Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1912-11-29
HER
ASSIGNMENT
1t Was to Marry a Mis-
sionary She Had
Never Seen
BY F. A. mitchell

S~S~~>~>Ne~N~~>>serSrs~ Ns~1>>>@SN>SS~N~sS~~-eesd
"Letitia," said my aunt the day after
my uncle's funeral, "our income, small
as 1t is, will be stopped at the end OF
this month. 1t behooves us to look the
future squarely in the face.
What we do in this world depends
upon what we determine to do IRE.
spective Of distaste for the work,
though what is distasteful one day
may be a pleasure the next. Recently
saw 1t stated In a church journal
that among the missionaries In groups
of islands In the Pacific ocean there
are but few women and nearly all of
the clergymen who are devoting them.
selves to ameliorating the spiritual
condition of the natives are without
wives. The article went on to say
that the bishop would pay the expenses
or any young woman of good characte
who would 90 out to the islands of his
diocese from fund set apart for the
purpose and would assign clergyman
to marry her"
gasped for breath at this statement
Of my aunt's, for knew from the fact
OF her having made 1t that she had de-
termined to dispose Of me In this man.
ner. In those days there were few
openings for women to mako their own
living, and If turned out to support my.
self felt that l would starve After
giving me few days to think over the
matter my aunt forced me to deci-
sion, or, rather, to consent to be ship
ped to the island Of Tongatabu for the
purpose Of being married to clergy
man Of the Protestant Episcopal
church. 1t seemed like offering a
prayer book for food to one who was
starving. II was enough to be banished
to such place without having to
marry stranger.
My aunt. who was of strong will and
intellect, endeavored to comfort me
with the assurance that my husband
would belong TO n noble calling and
would be educated. I pictured him a
red headed, freckled man with high
check bones and large joints. When
not engaged In teaching the heather he
would be reading prayers and singing
hymns. Instead Of the love chats had
read In novels we would have the
psalter, | humbly making the re-
sponses
] thought my journey would never
end, and ! hoped 1t wouldn't. l was
seasick. but that was nothing to meet
ing this awful man to whom was to
be given over to torture. The day we
approached the island / leaned against
the rail on deck and saw n concourse
Of dark skinned persons on the dock.
among whom could distinguish n few
white faces. could not restrain my
tears, and when the ship was tied up
to the dock | went ashore with wet
eyes. / was the only woman TO leave
the vessel. and one who had been ap.
pointed TO meet mo had no difficulty in
picking me out. A young man in cler
zeal dress stepped up to me and with
a pleasant smile asked me II were
Miss Letltia Trobridge. replied that
was, and he relieved me OF some hand
baggage was carrying. saying ut the
same time:
1.-THE superintendent has received In
formation from the bishop of your com
ing and that he had assigned you to be
united In the holy bonds OF matrimony
to the Rev. Adoniram Nudge. But !
regret to say that have some bad |
news for you Can you bear to hear
tn"
II can bear anything"
"Well, your betrothed was sent last |
week to the neighboring island Of Ha-
pal TO establish a mission, and this
morning boat came back with the
news that he had been killed and eaten
by cannibals."
The words "Thank heaven" came up
from my heart to my throat, but
them. had no difficulty
in bursting into tears, for ] was In
tears already. simply let go the
dam, and they flowed forth In abun-
dance
~ should have waited" said the
young man sympathetically, It'll we
had reached the mission and broken
the news more gently"
"N-n-eVcr mlD0,' bthmmereu.
guess can bear t."
On the way to the superintendent's
quarters we passed hero and there a
man In clerical garb, all Of whom
looked at me wistfully and at my
with jealousy. Not woman
was to be seen anywhere, and II
seemed to me that were these men not
In the service Of the Lord they would
be soon shedding one anothers blood
10 determine which should possess
me. wished that they might be thus
Of like the Kilkenny cats and
might be permitted to build
funeral pyre under them after the Gus
tom OF heather Widows Of India and
sail away on the ship In which ! had
come.
When we reached the superintend-
ent's house or bungalow, or whatever
L might be called, we found him a
looking old gentleman, but
that my lover was at the
lime being digested In the stomachs OF
he various natives who had eaten
lim the reverend gentleman felt II In.
'umbent upon him 10 assume a lugubri.
BUS countenance.
lowing 30 this afiilctlon," he said,
the bishops assignment cannot be
'arried out. shall write him by the
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