MUSHROOM TOWN - 1914 - 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 con- ceived a strmg 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 Carnar- vonshire, in Merioneth, nor in Lleyn. Of certain features of existing places I have made a composite, which is the MUSHOOM TOWN of this book. The kindnesses I have received in Wales during the past six years haae been innumerable indeed, much of my work has consisted of miting dorvn 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 Hamptead, 19 14 ARTHUR ASHLEY RUCK CONTENTS PART I ......... .......... . . . . . . . . . ........ ........ ...... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PAGE CHAPTER PAGE I THE YEAR DOT 17 I1 ITS NONAGE 31 I11 THE MINDER 46 IV Dim SAESNEG 52 V THE HAFOD UNOS . V1 THE FOOT IN THE DOOR 75 86 V11 THE MEMBER 98 V111 THELEMA 109 PART I1 I RAILHEAD . . . . . . . . . . 117 I1 THE CLERK OF THE WORKS ..... 126 111 THE CURTAIN RAISER ....... 142 IV YNYS . . . . . . . . . . . . 168 PART I11 I THE HOLIDAY CANP ....... 179 I1 THE GIANTS STRIDE ....... 205 I11 THE BLANK CHEQUE ....... 218 IV PAWB . . . . . . . . . . . . 233 CONTENTS PART IV CHAPTEE PAGE I TIE BLIND EYE ......... 244 I1 JUNE ............ 263 I11 DELYN . . . . . . . . . . . 275 IV AN ORDINARY YOUNG MAN ..... 297 V THE DWELLING OF A NIGHT . . . . . 310 V1 THE GLYN 323 . . . . . . . . . . PART V I THE WHEEL . . . . . . . . . . 335 I1 ADIEU 347 . . . . . . . . . . . . THE INVITATION W ELL take the little cable-tram, if you like, but its not far to walk - twenty minutes or so - the Trwyns seven hundred feet high. Youll see the whole of the town from the top. The sun will have made the grass a little slippery, but there are paths everywhere the sheep began them, and then the visitors wore them bare. And we shall get the breeze. . . . There you are Llanyglo. You see it from up here almost as the gulls and razorbills see it. The bays a fine curve, isnt it - rather like a strongly blown kite- string and the Promenades nearly two miles long. But as you see, the town doesnt go very far back. From the Imperial there to the railway station and the gasometers at the back isnt much more than half a mile the town seems to press down to the front just as the horses draw .the bathing-vans down to the tide. Shall we sit down Heres a boulder. Its chipped all over with initials, of course so are the benches, and even the turf but youd wonder that there was a bit of wood or stone or turf left at all if you saw the crowds that come here when the Wakes are on. Its odd that you should never see anybody actually cutting them. Some of them must have taken an hour or two with a hammer and chisel, but Ive been up here count- less times and never seen anybody at it yet. Yes, thats Llanyglo but look at the mountains first. This isnt the best time of the day for seeing them the morning or the evenings the best time the sun isnt far enough round yet. But sometimes, when the lights just right, they start out into folds and wrinkles almost as quickly as you could snap your fingers - its quite dramatic. Foels and Moels and Pens and Nynedds, look - half the North Cambrian Range. You couldnt have a better centre for motor-cycle and char-k-banc tours than Llanyglo. . . . Then on the other sides the sea... --This text refers to the Paperback edition.