After supper he
informed me, that he had once a very good farm; but he had been so
unfortunate as to displease the justice, who never forgave him, nor
rested till he had ruined him. This tyrant always expected his tenants
to assist him to bring in his harvest before they had got in their own.
The poor harper was once in the midst of his, when an order was sent to
him to bring his carts and servants, the next day, to the fields of this
petty king. He foolishly refused; and this refusal was the foundation of
that settled hatred which produced such fatal consequences. Ah, Madam,
said the sufferer, your heart would ache, if you heard of all his
cruelties to me, and the rest of his poor tenants. He employs many
labourers, and will not give them as much wages as they could get from
the common farmers, yet they dare not go any-where else to work when he
sends for them. The fish that they catch they must bring first to him,
or they would not be allowed to walk over his grounds to catch them; and
he will give just what he pleases for the most valuable part of their
pannier.
But there would be no end to my story were I to tell you of all his
oppressions. I was obliged to leave my farm; and my daughter, whom you
saw this evening, having married an industrious young man, I came to live
with them. When,—would you believe it? this same man threw my son into
jail, on account of his killing a hare, which all the country folks do
when they can catch them in their grounds. We were again in great
distress, and my daughter and I built the hut you saw in the waste, that
the poor babes might have a shelter. I maintain them by playing on the
harp,—the master of this inn allows me to play to the gentry who travel
this way; so that I pick up a few pence, just enough to keep life and
soul together, and to enable me to send a little bread to my poor son
John Thomas.
He then began one of the most dismal of his Welsh ditties, and, in the
midst of it cried out, he is an upstart, a mere mushroom!—His grandfather
was cow-boy to mine!—So I told him once, and he never forgot it.—
The old man then informed me that the castle in which he now was
sheltered formerly belonged to his family—such are the changes and
chances of this mortal life—said he, and hastily struck up a lively
tune.—
While he was striking the strings, I thought too of the changes in life
which an age had produced. The descendant of those who had made the hall
ring with social mirth now mourned in its ruins, and hung his harp on the
mouldering battlements. Such is the fate of buildings and of families!
After I had dismissed my guest, I sent for the landlord, to make some
further enquiries; and found that I had not been deceived; I then
determined to assist him, and thought my accident providential. I knew a
man of consequence in the neighbourhood, I visited him, and exerted
myself to procure the enlargement of the young man. I succeeded; and not
only restored him to his family; but prevailed on my friend to let him
rent a small farm on his estate, and I gave him money to buy stock for
it, and the implements of husbandry.
The old harper’s gratitude was unbounded; the summer after he walked to
visit me; and ever since he has contrived to come every year to enliven
our harvest-home.—This evening it is to be celebrated.
The evening came; the joyous party footed it away merrily, and the sound
of their shoes was heard on the barn-floor. It was not the light
fantastic toe, that fashion taught to move, but honest heart-felt mirth,
and the loud laugh, if it spoke the vacant head, said audibly that the
heart was guileless.
Mrs. Mason always gave them some trifling presents at this time, to
render the approach of winter more comfortable. To the men, she
generally presented warm clothing, and to the women flax and worsted for
knitting and spinning; and those who were the most industrious received a
reward when the new year commenced. The children had books given to
them, and little ornaments.—All were anxious for the day; and received
their old acquaintance, the harper, with the most cordial smiles.