GOAL DISTRICT. AN OPTIMIST. 199 



CHAPTER XXV. 



MORNING WALK THROUGH A COAL DISTRICT. RUABON. AN OPTIMIST WITH A 



WELSH WIFE. GRAVEYARD NOTES. A STAGE-WAGON. TAXES. WYNSTAY 



PARK. THOROUGH DRAINING. A GLIMPSE OF COTTAGE LIFE. &quot; SIR WAT- 

 KINS WILLIAMS WYN.&quot; 



June 4th. 



THE most agreeable chimes, from the church tower, we had 

 ever heard, awoke us this morning at three o clock. It is 

 light enough here at that time to read or write, and the twi 

 light at evening does not seem to be over at half-past ten. I 

 felt very stiff and sore, but arose and wrote till half-past six, 

 when we got the bar-maid up, paid our bill (we were charged 

 only sixpence a piece for our lodging), and were let out into 

 the street ; no signs that any one else in the town was yet 

 stirring. 



Our road ran through a coal district, tall chimneys throw 

 ing out long black clouds of smoke, and pump-levers working 

 along the hill-tops ; the road darkened with cinders ; sooty 

 men coming home from the night- work to low, dirty, thatched 

 cottages the least interesting and poorest farmed country we 

 had yet travelled over. After walking six miles, we stopped 

 at the Talbot Inn, Ruabon, to breakfast. 



In the tap-room, over his beer, was a middle-aged man, a 

 currier by trade, who told us he had come hither nine years 

 ago from Staffordshire, had married a nice Welsh girl, and set 

 tled himself very comfortably. He said wages were good here, 



