Read Online Distant Dreams by Tracie Peterson, Judith Pella - Free Book Online
Authors: Tracie Peterson, Judith Pella
Tags: United States, Fiction, Romance, Historical, Literature & Fiction, Ebook, Religion & Spirituality, Christian fiction, Christian Books & Bibles, Western & Frontier, Religious & Inspirational Fiction
Ads: Link
duty could almost break him. Perhaps if he were truly a man he’d throw aside those bonds entirely. Maybe it would have been different if his parents had had other children, other sons. But he was alone, and all the family hopes were pinned on him. His father was overbearing, his mother overprotective, yet they had only him to carry on the name and all the things his father had worked so hard to build.
But what of his own dreams? It was hardly fair that he should be expected to sacrifice those for a life he disdained. But his mother would weep and his father would bellow. James didn’t want to hurt his mother or disappoint his father.
His father . . .
It seemed James had already spent two lifetimes trying to please the man and make him proud. However, he had started to give up on that nearly futile task even before he’d finished college. His growing unrest and sense of rebellion began to rear up with his very choice of colleges. Instead of attending his father’s alma mater, Franklin and Marshall, James had chosen another Pennsylvania college, Moravian, in Bethlehem. The innovative liberal college, founded in the middle half of the previous century, had opened James’ eyes to much. The college supported not only education for all—poor as well as rich—but the administration and faculty followed the philosophy of John Amos Comenius. This seventeenth-century bishop of the Moravian Church was often frowned upon for his spirited ideas in regard to education. Not only were men encouraged to study a variety of subjects, but there was a firm belief in education through experience. Comenius even went so far as to advocate the education of women.
James enjoyed the approach and found the proposal of women students to be questionable in worth, but not totally out of consideration. It would never have met with his parents’ ideas for genteel society, but he could see the possibilities.
At first, to appease his parents’ disappointment, James had taken the courses prescribed by his father, all geared toward business and banking. But such courses proved boring to James’ active and creative mind. Thus, encouraged by the college’s philosophy of broad course study, he had added science and history. But unable to completely defy his father, he ended up with a double load. Luckily he was intelligent enough and hardworking enough to successfully master it all.
But how far would he go trying to live a double life to please his father? And would it ever please the man? When James graduated fifth in his class with two degrees, one in business and one in engineering, Leland had only commented that James could have been first if he had stuck with business alone. James rebelled further against his parents’ wishes when he decided to stay a few weeks longer in Bethlehem to meet Philip E. Thomas, the president of the B&O Railroad. Thomas, there to meet with an ironworks owner, had cordially received James and encouraged him to come to Baltimore. Given the chance to observe the workings of the railroad, James had followed eagerly. It had proved to be the most exciting three weeks of his life, but had also thrown his life into a spin.
Though he’d always known he didn’t want to be a banker, it had seemed a more reasonable prospect at one time. It had even seemed acceptable for his parents to arrange a suitable match for him in marriage. All that had changed after he went north to school. He had seen too much and learned that beyond the political scraping and social frivolity of Washington there lay an entirely new world—a world James wanted to be a part of.
Now the very thought of sitting behind his father’s desk shuffling papers and hefting ledgers horrified him. In the past he’d never had any clear focus about what he did want, thus he had easily placated his father these last few years. But that, too, was changed now. The railroad had at last lent focus to his life.
He recalled how that passion had begun to take root in
But what of his own dreams? It was hardly fair that he should be expected to sacrifice those for a life he disdained. But his mother would weep and his father would bellow. James didn’t want to hurt his mother or disappoint his father.
His father . . .
It seemed James had already spent two lifetimes trying to please the man and make him proud. However, he had started to give up on that nearly futile task even before he’d finished college. His growing unrest and sense of rebellion began to rear up with his very choice of colleges. Instead of attending his father’s alma mater, Franklin and Marshall, James had chosen another Pennsylvania college, Moravian, in Bethlehem. The innovative liberal college, founded in the middle half of the previous century, had opened James’ eyes to much. The college supported not only education for all—poor as well as rich—but the administration and faculty followed the philosophy of John Amos Comenius. This seventeenth-century bishop of the Moravian Church was often frowned upon for his spirited ideas in regard to education. Not only were men encouraged to study a variety of subjects, but there was a firm belief in education through experience. Comenius even went so far as to advocate the education of women.
James enjoyed the approach and found the proposal of women students to be questionable in worth, but not totally out of consideration. It would never have met with his parents’ ideas for genteel society, but he could see the possibilities.
At first, to appease his parents’ disappointment, James had taken the courses prescribed by his father, all geared toward business and banking. But such courses proved boring to James’ active and creative mind. Thus, encouraged by the college’s philosophy of broad course study, he had added science and history. But unable to completely defy his father, he ended up with a double load. Luckily he was intelligent enough and hardworking enough to successfully master it all.
But how far would he go trying to live a double life to please his father? And would it ever please the man? When James graduated fifth in his class with two degrees, one in business and one in engineering, Leland had only commented that James could have been first if he had stuck with business alone. James rebelled further against his parents’ wishes when he decided to stay a few weeks longer in Bethlehem to meet Philip E. Thomas, the president of the B&O Railroad. Thomas, there to meet with an ironworks owner, had cordially received James and encouraged him to come to Baltimore. Given the chance to observe the workings of the railroad, James had followed eagerly. It had proved to be the most exciting three weeks of his life, but had also thrown his life into a spin.
Though he’d always known he didn’t want to be a banker, it had seemed a more reasonable prospect at one time. It had even seemed acceptable for his parents to arrange a suitable match for him in marriage. All that had changed after he went north to school. He had seen too much and learned that beyond the political scraping and social frivolity of Washington there lay an entirely new world—a world James wanted to be a part of.
Now the very thought of sitting behind his father’s desk shuffling papers and hefting ledgers horrified him. In the past he’d never had any clear focus about what he did want, thus he had easily placated his father these last few years. But that, too, was changed now. The railroad had at last lent focus to his life.
He recalled how that passion had begun to take root in
Similar Books
