Produced by Suzanne Shell, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.) MUSHROOM TOWN BY OLIVER ONIONS Author of "Gray Youth," "In Accordance with the Evidence," "Debit Account," etc., etc. GEORGE H. DORAN COMPANY NEW YORK _Publishers in America for Hodder & Stoughton_ Copyright, 1914, BY GEORGE H. DORAN COMPANY DEDICATION _In the following pages I have permitted myself to take a number of liberties--geographical, historical, etymological, and even geological--with a country for which I have conceived a strong affection; I trust I have taken none with its beauty nor with its hospitality. It will be useless to search for Llanyglo on any map. It is neither in North Carnarvonshire, in Merioneth, nor in Lleyn. Of certain features of existing places I have made a composite, which is the_ "MUSHROOM TOWN" _of this book._ _The kindnesses I have received in Wales during the past six years have been innumerable; indeed, much of my work has consisted of writing down (and not always improving) things told me by one of my hosts. For this and other reasons I should like to render him such acknowledgment as a Dedication may express._ "MUSHROOM TOWN" _is therefore inscribed, in gratitude and affection, to_ ARTHUR ASHLEY RUCK _Hampstead_, 1914 CONTENTS THE INVITATION 9 PART I I THE YEAR DOT 17 II ITS NONAGE 31 III THE MINDER 46 IV "_DIM_ SAESNEG" 52 V THE HAFOD UNOS 75 VI THE FOOT IN THE DOOR 86 VII THE MEMBER 98 VIII THELEMA 109 PART II I RAILHEAD 117 II THE CLERK OF THE WORKS 126 III THE CURTAIN RAISER 142 IV YNYS 168 PART III I THE HOLIDAY CAMP 179 II THE GIANT'S STRIDE 205 III THE BLANK CHEQUE 218 IV PAWB 233 PART IV I THE BLIND EYE 244 II JUNE 263 III DELYN 275 IV AN ORDINARY YOUNG MAN 297 V THE DWELLING OF A NIGHT 310 VI THE GLYN 323 PART V