The Argosy — page 130: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

120 ROUND ABOUT BARMOUTH By THE AUTHOR OF “A WELSH RAMBLE.” HERE are seven wonders of the world ; and there are said to be seven wonders in Wales ; but as in this sketch we shall catch a glimpse of two of them at the utmost, we will spare the reader the trouble of reading down the list of these marvels. Let us at once commence our long journey from Paddington to Barmouth. We started at ten o’clock. The journey up to Ruabon was pleasant, and even rapid. The scenery down the line, we all know, is altogether picturesque, rising here and there into the utmost pastoral BAKRMUUTH. beauty. But exception must be made to that one spot which has planted itself upon the face of nature, surely in order that we may the more thoroughly appreciate the beauties that have gone before, and those that, happily, follow after: that one fearful spot—the Black Country. Approaching a large town, whose many chimneys send forth huge volumes of dense smoke, which gather themselves together, and hang in a thick curtain between the earth and the bright sunshine and clear blue sky ; where begrimed red-brick houses rise up in melancholy clusters ; we have no need to be told that this is Birmingham. Glad to escape, we plunge deeper into the mire, and are whirled through the very thick of the Black Country. When darkness, indeed, envelopes her own, this spot becomes less repelling. Huge fires from many quarters rise up, emitting angry flames and smoke, eminently suggestive of dark and evil deeds ;. recalling to the mind of those who have comicbooks.com