Cymro a'r Celt Llundain

HIS REFORMATION. (By EDWARD REBS GRIFFITH). The village fair was in full swing. Merry-go- rounds, switchback, shooting-galleries, cocoa-nut stalls, and swings, added to the many other sources of merriment, had attracted quite large crowds from the neighbouring hamlets and countryside the ordinarily quiet village had become the centre of quite a hubbub. The Saints' Inn"—so christened by a rather sceptical old shepherd, because of its attractions to the elders of the church to which he belonged-was so overcrowded that, several of the folk had to moisten their parched lips outside that paradise of beer. Thus a group of rustics stood on the doorstep, inhaling the "fresh" air, ministering to the wants of their inner-selves, indulging freely in criticisms of passers-by, and discussing light heartedly the doings and wonders of the fair. Tomkins, better known to his associates as Peckham," on account of his abnormal cubical dimensions, was particularly frivolous, and seemed to have an insatiable desire for talking; indeed, so much of a nuisance had he become in this respect, that his comrades bored to distrac- tion by his loquaciousness, eventually deter- mined that an end must be put to this form of perpetual motion. Standing on a Tate sugar box, in the busiest part of the fair, and hurling his arms about in frantic ecstasy Professor Bunce, the phren- ological prodigy, could be seen, vehemently expostulating with some extremely obstreperous person in the crowd, who insisted on labelling his methods as fraudulent and deceitful. Words were of no avail, and arguments were worse than useless, so a challenge was at last thrown out] that the interrupter should appear at the conclusion of the address for examination. Professor Bunce was a really wonderful man. He could boast (and did boast-but oh how very modestly !) of his most intimate acquaintance with all and sundry appertaining to the human mind and human development. Phrenology, psychology, physiology, palmistry, hypnotism- these were but pawns on his chessboard, mere playthings for his Olympic mind. The crowd drew closer and closer, so as not to lose one gem of wisdom, that fell from the lips of this seemingly great philosopher, whose slender stature, long drawn, but finely sculptured face, piercing eyes, long flowing curls, together with his top hat, frock coat, and monocle, served to produce a deep and lasting impression, amounting almost to reverence in the rustic minds. Naturally the professor's genius had brought him into contact with rare personalities. Politicians, men of science, journalists, doctors, lawyers, bishops and parsons, and many others, too numerous, of course, to be mentioned, had been among his regular clientele. But now he felt it to be his duty" to do something for the working classes, even though this entailed a financial loss." Such was the professor's altruistic conscience; this, his sacrifice on the altar of public service. "Ad a bull," said he, was wot I charged 'em, but tuday a tanner is all I hask for the job"—a sacrifice evidently keenly appreciated by the delighted crowd. Fancy," continued he, his face beaming with a transient smile and bearing signs of surprise, only a tanner for yer charicter, think of it "-then checking himself and coughing slightly, added- but minj yer, if yer aint got no charicter, its your fault, an yer must take the risk." The address was duly concluded, and the crowd having by this time swelled to immense pro- portions, anxiously awaited the outcome of the professor's challenge. The victim (for victim he certainly was) having wended his way through the dense crowd to the front, proved to be no other than "Peckham." There he sat on the box, a tremendous accumulation of flesh like a fattened calf, whilst the professor, mounted on a chair—in order that he might get within working distance of Tomkins's cranium—manipulated his instruments with swiftness and precision. Peckham" was absolutely cowed; the dreaded calipers, together with the mockery and jeering of the crowd, had obviously touched his dignity. Elated by drink, and urged on to it by his companions, he had deliberately insulted the Professor-but now, the hour of retribution had arrived. The examination of Peckham's bumps was prolonged and laborious the professor looked puzzled, but, at last, a twinkle of the eye announced the solution. Collecting his volumi- nous notes together, he turned to the crowd, and addressed them in a voice deep and grave. Gentlemen," began the tormented sage, and ladies, too, for the matter of that—Yer all know that at. the beginning we was every one of us monkeys. Some says as Adam were a monkey, but no matter, we 'ave revolved since his toime, an' some 'ave become men, same as us, 'an some 'ave remained monkeys as afore. Now gentle- men, this e're feller belongs to neither of 'em classes. When Oi was at collige Oi used ter go deeply into the matter of pedigrees, an' Oi can tell yer as Oi know all about 'em. Now look 'ere then Oi 'ave traced this 'ere feller's pedigree up to a sartin stage only ter find, that theer 'e stops, 'alf way like. Add to this, gentlemen, the fact that 'e 'as a 'uge corpura- shun an' I be blowed if yer conclushuns are not hidentical with these of meslf, naaimly, that the feller's a primitive ass, an' a fat un at that." The crowd cheered immensely. Peckham raved like a madman, whilst his companions, rocking with laughter at the joke they had enjoyed at his expense, sought in vain to appease his troubled soul. Years have rolled by. Professor Bunce is now-let us all hope-in paradise. The Saints' Inn is still the fair day rendezvous, but it has ceased to wield its magic power over Peckham," for Tomkins is now no longer a Saint."

UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF WALES, ABERYSTWYTH. One of the Constituent Colleges of the University of WaJeh PRESIDENT—The Right Hon. Lord Rendel. PIRINCIPAL- T. F. Roberts, M.A. (Oxon), Ll.D. (Vict). THE next Term begins on Sept. the 29th, 1908. A number of Entrance Scholarships and Exhibi- tions, open to both Male and Female Candidates above the age of 16, are offered for Competition on Tuesday, September 15th, 1908, and the following days. Students are prepared for Degrees in Arts, Science (including the applied Science of Agriculture)* Law and Music. Sessional Composition Fee, £10. with additional Laboratory Fees for Science Students. Registration Fee, 91. Men Students reside in Regis- tered lodgings in the town, or at the Men's Hostel. Warden: Prof. J. W. Marshall, M.A. Women Students reside in the Alexandra Hall of Residence for Women. Warden Miss E. A. Fewings. For full particulars respecting the General Arts and Science Departments, the Law, Agriculture, and Day Training Departments, the Department for the Training of Secondary Teachers, and the Hostels, apply to J. H. DA VIES, M.A., Registrar.

ONE of the most marked changes which have come over Welsh public life in recent years is the greater readiness to speak Welsh at meetings of public bodies. In North Wales, in particular, it is no unusual thing to find the proceedings at police courts, Town and County Councils, and similar gatherings conducted entirely in Welsh. This has been a great relief to the majority of the members, who in the past had been under a marked disadvantage in being compelled to speak in the English tongue. How great was this disadvantage may be gathered from an incident which occurred at the Barmouth Urban Council, before Gwynoro established the Welsh precedent. The Corporation was the proud possessor of a horse, for which there was no work in the winter. The Corporation was discussing the important question of what to do with the horse-to sell it or put it out to grass for the winter. "If we put him out to grass," said one member, "he ought first of all to be ex- amined by a vegetarian For Barmouth has a veterinary surgeon SIR S. T. EVANS, Solicitor General, has taken a house in the Aberystwyth district. There are more possibilities than one of the popular Sam" being the Member of Parliament for Cardiganshire in a few years' time. THE Welsh National Agricultural Show at Aberystwyth was a great success. The gathering now deserves to be counted as one of the leading Agricultural Shows in the British Isles. It shows what Wales can do when once its leading agriculturists put their shoulders to the wheel. Aberystwyth makes a splendid and natural centre for the show, being accessible from all parts of Wales. IT is satisfactory to find that flower shows are on the increase in Wales. This is a healthy sign. The cultivation of a love for flowers amongst the people cannot but be productive of good. There is nothing better than to see a working man employing his leisure hours in attending to his flowers. It makes him a finer man altogether. Truth, Mr. Labouchere's paper, has con- tained some pointed exposures in recent issues to certain money lenders with offices at Cardiff. It is a pity that the exposures are not reprinted and circulated amongst the people of Cardiff. Blood suckers is Mr. Labouchere's description of these money- lenders. BORN in Liverpool on August 2nd, 1858, Mr. William Watson, the poet, completed his half century last Sunday. Though the years are not now few since he bade adieu to the banks of the Mersey, Mr. Watson maintains a lively interest in his native city, and exhibited this the other day by a characte- ristically ardent appeal on behalf of the ill-fed, half-clad children of its streets. His earliest verses appeared in 1875, in the Liverpool Argus, and it is exactly 28 years since his first book, The Prince's Quest," was published. Wordsworth's Grave, and Other Poems," on its com- mendation by Grant Allen in the Fortnightly, in 1890, extended and established the re- putation of the poet, who in 1895, in consideration of the merit of his poetical works," was granted a pension of £ 100 by Lord Rosebery. MR. JOHN JONES, of Grove Lodge, Wrex- ham, who recently presented a recreation ground to that borough, has presented a complete X-ray apparatus to the Wrexham Infirmary.