My Neighbors: Stories of the Welsh People — John Shaqi
My Neighbors: Stories of the Welsh PeopleEvans, Caradoc
General
My Neighbors: Stories of the Welsh People
Evans, Caradoc
Wales -- Social life and customs -- Fiction
"Setting aside money am I," Joseph speedily answered.
Again ambition aroused him. "Footling is he that is content with
Zwanssee. Next half-holiday skurshon I'll crib in Cardiff."
Joseph gained his desire, and the chronicle of his doings he sent to his
mother. "Twenty-five, living-in, and spiffs on remnants are the wages,"
he said. "In the flannelette department I am and I have not been fined
once. Lot of English I hear, and we call ladies madam that the wedded
nor the unwedded are insulted. Boys harmless are the eight that sleep by
me. Examine Nuncle of the price of Penlan."
"I will wag my tongue craftily and slowly," Madlen vowed as she crossed
her brother-in-law's threshold.
"I Shire Pembroke land is cheap," she said darkly.
"Look you for a farm there," said Essec. "Pelted with offers am I for
Penlan. Ninety I shall have. Poverty makes me sell very soon."
"As he says."
"Pretty tight is Joseph not to buy her. No care has he for his mam."
"Stiffish are affairs with him, poor dab."
Madlen reported to Joseph that which Essec had said, and she added:
"Awful to leave the land of your father. And auction the cows. Even the
red cow that is a champion for milk. Where shall I go? The House of the
Poor. Horrid that your mam must go to the House of the Poor."
Joseph sat on his bed, writing: "Taken ten pounds from the post I have
which leaves three shillings. Give Nuncle the ten as earnest of my
intention."
Nine years after that day on which he had gone to Carmarthen Joseph said
in his heart: "London shops for experience"; and he caused a frock coat
to be sewn together, and he bought a silk hat and an umbrella, and at
the spring cribbing he walked into a shop in the West End of London,
asking: "Can I see the engager, pleaze?" The engager came to him and
Joseph spoke out: "I have all-round experience. Flannelettes three years
in Niclass, Cardiff, and left on my own accord. Kept the colored dresses
in Tomos, Zwanssee. And served through. Apprentized in Reez Jones
Carmarthen for three years. Refs egzellent. Good ztok-keeper and
appearance."
"Start at nine o'clock Monday morning," the engager replied. "Thirty
pounds a year and spiffs; to live in. You'll be in the laces."
"Fashionable this shop is," Joseph wrote to Madlen, "and I have to be
smart and wear a coat like the preachers, and mustn't take more than
three zwap lines per day or you have the sack. Two white shirts per
week; and the dresses of the showroom young ladies are a treat. Five
pounds enclosed for Nuncle."
"Believe your mam," Madlen answered: "don't throw gravel at the windows
of the old English unless they have the fortunes."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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