Welsh Journals

They clap their hands. The Hoods descend and nothing can be seen but sheets of slanting rain. The storm passes with growls and rumbling, echoing among the crags. The thorn-tree is hung with pearls, gleaming against the dark hillside. Suddenly the lights are turned on. Shy sun-gleams appear. Red, blue, green and gold shines the arc of promise. In its swift radiance green fields, dark trees, dark waters, rejoice in borrowed, evanescent, tints. The rainbow slips away, leaving behind the crock of fairy gold. A farmer's boy whistles cheerily trudging along the lane. The birds tune in and the storm is over When the trees burn with autumn fire the little tarn openly rejoices. Its shores are fringed, above and below, with rich, warm-toned shapes interlaced by dark branches. Dry reeds sway- ing rustle on the strand. Up the hillside stand Schoolmasters I Have Known. By Defynnog Treherbert. MR. WILLIAM GRIFFITH HOWELL, RHONDDA. [Born January 10, 1846, at Penymvnydd, in the parish of Llanllawer, Dyfed son of John Howell and Ann Rowland, and was one of nine children. Educated at Dinas, and Fishguard, Pemb. Entered Bangor Train- ing College in 1867. In 1869 appointed Headmaster of Ton School. In 1876 appointed Inspector of Schools under the Llanwonno School Board. In 1881 appointed Inspector and Superintendent of Schools under the Ystradyfodwg School Board. In 1902 appointed Director of Education under the Rhondda L.E.A. Died January 20, 1905, and was interred at Lledrddu Porth. In 1871 married Miss Miriam Williams of Aberdar. Children: Mr. John Howell, M.B., F.R.C.S., C.B.E., of Cheltenham Mrs. Maggie Bowen Mrs. L. Harries; Mr. William G. Howell (accountant) Mr. David R. Howell (who died in 1905); Mr. Stanley Howell Mrs. Alice Maud Robinson; Mrs. Minnie Fer- guson and Miss Helena Howell. He was Treasurer of the East Glamorgan Baptist Association and Sunday School Union, dea- con at Pisgah Baptist Church, Cymmer: Trustee of the Lily of the Vallev Lodge of Oddfellows a freemason, one of the found- ers and first President of the Porth and Cymmer Cymrodorion Society.] isolated ash trees stripped clean of leaf, smoothly pale and silvery against the vivid blue distance. The slender spindle-berry bushes arc hung with coral-pink waxen beads bursting to show the bright orange within. To-day the autumn glory. To-morrow the frost finger and the last golden leaves cling- ing to the bough. Soundlessly they fall one by one into the water. Aimlessly they glide away- and it is winter. The moon shines clear and steel-like on the desolate little tarn. Its waters are held in a relentless icy grip. It lies hidden away among the snow-bound hills. A little tarn, rather longer than wide. It is possible for a lad to skate across it in a very few minutes, ringing the echoes of grinding steel upon ice-to pass from the black shadow of the hill into the moon- light on the other side. AND so he was not born at Trewrach at all At the time of his death the newspapers stated that Trewrach was his birthplace, and I, like all others, accepted the state- ment as true. But when I began collecting material for this appreciation, I was informed by his sole surviving brother, Mr. James Howell, that he was born at Penymvnydd in the parish of Llanllawer. was a small hilly farm near Garn Fawr, one of the peaks of the Preselau range. This peak, by the way, seems to me a far more suitable rendezvous than any other for the red-flannelled battalion of Welsh women who struck terror into the hearts of the French invaders in 1797. Close by again was the birthplace of a kinsman of his, the founder of the great establishment of Messrs James Howell and Co., Cardiff. Close by also was the birthplace of Mr. William Evans, the successful Porth tradesman. His parents and the family removed to Trew- rach when our hero was very young. Trewrach is situated in Fishguard parish, but nearer to Dinas than the town of Fishguard. The bay is not far away, and a few steps and an easy run would bring us to the attractive creek of Aber- bach. From Ogof Ffwrn in this creek there ran a subterranean passage, according to tradition, up to the hearthstone in Trewrach. William Griffith's first school was in a cottage, called Parcglas. This was kept by Shecki Harri, an old sailor, who having weathered many a storm, had settled down to teach the three R's and Navigation to the lads of Dinas. His next school was at Robleck (Yr Hoblech or Cromlech?; kept by a William Thomas, an Englishman who had an imperfect knowledge of Welsh, and who was lovingly christened by his pupils as C Rhên Backen in imitation of his llediaith pronunci- ation of bachgen. The pupils attending this