“Oh, the usual thing: the Conscience Clause, and the Catechism, and they want a School Board.” “Tell them the usual thing: must adopt the method prescribed by the Act.” But a more animated discussion ensued: what was the matter? “They say the Rector lives in the school-house, and keeps his pig in the girls’ playground.” I turned on the Rector, who was listening with some alarm, and asked him whether this were true. He admitted it. Where else was he to live? There was no parsonage. A man must live somewhere. “Je n’en vois pas la nécessité,” I quote to myself. “And the pig?” Well, yes, sure; there was the pig there; but where else was he to put it? I was wroth, and told him emphatically that he might keep it in the church for anything I cared. The monoglott meeting roared with laughter. They had followed the conversation with some ease--for monoglotts. I fully expected a formal complaint to the Office from the aggrieved Rector. But he was too much frightened. Another autumn visit brought me to the parish of Llandudwal. The Chapel party were aggrieved, and unfolded their piteous tale. Weeks ago they had brought over the Clerk to the Guardians, and had had a statutory meeting, at which they had passed a resolution in favour of a School Board, and had written to the Education Department: and yet there was no Board ordered. I explained that my functions were limited to enquiry: I had no executive powers: they should “call him louder.” Then the story went out of my front brain to that dark chamber at the back, where so much lumber lies unsuspected. But in the course of the next year I happened to be studying the Educational affairs of Llandudwal, and sent for the file containing its annals. A flash of light lit up the lumber. There are two Llandudwals; one in A. shire, the other in B. shire. Llandudwal A, which I had visited, had voted for a Board, and the application was filed with the papers of Llandudwal B. The latter had not asked for a Board; but when they were informed that their prayer was granted, and that they were to elect a Board on the 25th prox., they thanked Heaven for a Liberal Government, and like Obedient Yemen, Answered Amen, And did As they were bid. For twelve months they had lived, though not yet born, and had, no doubt, levied a rate to pay for their illegal election. Full of horror I broke it gently to a magnate at Whitehall. He laughed consumedly, and said Wales was a strange country. A general Act of 1873 cured this and all other similar irregularities. But think of the humour of it!