Goshen College - Maple Leaf Yearbook (Goshen, IN)

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16 GOSHEN COLLEGE RECORD. and son, Ralph, just home from college, were the members of the family. They were well-to-do but not pretending or showy but rather modest and sensible. 'Twas such an atmosphere as this that Rosetta had enjoyed at the Car- son home, several years ago. Her work seemed easy. And yet she always did it perfectly. Honest toil begets joy. It was this joy in Rosetta, that over- flowed into song. Mrs. Seaton was so motherly and good. And both father and son were kind and considerate. At meal time, Rosetta had her place at the table with the rest. On Sunday, she was taken to ehureh and shared part of the fam- ily 's pew. The work done, after supper, how Rosetta and Ralph would play the piano and sing together, or go strolling down among the palms, pepper and citrus trees. And how she was swept awey in admiration by the profusion ot' roses. How lovely it all seemed as they would go autoing on the smooth oiled roads. As time flew on, the two found each other more and more agreeable. Each felt a vague longing when alone. Neith- er knew or at least little realized they were treading on lated soil. The warn- ing songs of the mocking bird were passed unheeded. The suspicious ol' the Father and mother were not unfounded. One evening the son and servant girl sat on the portico, overlooking the orange groves fenced in with rose bushes, the long rows of Eucalyptus trees and the white sand road threading out across the valley, winding and ascending and finally loosing itself on the slope of the snow-capped mountain, far in the distance. A long pause had elapsed. Then Ralph hesitatingly spoke: Ro- setta, do you know it is almost a year since you came to our house? Almost a year! And yet it seems but a month. It seems but yesterday when you play- ed and sang for me the tirst time. The song you have sung l'or me so ol'ten since. The one you sing so ol'ten when at work, about nature, the birds and Howers, the silver clouds and tlod in His heavens. Uh! it. has rung in my ears ever since the lirst. time l heard it. And Rosetta. when the song is not in my ears, before my eyes in fancy, I see your lovely fare and whining smile. Then Rosetta, I admired you For the songs you sang, the smile you wore and for your simple beauty. .lint now my admiration is deeper than that. Ro- setta no longer do I admire you only for your song and your lovely lace. But I love you because of your beauti- ful soul. because of your kind words. your loving deeds and purity olf heart. I love you with all my soul. I love you with all my heart. A heart that would spend its last drop to assure you of joy, ot' eomfort and happiness. Ro- setia eau we not vouch our lives to each other till death. Deathl .Death and all its stings shall not separate us. You ean't say -f-. tlhl Why Ralph! Ral-I 'V--setta--Rosetta I You ean't say no. You 1-an't reject me. We eau live so happy together. Hut Ralph. l'm only a servant girl. What would your father say? What would the people say V7 lf'ather? lllother? People? The wroltl world? Tlmt makes no differ- ent-e to me. You won 't. need to be a servant girl then. Uliut Ralph, that's not all. I never

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GOSHEN COLLEGE RECORD. 15 Ah! Sure thing. Have one good time. Dance, drink, play cards, eat, sing! Ah 'Dobera' time, Roset-VVhat? You no like that?'7 Rosetta made no reply. She sat niutely and waited for her tatherls sentiment to spend itself. The thought of these crude weddings with shouts, loud sounds and bright colors made her sick at heart. No, she could never as- sent. Still, it was useless to dissuade. For this was the way all the foreigners celebrated the Hconjugal tic. The bigger the demonstration the greater the event and the louder the social. benedietion. Not only was it socially urgent. but traditionally Bimperative and even brooked somewhat of a reli- gious duty. The appointed time came. Prepara- tions were made. UEat and Drink in abundanee-enough to last all possi- ble guests from Saturday noon until Monday morning. Everybody had an open invitation. And everything was at high pitch all the time. .lt was now Sunday evening and the mad revel continued. Rosetta had gone to the home of her soon-to-be step-mother, for the religions part of the ceremony, merely out of respect. She had returned home and now sat at an upstairs win- dow. Not a sound was heard. Most everyone had gone over to the Wedding, for the last demonstrations. The sun had set and night was fast filling the vaulted East .The black beetles flew in at thc window and buzzed and bumped against the wall. The noise and loud shoutings were slowly dying down. The long row of houses was silhouetted in the foreground. Farther on were the double rows of coke ovens A thousand tongues of flame leaped up. The ever-forming cloud of smoke as- cended and melted away in the dis- tance. A rosy glow was retiected against the heavens. And there sat Rosetta at the window, meditating on a thousand thoughts. Once she fancied an angle flew across the sky. Then she thought of Mrs. Carson. A maze fell before her eyes. She was asleep. Wlieli she awakened the sounds of the revellers were only muffled murmurs. The weeding was over. The wife of Rosetta 's father came as the charge of the house. We dare not call her mother. For if drunkenness brutalizes a father, it untits a mother. Both hus- band and wife stepped themselve in the degrading life, so rife in mining towns. Rosetta was forced to do all the work. And yet her industry was little appreciated. She was reprimand- ed for everything she did. If she sang, she was noisy. lf she took a moment's leisure she was lazy. 'When she tidied herself. she was proud and extrava- grant. Her religion was heresy. Her meagre education an empty delusion. The weeks lengthened into months. Like a pent-up bird that frets and wor- ries awayg so Rosetta dwarfed in body and soul. Little wonder that Tony llarnello should awaken one morning to hear no response when he called for Rosetta.-She had left. From city to city she Went only stopping long enough at each place to earn passage to the next. At last she came to the land of golden sunshine. The flowers bloomed and the birds sang, perpetually for her. All nature SBGIII- ed atuned to her soul. Here she could live and be happy. With an honest heart and a willing hand she easily secured a place in the household of a well-to-do fruit packer. The paeker-Mr. Seaton with his Wife

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GOSHEN COLLEGE RECORD. 17 told yo11 before. I-111 not as good as sat sill-utly gazing out across the val- OIIIVI' girls. I'111 not E111 AIl1Lll'ICill1..- I1-y. After 11 long silouoc, Rzilph took 4'A111o1'ica111-? Vllllat do you lllhliill, Ii10Sl'll2l by the llillltl z1111.I spoke kinfllyz Rosvllu IN Ilosettal I 15111-0 not if you ure ser- HUI1 RaIpI1!14'o1'givo 1116. My falller 111111 girl or llilliilll. I wzuili you be- iflllll uiotlier uro l'0I'QIg1'1G1'S-IlilliilIIS.,I cause- of your willing hz111cI, your honest llz1lia11s. You E111 Iluliuu girl? Ill'2lI'l. your si111pl11 miufl zuul pure soul. 'Docs 111y 1I10llll'I' know this? Why I wzmi' you for y0lll' real XV01'I,ll, Witli 1Ii1l11'l. you toll us this I10fo1'11'? flioscltul your assent Rosvlla, I do llorehy be- RfJStll1l1?lI-AAIISXVUI' nic. lrollu- you ihu wife of Ralph Svaton. I orgiyo 1111: Hiillllll-LIOHII l1lz11111'. I As lu- spoke he placed a bflillllfiflll ring was afraicl to toll you IDCCEIIISC' yo11 -i111-11g11ge1111111l-11po11 Rosvttafs love- XVOUIIIIIII like' 1111: Zlllj' uioru. Aunl your ly wl1it.v li11ge1r. IIIOIIIUI' would cliscllzirgo 1110, Auil lllll 'l'l111i1' spirits, 11-joioiiig, rushed madly so luippy Il6'1'l'.y7 l0,Lft'llll'l'. A1111 as tzlwy moved to arise, 'lIllt'll with Iez11'f11l 1-yes auul hulf i11 ilu-rv stood .I'z11l1v1' and IIl0l1ll0I', each fi-air. Rosetta tohl lhe slory of lu-r life. wilh o11tst1'11tcl1111I ?lI'll1 i11 SOIPIHII wit- SI11- li11isl1ocI null with bowml lu-zul, 111111 silcut bciiomliotioii. , A 4 , - .VA A 1 W xy, 3011? 3 .b . Y 0 'I 5 ' . I wil