Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1912-05-30
A PORTLAND LETTER



Of the time both OF them were there.
The doctor has n particularly good
reputation, being one Of the very BEST
in the city.
When Mr.. Spencer was hrst taken 70
the hospital, only one lung was In
volved, but by early Monday morning
both lungs were affected. The case
was recognized as hopeless by the
doctors ard nurses and hospital ON
cials from the first, although we all
had hopes until the very end.
Mr.. Spencer was told OF his serious
condition several different times, but
no one could convince him that he was
as seriously III as we knew him 70 be.
By Sunday night / had sent several
kilograms to his people, and at about
ten o'clock Sunday night he wanted TO
know what kind OF message had been
sent, and / told him. he said he
thought that was unnecessarily
alarmed, and he did not believe that he
was seriouslyill. He then dictated q
night lett to Mrs. Spencer, In which
he said he was receiving every attention
and that he was getting along all right,
and that 1 was too enthusiastic, mean
ing that / was unnecessarily alarmed.
He also stated in this night letter that
two doctors were in attendance and
both agreed that there was no danger.
1t was clearly his purpose to reassure
them, as he had been told by both Of
the doctors that he was very dangerous
ly i'll.
| Monday morning at nine o'clock, he
said to me: "Palmer, the doctors say
that am dangerously i'll, but don't
think so, but II you think 30 do not
leave anything undone." Asking II
he had any suggestions to make or any
particular words that he wished 70
convey. he said, No; that he would
leave everytb ing TO me.
He continued TO talk 10 the nurses
and the rest of us as much a. they
would allow him till noon Monday,
AT two o'clock Monday afternoon ]
told him that i had received q message
from his people stating that Mrs
Spencer, Maud, the taby, and Charles
Foster were coming as fast ms possible,
and for him TO hold out until they got
here. He could not talk ut this time,
but smiled and seemed very much
pleased 70 receive the message.
He was In no pain during his illness,
and did not cough. His breathing was
simply labored and gradually became
more SO until he easily and quietly
expired at just one o'clock Tuesday
morning.
We left nothing undone that we
could think OF or that could be suggest
ed. He received every care and atten-
ton that any man Of his condition
could possibly receive, and this care
was OF the very best. The officials n
the hospital seemed TO take . special
interest in this case and every possible
thing was done for him that could be
done.
Mr.. Spencer remained cheerful and
hopeful TO the last. While he c0ntin-
ued to repeat that he did not think
that he was seriously i'll and that he
believed that the doctors were trying TO
brighten him, yet he would say this
with a smile, and we are inclined to
believe that by Monday morning NJ
least he appreciated his conditisn, al
though probably not fully, but that by
Monday afternoon he must have come
TO full appreciation Of his danger.
When we first arrived at the hospital,
Mr.. Spencer asked that We bring the
"Belding Banner" with US when we
came in the morning, and the next
morning we took with US to the hos
pital the issue OF May 9th. At his
request, the nurse read TO him there
from, but he insisted upon talking
about the various items and the people
mentioned In the paper. She would
caution him agailht this and he would
promise not TO talk II she would read to
him, but his interest In the home items
was too great and he could not refr ain
from commenting upon them, because
Of which the nurse had TO stop reading,
as it taxed his strength TO talk.
We were watching Mr.. Spencer
when one OF the nurses remarked:
This good fight that Mr.. Spencer IL
making tells only too well the kind Of
life that he has led" and IL was
agreed by the doctors that man Of less
regular habits could not have lasted
nearly as long. His smile and courage
and grit excited the admiration Of
everyone In attendance, and his NJ
titude alone kept up our hope long after
we were positively sure that he could
not live. Short a. the time was that
he was there, his personality gained
the friendship and the sympathy Of
the hospital officials, - well ~ those
more directly In attendance, and they