Now, standing in the night with a great many other people, Gloriana admired her husband. He’d worked hard to see this route completed despite the problems they’d had with weather, the town across the bay, and, of course, Theodore Sedgwick’s interference.

“Are you excited, Glory?” JT asked, dancing circles around her and the baby.

The first train to travel the completed line had left St. Paul at seven that morning and was due in momentarily, and the atmosphere was festive.

“Everyone’s excited about the train.” Gloriana laughed, and Sally did likewise, seeming quite content to be out in the middle of the night. “This is definitely a grand celebration. It seems like they could have timed it for daytime, though.”

“People were too excited to wait,” Luke replied.

“I agree with your beautiful wife,” Martin Carson declared. “I would have waited for the next day.”

“I didn’t get a say in that part. Besides, this is history in the making.” Luke shook his head, marveling at the moment. “And we’re a part of it.”

A blast from the train sounded, and those who’d gathered to celebrate cheered in response. The engineer sent another blast and then a third.

The evening was pleasant, but the breeze and dampness of the air made it chilly. Gloriana wrapped the blanket a little tighter around Sally, who wasn’t sure what to think of the distant train whistle.

“This is the best thing we’ve gotten to do all summer,” JT said, grabbing his grandfather’s hand. “Aren’t you excited, even if it is late?”

“I am. Especially now that I can actually see what’s happening.”

Gloriana was so glad and grateful to God that Luke’s father could be here to witness the event. He was blind for over three months, and then little by little his vision returned. The doctor had feared he might remain blind forever and counted it a miracle. One thing that the blindness had necessitated, however, was that Martin Carson needed round-the-clock care, so he had remained in Duluth with Gloriana and Luke. Luke had worried at first that it would be a bad idea, but it turned out just fine. They moved to the new house up on the hill, and his father slowly adjusted. Gloriana had come up with an idea for helping her father-in-law move around the house by using a knotted rope strung from room to room. She had designed a series of knots in each line of rope so that he could find his way around and know by the number of knots which room he was in. After all, he was not one to lie about. He had picked up the system in quick order and before long was moving about the house with the rest of the family.

“I wish Jack could be here,” JT said, still dancing circles around the family. “He would love trains.”