Beggars on Horseback; A riding tour in North Wales

A RIDING TOUR IN NORTH WALES BY MARTIN ROSS AND E. Œ. SOMERVILLE AUTHORS OF 'AN IRISH COUSIN,' 'THROUGH CONNEMARA,' 'THE REAL CHARLOTTE,' ETC. ETC. WITH NUMEROUS ILLUSTRATIONS BY E. Œ. SOMERVILLE



“Well, I’m not exactly sure,” said the ironmonger, gazing out into the glaring street through a doorway festooned with tin mugs and gridirons, “but I think it was the gentleman as played the kettle-drum that rode him.” His eyes seemed to follow some half-remembered pageant, though outwardly they rested on the languid salutations of the saddler’s dog and the hotel collie on the opposite pavement.
Miss O’Flannigan, who looked and was too hot for conversation, remained impassive where she sat, on the top of an “Empress” cottage stove, with her gaze fixed on the zinc pails that hung like Chinese lanterns from the ceiling.
“Unfortunately we shall not take a kettle-drum,” I replied, hesitatingly.
“Well, no, of course,” admitted the ironmonger; “but I assure you that a pony that’s bin in the yeomanry band won’t be partikler as to traction-engines or sech. You ladies could play any instrument when ridin’ ’im.”
Miss O’Flannigan laughed sardonically from the “Empress” stove, and Mr Griffiths’ attitude of mild bewilderment changed to wounded dignity.
“Perhaps Mr Williams, the chemist, could oblige you with sech animals as you require,” he said, with the stiffness of one of his own swing-door hinges; “but there isn’t sech a cob in Welshpool as what my cob is.”