Semi-weekly herald. [volume] (Durango, Colo.) 1907-1917, 1910-11-21
he among his playmates when boy


and trusted by his fellow workmen.
and beloved by his mother. Personal
magnetism is a great gift. and a true
leader draws men after him because
o. some good quality. With William
Lewis, II was his musical genius
magnaminity, fidelity. and affection
Vocal genius was with him rare
gift. Added to rare voice was the
true musicians instinct. Such gil
Is of great power for good or i'll. Goot
music has power to refine the sensibil
tiles, give us all sweet and pure de
light. thrill noble hearts with sub
lime impulses, and fill spiritual SOUS
with such harmonies as make him fee
the swell OF the golden harps and the
halleiujah chorus But base music
coarsens our sensibilities. fills base
imaginations with vile conceptions
stimulates the evil impulses. fills the
soul with such feelings as blends i
with the rhythm OF the pit. To such {
use this glorious voice was not leni
He used his talent for good. Ant
the message of his life would say, use
YOUR talents so that men will say vol
helped me.
But we think also of maganimity
He was no small soul He did no
wrap his talent in napkin OF pride
but lavished 1t abroad among men
From this day on we will be less In
clined TO put our gifts into cold stor
age for secluslve demand, but let then
be used for the uplift of mankind.
But his tragic taking off. empha
sises his fidelity and true heroism
He died doing his duty. not thinking
his own safety. nor flinching from
his work. he faced disaster unabasf
ed. 1t is well that we should hea'
This gospel OF duty today, when Sc
many are following the line of least re
sistence. May we have more men WIN
can advance in the pathway of dut
and face political disaster, financia
ruin. the Kissing flames of socia
scorn, or the blackening smoot o
vicious SANDER and not fail.
"You his most intimate friends vii
not forget his true tenderness of heart
His love for his mother was a signifi
cent virtue. One of the things he re
GREETED in taking his last position wa
that he must leave mother so lonF
Let that tender message cling lik'
sweet incense TO our minds, and MAJ
the bands of parental love and authoI
ity tighten their hold upon us from
this hour.
"If this be so. William Lewis viii
not be altogether taken from us. bu
will live on with us in some way
throughout the years.
As the remains were taken GU
the sad notes of the dirge were
sounded by the Durango band
The Masons. the Knights of Pythias
the relatives and hundreds of friend
in carriages made up the funeral cor
tege At the grave the Masonic ser
vice was read.
William Lewis was born in Vale
81 years ago He had one brothe
and four sisters, two of whom hav,
preceded him to the Great Beyound
The brother Tommie Lewis is well
known railroad man The eldes
living sister, Mrs. Fila Row,ands, re
sides in British Columbia A young
| err sister, Mrs May ones lives in ST
verton. His parents, David and Mar.
Ann Lewis, both OF whom survive hin
were descendants of long line o
| Welsch ancestors famed for their rar
musical ability
While yet very small child, littl
Billy as he was fondly designated
manifested this talent, which devel
oped into such marked ability in late
| life. He attended school until he wal
| 16 years of age, then he became
miner, thus following his father
life work. But he continued to pursu,
his studies at night school until ;
much later period
When % years of age he came t,
| America, with his mother and broth
er and sisters to join the father, whit
| located near Durango some twelve
years earlier.
Since that time, until last April, h,
has been engaged in mining in the Por
ter and Hesperus mines.
In April he was appointed Deput,
State Mine Inspector. From this pc
sition he resigned the latter part o