A word in Memory
To have been born and lived all his life in
Philadelphia , yet to be best known in London
and New York; to have been the eldest son of
a rich man and the eldest grandson of one of
the richest men in America, yet of so quiet and
retiring a disposition as to excite remark to have
but a few years out of college, yet to have achie-
ved distinction in a field which is commonly su-
pposed to be the browsing- place of age; to have
been relatively unknown in his life and to be
immortal in his death --such are the brief out-
lines of the career of Harry Elkins Widener.
It is a curious commentary upon human nature
that the death of one person well known to us
affects us more than the deaths of hundreds or
thousands not know to us at all. It is for this
reason, perhaps, at a time when the papers bring
us daily their record of human suffering and misery
from the war in Europe , that I can forget the news
of yesterday and live over again the anxious hours
which followed the brief announcement that the
Titanic , on her maiden voyage, the largest , finest
and fastest ship afloat, had struck an iceberg in
mid-ocean, and that there were grave fears for
the safety of her passengers and crew, There the
first news ceased.
The accident had occurred at midnight ; the sea
was perfectly calm, the stars shone clearly; it was
bitter cold. the ship was going at full speed. A slight
jar was felt, but the extent of the injury was not
realized and few passengers were alarmed. When
the order to lower the boats was given there was
little confusion. The order went round . " Women and
children first " Harry his father were lost , his mother
and her maid were rescued.
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