The James Logan Courier

By Krislyn Perez, Courier Staff Writer

The Diary of Mattie Spencer by Sandra Dallas is an incredible story of hardship from the year 1865 to 1869. Mattie Spencer is not beautiful and considered plain and an old maid by the people of her small Iowa town. So when the most handsome man of Fort Madison, Iowa, Luke Spencer, asks Mattie to be his wife, everyone is surprised.

Everyone had expected him to be with the beautiful and delicate Persia Chalmers who he had always had some kind of relationship with. Luke proposed to Mattie with “You are a suitable cook and well made for work, and you’ll have plenty of that where we’re going. You are a strong-minded woman and not given to foolish ways. I’m glad you’re not the kind to attract men like bees around honey… I’m bound for Colorado and if you’re agree able, you may come, too.” As you can see, there was no mention of love in this proposal. No hint of any feeling.


Despite the lack of feeling in Luke’s proposal, Mattie accepts and not more than two weeks later the couple is off to Colorado. Compared to the beautiful Iowa, Colorado is horrible for Mattie. There is dirt and dust everywhere, the sun always beating down upon you, no trees around for shade. Mattie hates it, but tolerates it quietly for Luke. The Spencers make friends with the few families that live around them.

Luke often goes to town and leaves Mattie at the prairie home by herself. Mattie has many miscarriages and it saddens her quite much. She is often without Luke, for he spends so much time in town. Mattie is okay with Luke’s absences until she learns the truth of his trips to town, which has to do with Persia. The story of Mattie Spencer had me laughing and crying the whole time, but always wanting more.

It is definitely a book I could read over and over again.