Papurau Newydd Cymru

Chwiliwch 15 miliwn o erthyglau papurau newydd Cymru

Cuddio Rhestr Erthyglau

15 erthygl ar y dudalen hon

Advertising

CYCLING. !

MOTOR CYCLING. I

MOTORING. I

I Rheumatism-Kidney Trouble.

I Knighton Guardians.1

Advertising

Appeal Tribunal.

Builth Allotments. I

Late Mr J. R. James, Builth.

Newyddion
Dyfynnu
Rhannu

Late Mr J. R. James, Builth. AN APPRECIATION. BY ONE WHO KNEW HIM. The people of Builth Wells were very shocked last Saturday afternoon on learning of the death which oc- curred with tragic suddenness, of Mr J. R. James, cash- ier at the National Provincial Bank. During his six years residence in Builth Wells Mr James had earned the respect of all. He was a remarkable man-in many ways. Of a quiet and retiring disposition, he did not readily form friendships, but once the reserve was pene- trated, you recognised the man within. He was one of the most honest and straightforward men that I knew. He never trimmed his sails to every passing breeze, but bravely steered on his course. If the need arose he would certainly sacrifice preferment to principle. He was certainly one of the best read men in the town, nay in the county. But he never advertised his reading. He often told me "I'm only a reader, I read just for the love of reading." He was not a pedant and never tackled any book that was too big for him. Mr James's motto was "Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with merry heart; for God hath already accepted thy works." He had a most discriminating sensitiveness to all that was fair and beautiful in English literature, although his reading 'was avowedly purposeless and desultory. I remember discussing one of the masterpieces of Eng- lish prose with him-Abraham Lincoln's letter to a mother whose five sons had died gloriously on the field of battle. His eyes, lit up and his face gleaned when he pointed out the chastity and beauty of the word beguile in Lincoln's sentence: "I feel how weak and fruitless itaust be any words of mine which should at- tempt to beguile you from the grief of a loss so over- whelming." He led me to many a realm of gold and made me familiar with the works of Thomas Love Peacock, The Erubon of Butler, Newbolt's poems. So much did he love his own favourite authors that he had signed auto- graph, photographs of such famous men as Thomas Hardy, George Meredith, Rudyard Kipling, etc. He and I loved Eden Philpotts as a novelist, but I owed him- a debt of gratitude for introducing me to the poems of Philpotts. Mr James was possessed of a marvellous memory. He could tell you all about the "Adullomites," and the oc- casion when Punch called that burly Irishman, Joseph Biggar, the misplaced vowel. Of things Welsh his mind was a perfect storehouse. He knew all about the great county families, and could enrich a conversation on any national topic. There is one other trait in his character that I should like to touch on before finishing-his hatred of snobbery. He was no mere doctrinaire democrat; but loved to con- verse with the plain ordinary man. We are much the poorer in Builth Wells by the loss of this quiet, true gentleman who loathed the limelight. He dreamt but did not make dreams his master; he thought but did not make thoughts his aim. He never said ill of any man, even if he disliked him. He took all human misery much to heart and his pity was a soul-commanding and heart-felt love. The hearts of I our townspeople go out to his sorrowing widow and little children in their distress.

Advertising

- - --7 APPEAL TRIBUNAL—Continued.I

Advertising

Colwyn Rural Tribunal.

Advertising