“Mr. Collins had a praying mother, and when one owes so much to
a praying mother as I do, he will not fail to make important
mention of this fact. In 1849 he came to Ohio and began the work
of laying out the Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati and Indianapolis
railroad. Here, amidst the hardships of pioneer life, there were
many temptations to desecrate the Sabbath, yet during all this time
the young man remembered the influence of the good mother, and
manifested a high moral sentiment throughout. His life work on the
Lake Shore and Michigan Southern railroad was begun in 1851, and
from that time till the moment of his sudden death, his constant
attention was given to this great thoroughfare, and his death
itself was a sacrifice to it. The busy engineer always had time to
look after the betterment of his employees, and there is to-day
many a family living upon its own lot, through his beneficence.”
[Illustration]
CHAPTER XXIV.
THE LOVED AND LOST.
There was a young lady on that train. Accomplished and beautiful, she
had already become the object of admiration to many, and was the pride
of fond parents. Blooming, buoyant and hopeful, she was a delightful
companion. Her light, rosy complexion so radiant made her a picture
of health. She used to laugh and say to her mother, “I never have any
compliments except that I am such a healthy looking girl.” Her mother
writes:
“On her sweet, fair hand she wore a slender thread of gold which held
the setting of a very brilliant, though not large, diamond. On the
same finger she wore a heavy, plain, gold ring. Her wardrobe was very
complete and almost entirely new. Her jewelry consisted of turquoise,
pearls, Florentine mosaics and Genoese silver. Everything she had
in the way of ornament or jewelry, she had with her. She had a link
gold necklace and gold handkerchief ring, with a small ring for the
finger attached by a slender chain. A Chegary medal in the form of a
Greek enameled cross, was in her trunk, the sign of honor from the
school where she had graduated. In that trunk were also many dresses,
beautiful and expensive and becoming to her form. All she had, she took
with her. Her bridesmaid’s dress was with her; she was dressed in it
only the week before at the wedding of her dearest friend; she also had
it on at a wedding the night before she started. Yet she was not a mere
child of fashion! She was born to social position and always accustomed
to society; it was the daily habit of her life but brought no
excitement with it. She really cared but little for parties, and often
spoke in that way. She was an active member of the Episcopal church and
very conscientious in the performance of her duties. Her love of sacred
music seemed like an inspiration; I have watched her face become almost
transfigured by a holiness of expression which would flit across it
while she was singing. She had been kept singularly free from the
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