was as anxious to press me into a sale as-as thou art to wed Gryffydd's daughter, if reports are true."

"Methinks his visit has a deeper intent," was the reply. "He is not in need of a hostler so much as a horse to speed him to his purpose. Think you it seemly for the descendants of Rhodri Mawr to associate with a man who has to my personal knowledge thrice attempted your brother's death?"

"Gryffydd's enemies are not of necessity ours," said Rhiwallon; "nor are we bound to make his quarrel ours, seeing that he cares no more for us than for the aliens who hover about his possessions. If he thought it contrary to his dignity to treat us as brothers, he might at least have rewarded our services as allies, for I doubt if Gwynedd would ever have been his without our assistance."

"Then Caradoc's mission was rather to make you a slave of his ambition than to buy one of your slaves," sarcastically remarked Trahaiarn.

"Rhiwallon said not that," Bleddyn hastened to reply; "nor shouldst thou draw conclusions that are unjust from his words. What he says about Gryffydd is true, and I might add that his late successes have spoiled him more than his enemies. He had better not carry his head too high, for pride goeth before a fall,' as the old saying is. Rhiwallon and I, however, shall never lift a hand to hasten his downfall."

"There are others who would readily do that, as there are other ways

to injure a man than by lifting the hand," insinuated the prince.

"Ha, ha, thou art a suspicious dog," said Bleddyn. "How soon young dogs learn the tricks of old ones. But let us talk on more agreeable subjects. A piece of good beef and a cup of steaming mead, for instance, for here comes Ivan to announce that dinner is ready."

Trahaiarn and his men willingly shared in the hospitality of Cibwyr Hall, as they were very hungry after their morning ride; yet the prince was a little more reserved than was his wont to be on such occasions, owing to an increasing conviction that Caradoc's murderous plots would be aided rather than checked by his uncles. Nor did he hide this conviction from his mother on his return home in the evening.

CHAPTER XVIII.

Trahaiarn Falls Into a Trap. After spending a few more weeks in his ancestral home Trahaiarn, now in the full enjoyment of health and strength, decided to return to Rhuddlan Castle. The morning he and his men started on their journey was all that heart could wish. The sun smiled upon them from a cloudless sky, the breath of autumn fanned their bronzed faces, and where the virgin forests did not attract them with their charms, visions of ripened fruits and harvest fields in which the reapers were at work presented themselves to their view. Occasionally the song of fair maid

ens as they followed the sickies, binding the golden grain, delighted their ears; and sometimes the rich voice of some lusty swain as he engaged in some light work amused them. Nor was there a lack of musical attempts among themselves, when the country through which they passed possessed no engaging attractions.

Thus while they pursued their journey northward the morning gradually wore away, and noon found them dismounting before the hall of one of the king's most loyal chieftains. Outwardly the hall was no more attractive than many others; but the true hospitality of its owner made it peculiarly attractive to the prince and his escort. The chief had known Trahaiarn from childhood, and the two were no sooner seated together in the hall than they were plunged into reminiscences of former days.

"Dost thou ever think of the day when thou didst win thy first prize in archery?" asked the host with beaming face. "Ha, ha, well do I remember Howell ap David's discomfiture when thine arrows stole the championship from him. Thou wast only a beardless lad, then; but thou wast old enough to show of what mettle the Princes of Powys are made."

"Whatever skill I displayed." was the reply, "did not surpass your own in playing with the two-handed sword. Had the valiant Caradoc a few hundred such you the

the short sword of Rome. St. David! what blows you dealt! What visions of cloven foes delighted my youthful fancies while witnessing your marvelous feats. It was the height of my ambition to be able to wield the two-handed sword as you did."

"Thine efforts, if reports be true, have often since done credit to thy ambition; and yet, old as I am, I would be strongly tempted to pit my strength and skill against thine did occasion present itself. If I do say it, I have ere this cleaved in twain as strong a foe as thou

wouldst be."

'You speak as though you half suspected the time would come when we shall meet each other as foes."

"No, I meant not that; my words must have belied my meaning. I meant to say that I would not be afraid to compete with thee in the games, and my reference to what I had done was in proof of what I might yet do in the matter of handling the two-handed sword. Foes, indeed! I could as easily imagine St. David turning traitor to his country which he so passionately loved while in the flesh as you and I being at enmity with each other."

Cleddyy Deuddwrn of Britain would never have had to pay homage to

"We will not discuss further possibilities, then, for discussion may breed what we would most gladly avoid. We will discuss what promises to be an excellent dinner instead. By the way, if your mead equals that of my Uncle Bleddyn's, I shall not be averse to spending the

rest of the day with you, for if I have a weakness for anything it is for good, steaming mead."

"There thou hast touched upon a subject which of all things would be most likely to result in a quarrel. Good mead is what this hall has never been without, and if thou findest this not more to thy taste than any thing thy uncle ever produced, I shall have a poor opinion of your judgment. As for thy leaving my humble abode to-day, that is out of the question. I do not have the honor of thy company so often that I shall dismiss thee before I have a chance to look thee over, especially now that thou art betrothed to the fair daughter of Gryffydd ap Llewelyn. And now that I have mentioned the matter, I must tell thee that I commend thy taste, for in my opinion she outshines the other daughters of Cambria as the sun does the stars. I do not say this to flatter thee, or to make thee blush, which I observe thou art disposed to do; but because I know whereof I speak. And were I not afraid it would make thee vain I might commend her taste in the choice of I came near saying-the future King of Cambria."

Trahaiarn's men would have been greatly amused at this dialogue had they heard it; but as they occupied the part of the hall devoted to inferiors, what passed between their master and the host on the other side of the screen that divided the room, escaped their attention. The

hum of their own voices, also, especially after the excellent fare of the hall had put them in good humor, was such as to prevent any one from understanding what was said in the chief's department had he been disposed to listen. The prince and his entertainer, on the other hand, were so accustomed to the loud and confused voices of their retainers, and so interested in their own thoughts and affairs that they talked together as in absolute privacy. Thus the afternoon glided almost imperceptibly into evening. Although Trahaiarn's reference to spending the remainder of the day Iwith his old friends was made more in jest than in earnest, he at length yielded to the importunities of the host, and before sunset it was understood that they would not leave the hall until daybreak next morning.

When the hour for starting arrived Trahaiarn bade his host good-bye, and accompanied by his men, who were in the best of spirits, he rode away with moderate speed. It was yet quite early in the day when they reached Llanidloes, where they found the flannel market already the center of a lively trade. lively trade. Each of the numerous traders vied with his neighbors in trying to attract customers, of whom the number was constantly increasing, and the jangle of voices increased accordingly.

"Come this way, good people, if ye want a bargain," cried a burly fellow in a voice of thunder. "Here

you can buy the best goods for the Welsh flannel; the

least money.
best in the market!"

"Ay, go to him if you want to be cheated," shouted a female voice immediately to the right of him. "His flannel is so thin that you can see Cadair Idrys through it with your eyes shut. If you have money to throw away I advise you to go to him. But if you want a flannel of the softest and most durable texture come and examine this. It is softer than the tongue of a love-sick swain, and thicker than the veil that hides a maiden's thoughts."

"So fine an article should certainly find a buyer," said Trahaiarn, coming to a halt in front of the woman. What will you take for the whole piece? Come now, here is the one great chance of your life."

"One yard costs as much an another," was the prompt reply. "If a little of a good thing is worth a good price, surely much is equally valuable. Nor are our chiefs so poor that they cannot pay a fair price for the best flannel in the market. Give me three pence a yard, Sir Knight, and you can have the whole roll. I will not sell it for a half-penny less."

So saying the woman handed the flannel to him for inspection, and while he examined it she enlarged still further on its merits.

"Did you weave this fabric?" asked the prince handing back the goods to her.

"Had you been a resident of these parts a mere glance at the flannel would answer your question. There be those who are considered good judges that declare that only one woman in Powys can weave a fabric like that."

"Ah! then your husband must be among them," said Trahaiarn, with a smile. "But I fear he is not as good a judge of flannel as he was of your looks when he married you.

"I would sooner trust his judgment of flannel than yours of good looks," was the angry reply.

"I can buy a better article for less money in Flint," continued Trahaiarn, inwardly amused. "What think you Cadwallader?"

"I think we can find not only better flannel, but fairer maids nearer home," was the aggravating reply.

"They must be fair indeed if thou be a sample of the men they fall in love with," sneered the woman. "There is no maiden in Powys but would rather have a gate post for a husband than have thee. Wert thou turned loose in the woods our men would take thee for an ape."

This sally greatly amused the crowd which had gathered around the woman's stand, and Trahaiarn and his men resumed their journey amidst much merriment at Cadwallader's expense.

"By my faith," said the latter crestfallen, "you led me into that predicament."

common

In this city, as well as lately in the cities of New York, Boston, and Philadelphia, we are now enjoying the triumph of sense, and of the common people, over much lack of sense, and over faddism, and many other isms in connection with the performance of operatic works. For the last eight weeks, and the triumph is still going on, we have English Opera by the Castle Square Opera Company, at Studebaker Hall, with crowded houses each time listening sweetly to, and learning patiently the power and pathos of the English words, rather than appearing owlishly wise in the empty sound of foreign languages. Heretofore we have had foretastes of a sure coming change from the condition of listening to foreign birds at $1,000, $1,500, and $2,000 a night, and hearing the burden of a chorus of Italians grandmothers, when Carl Rosa, Theodore Thomas gave English Opera a number of years ago, and the Bostonians, &c., later on. Italian opera, to be sure, even now, will successfully bring out a brilliant array of dresses and diamonds, and, the clattering of tongues, lisping and otherwise. But we are much indebted to the Castle Square Opera Company for perseverance, talent, culture, enthusiasm, and success in teaching the American people that operatic singing is not less enjoy

able and effective because we are enabled to understand the text. In addition to unqualified excellence in singing and acting, the price of admission is within reach of the middle classes-the great bulk of true lovers of music.

Of the splendid singing of Mr. Ben Davies in the "Creation" lately, Mr. W. S. B. Mathews, writes in the May 'Music: "Mr. Ben Davies is one of those well-taught matter-of-fact English oratorio singers such as the English school knows so well how to turn out. It is a pleasure to hear him, because he is so well taught and so sure."

The writer had occasion, lately, to speak to, and question a large class of college students, and found them fearfully igno, "much neglected" in the matter of knowing a "wee little bit " about music, though all could sing lustily some hymn-tunes, "My Country Tis of Thee," (one verse only), and were anxious enough to get a whack at "Just One Girl," and "On the Banks of the Wabash." No student of literature can consistently and safely neglect the simple principles, and history of music and musicians. The educational world is out of joint unless music is part of its life. Music is essential to art. It is a blessing that the love of melody is universal, but the mission of music to, and in the soul, will not have its.