The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1885-02-05
Hon. Leland Stanford.

Hon. Leland Stanford, recently elected
United States Senator from California. is
millionaire. He is known not only
throughout the Pacific Coast region but
all over the Union to be liberal, enlight-
ened, progressive citizen, fully alive to the
higher influences which are advancing our
civilization and shaping the Nations des-
tiny. His wealth has been acquired
through comprehensive schemes of public
improvement and mining, having been one
OF the pioneer instigators and managers OF
the great continental railroads and con.
nected with some of the most important
and prolific developments of the precious
metals. His recent election to the Senate
is an evidence of the strong hold he has
upon the confidence of those who know
him best. He did not seek the office, and
appealed to none of the doubtful methods
which have been too common in some of
the mining States. The people knew him.
He had been Governor of California. we
think; had been before the public for
many years in connection with great en-
terprises, and in all the relations and re-
sponsibilities he maintained in those asso-
Citations he measured up to the full re-
quirements of the situation and proved
himself an honest man, great public
benefactor and wise public servant,
He had an only son, the pride of his
heart. in whom were centred his fondest
hopes. The warmest affections of warm
and earnest nature were lavished upon the
boy. He was a youth of much promise,
and gave assurance that he would fulfill
the sanguine expectations of the million
aire father. All the comforts and all the
advantages that wealth could give were at
his command, and so far as human ken
could penetrate, this favored child OF for
tune was destined to grow into usefulness
and become even in larger degree, by
reason of his greater opportunities public
beuefactor than his father. But the silent
reaper came and cut him off in his bud
ding manhood and embryo promise. The
millions to which he was heir could not
purchase him exemption from the COM
mon decree. The tender loves which
bound their silken cords around father and
mother and son were rudely and cruelty
sundered ,Sand cherished idol broken in
the blush of it's fresh beauty and attrac-
tion. ''Dust to dust' was pronounced upon
the form and face of the robust youth just
as he began to catch the first CLEANS of am
bition and look out into the future which
opened before him with so much of worldly
promise and assurance. Nothing in all
the propitious surroundings could arrest
the memorable summons. Heart-loves and
tears and signs were powerless to turn
aside the fatal messenger. Ruthessly he
trod upon all the tender affections that
bound the little household, crushing
bright hopes and SCATTERING the air castles
which fond ambition had builded. The
father and mother who had gone through
the vicissitudes of life to past it's merid-
ian and successfully encountered it's
frowns and misfortunes, were passed by
and the rosy youth marked as the victim
and snatched from the embrace of idoliz-
ing parents-taken from the evil to
come"
There was lesson to the philosphic
mind in this sad and sorrowful recital
The father realized, as if it had been
flashed into his soul from the sky, that his
millions were mere baubleS-that they
could not propitiate the grim monster nor
change the mysterious order that had
chosen the central object of earthly
thoughts as the victim Of its mission. All
the adornments of art and nature might
be at his command to please the senses
and mollify the cravings for contentment,
but they could not command immunity
from the demand of the angel of death as it
lowered over the manly form and fresh beau
ty of youth, WHICH was the centre and alb
sorbent Of worldly hopes and plans. "All
is vanity was written as if in letters of
light oyer STOCKS and bonds and jewels
and treasures which measured pn the nil
ions of his possession. The one light
that radiated the heart and the hearth was ,
rpdely turned to darkness and gloom, and
,he massive wealth appeared as dross in
,he circle of the home and the .recesses |