Lewis Arundel; Or, The Railroad Of Life

"Lewis Arundel; Or, The Railroad Of Life" by Frank E. Smedley is a 19th-century story about Lewis Arundel, whose life takes a turn when his father passes away, leaving his already bereaved family in poverty. We first meet the grieving Arundel family: Lewis, his sister Rose, and their mother, who is preoccupied with her family's finances, as they await Lewis’s arrival home from Germany. As they come together, tragedy and familial love fill the air, foreshadowing Lewis's coming battles with personal drive and duty in a society undergoing massive change. The story combines strong family ties with the external pressures of society, setting the stage for a powerful story about growth and survival.