The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-12-16
BY DR.. CATHERINE WYNEKOOP
Written exclusively for The Times and
other NEA Service newspapers.
(Copvright 1893 NEA Service Incl


other NEA Service newspap ers.
Copyright, 1888, NEA Service, Inc.)
NN the morning of Aug. 81,
" 1929, four carloads of family
and friends started for the quiet
town Of Sycamore, near Chicago.
For in the chapel of st. Adams
school there, which both my
brothers had attended, Rheta
Gardner was to become Mrs.
Earle Wynekoop.
When we reached the school, I
helped her change into the filmy
white dress which she had
brought from Indianapolis for
the occasion, then arranged the
folds of the white tulle bridal
veil which we had bought in Chi
cago that morning.
Clad in bright orange silk, I
walked ahead of her down the
morrow isle of the school chapel
to the altar rail, where the Rev.
Charles L. Street, headmaster,
waited with Earle. Ahead of me
walked Walkers little boy,
Walker Jr., carrying the ring.
Back in Chicago later that day,
we-the newlyweds, Rhetas par
ents, and our family-gathered at
the Midwest Athletic Club for a
bridal dinner, with the traditional
brides cake of many layers and
toasts of the bride and BRIDE
groom.
Next day, Earle and Rheta
started for our country place in
Michigan for their honeymoon.
During the two and one-half
months that followed, we did not
see the honeymooners.' But sell
dom a day passed that a letter or
postcard, with a Frankfort post
mark, did not arrive at the
gloomy old mansion" telling how
happy they were.
These letters and cards, curious
ly enough, seemed to give mother
the first cheer she had had since
dads death. She missed him ter
ribly, and Earle and Rhetas hap
pinesS seemed to give back part
of what death had taken from
her.
THEIR gay letters, she told
l. Mary and me, carried her
back to her honeymoon days.
We all enjoyed the good cheer
these missives brought, even our
roomer, Miss Enid HennesSey, a
great friend of mothers, who
had been a member of our house
hold, almost member of the
family, for about ten years. She
was teacher in John Marshall
high school.
Early in November, Earle
wrote that he and Rheta soon
would be seeing us. So mother
decided that as a welcome home
surprise she would fit up as
special suite for them the two
rooms on, the second floor which
she and dad always had-the two
best rooms in the house.
Vividly do I recall the scene
that took place in our Monroe
street house the evening before
Earle and Rheta were expected
home after their honeymoon at
Frankfort. Mother had put her
heart as well as her purse into
refurnishing the two special
rooms for the newlyweds. And
the results were lovely.
Especially did Mary and I ap-
prove of the bedroom, with its
twin beds, inlaid mahogany bu-
reau for Earle, and its dressing
table for Rheta.
Remember, girls!" mother
warned Mary and me, as we adj
mired the handsome furnishings,
these are Earle's and Rheta's
rooms, where they can come
when they want to be alone. We
never must bother them here"
Although she also told us that
it would be wisdom never to visit
these rooms without an invitation,
they didn't become any Chinese
wall, separating Earle and his
bride from the rest of the family.
On the contrary, they were all
over the house with the rest of us.
Mary and Rheta became great
pals. Both adored pretty clothes
and parties. And when Mary en-
tertained her friends at home,
Rheta and Earle always were in
the party.
Naturally, never got as close
to my new sister-in-law. BY the
time she entered our family, was
a sophomore at Rush Medical col
lege. Home. to me, then, simply
was that place where I slept and
ate Nevertheless, joined mother
and Mary in giving some parties
for Rheta, to introduce her to our
friends.
A true artist was Rheta. AS
soon as she had adjusted herself
to her new life, she started study
ing violin again. Her lessons, in
cidentally, were a present from
mother.
TINE following spring, she and
l. Earle returned to Frankfort.
This time Mary went with them.
Mother, however, stayed behind to
see me through my last quarter
at Rush. And when, that August
1880. I won my degree, she
bundled me off on boat trip to
Canada.
Back in Chicago, after my trip
to Canada, I took three months
interneship in aneSthesia at the
Presbyterian hospital. Then it was
time to take the Cook county ex-
animation.
Mary had been sent home from
the University of Michigan
(whence she had transferred from
Drake at the beginning of her
sophomore year, as ct. 3"
suspect. Having no special inter-
eStS of her own. she suddenly de-