Faithful Unto Death

Ralph's News

“Full particulars of her death have not been received yet. “Miss Spencer’s work has been among the girls at Hadjin, where a school was maintained. As a teacher she seemed to achieve great success.” A letter from the Near East Mission of the United Church Board in what is now Istanbul, Turkey, spoke much more warmly of Charlotte Spencer. “She had endeared herself greatly, not only to her American associates , but also to the people among whom she lived and worked. Her only wish seemed to be to spend and be spent for the Master. Her humble , gentle, devoted, and Christlike life produced, according to the testimony of Mr. Martin, an in›uence that would abide and bear fruit increasingly as time went on. During her sickness of several weeks, she had a rare peace of mind and even joy amidst her pain and sufferings. Her strength was unequal to the strain, and she passed away February 11, 1904, at the age of ‹fty-three. “According to other information, Miss Charlotte Spencer was buried along with Miss Alice C. Martin, who died in 1896, in the Protestant Cemetery at Hadjin (a mountain town in the area of Adana).” Ralph’s News tustin, michigan, fall 1904 ralph stirred his fried potatoes around on his plate, not looking up. He wished Father weren’t so cheerful just now, planning next spring’s activities for them all as though he expected everything to stay the same, forever and ever amen. It made it that much harder for Ralph to share his news. He didn’t know why he felt so shy and shamefaced about it. Other young men announced their engagements joyously, as self-satis‹ed as if they’d just brought in a bumper crop of oats all by themselves. He supposed there was something about having your father’s unsavory personal affairs and scandalous doings with the “fairer sex” broadcast to the world for several years, to make you a mite skittish about such matters. He was twenty-seven now, much older than most men marrying for the ‹rst time. For that matter, Lottie didn’t seem to be rushing to the altar either, though she had kept company with one or two young men in the area. 254 “Ralph? What’s the matter with you? I’ve asked you twice if you’re ‹nished with your dinner. Look at your plate! Goodness!” He looked up to meet the stares from the family, Henry’s quizzical, Orah’s annoyed, Will’s amused, Josie’s curious. Forrest, his half brother, grinned. Unlike Orah, he was a happy-go-lucky fellow. Ralph thought that Forrest was most like Roy on a good day. They didn’t talk about Roy very much these days. Lottie stood at his elbow, a stack of dirty dishes in her hands. He plunged in. “Father, I didn’t like to interrupt you, but the fact is, I won’t be able to help you clear that north section.” “Sure you will. I know we’ll be busy with the planting, but if we . . .” “No, I mean, I’m going to be working elsewhere.” He held up a hand to forestall Henry’s interruption. “I’ve put an option down on the old Whitticomb place over in Leroy.” “Whitticomb? The furniture fellow in Grand Rapids?” “That’s the one. I asked around about that farm off the Tustin road, the one with the little logging cabin up the road. It has a shed barn . . .” “Son, we can’t handle the acreage we have now . . .” “I’m sorry, I’m putting the cart before the horse here.” Ralph’s ears felt hot—in fact, his entire face did. “What I mean to say is, I’ve asked Harriet Madole for her hand . . .” This sounded foolish and affected to him, but he hurried on, “And she’s accepted. We’re getting married.” “Ralph, you’re never!” Dishes rattled at his ear. Startled, he looked up into Lottie’s face, but she was beaming with pleasure for him. “Why, son, that’s wonderful!” Henry rose and came around the table to pound Ralph on the back. “Lottie! We can be bridesmaids!”Josie’s braids quivered at the prospect. “Oh, silly, the bride chooses her own bridesmaids,” reproved Lottie. Ralph smiled shyly, wondering why he’d been so hangdog about admitting his engagement to the pretty Leroy schoolteacher. Hattie and Ralph Get a Parcel leroy, michigan, summer 1905 ralph armed sweat from...