| Show GIRL DOOMED TO TRAGIC FATE WON IN SWIFT COURTSHIP BY SON OF DR ALICE Welcome Given Civen Rheta as She Arrived With Earle at Family Home By DR CATHERINE Copyright 1933 for The Telegram CHAPTER FIVE Father was very anxious for his sons to study medicine At first he maintained that the profession was too hard for his little girl but I observed observed ob oh- served that he took great pride in leading leadin his patients back to the laboratory laboratory lab lab- oratory where I was doing some special special special cial medical work Walker was not the least Ir Interested Interest ed cd in the profession Earle showed mild interest because because because-as as he later admitted ad ad- he he thought he should be a doctor for dads dad's sake So it was that Earle and I enrolled at Lewis institute for part of our college college college col col- col- col lege work Here we were known as the twins Classified as premedIcal students our fates seemed sealed With the first assignment in biology I 11 was overcome by the new and limitless glossary I took my book into mothers mother's room where she lay on a sick bed and patiently patiently pa pa- explained each new term the meaning of which I carefully wrote in in above the strange word Task Seemed Gigantic Gig At this time It seemed to me that I had started to climb an Insurmountable able mountain In undertaking the study of medicine I If I could laugh now I suppose I would were I to tor r read ad that book with the simple terms so carefully explained in n a cramped handwriting The days passed on as we slowly acquired acquired acquired ac ac- ac- ac the background necessary for forthe forthe forthe the study of the various aches and pains and their causes Among mothers mother's many achievementS achievements achieve achieve- ments is a reading and speaking knowledge of French and German I Imagine Imagine magine sh she could talk Latin if she wanted to When Earle and I were struggling along with scientific German German Ger Ger- man mother registered for the same class under her maiden name Knew Her Ber German One day the boy sitting next to me said Boy BoyI That Miss Lindsay certainly certainly thinly does know her German For Fora a long time no one but the instructor guessed the relationship between Miss Lindsay Lindsa- and the twins And then one morning just before class was called to order I said Oh Mother what did you say this this' word meant And there was no class that day The years rolled on Walker on-Walker Walker was the he father of a baby boy Earle and andI I 1 were in medical school and Mary I Louise was vas a freshman at Drake InDes in inDes Des Moines Flu FIll Sweeps City In December 1928 there was wa an epidemic of Influenza Both Earle and I were ill m in bed Fath Father r was out making calls during the days and half the nights Mother had broken a toe and take ake care of ot the messages for father fa fa- fa ther there Mary Louise was the little ray of sunshine about the house and the housekeeper kept kepf things running Death Takes Father Father came out to brew the coffee no no one could make it quite the way he 10 did Between innumerable cups of coffee resolutions for the new year were drawn up and made public and then we were off to bed Soon after 5 o'clock the next mornIng morn morn- Jig Ing mother ran into my room and into that of ot my sisters sister's calling us to come quickly that quickly that father lather was very sick Shaking so that we wes scarcely could I walk we went vent to fathers father's room where he didn't even recognize us At 6 a. a m. m the doctor called in was leavI leav- leav I i j 7 I I t 4 r S 4 il 4 S S S S S 4 y V S. S 4 U t L 5 5 c 4 t i iI I Ti S S tS jO e S 'S c uri K j 5 7 P I Life was Joyous for Earle and Rheta when the tho above picture was taken That was I before tragedy swooped and Rheta died by a slayers slayer's hand and Earle was held eld as ac accessory ry in the killing ing the house as he could do nothing more So dawned a new day in 10 our house Responsibility Is Heavy The responsibilities that previously previous previous- ly had been shared now rested heavily heavily heave i ily upon mothers mother's shoulders Problems Problems lems came thick and fast last I In the midst of a saddened household household house house- hold romance was lurking It had its beginning in December 1929 when Earle drove mother and me to Indianapolis to attend a musical musical musi cal party being given by the Nu Sigma Phi medical sorority to which we be be- longed Rheta played the violin at the party Her cute way of playing together with her bright red hair her pretty animated face and her petite form instantly instantly in in- captivated my brother Find out who she is he begged mother I want to meet her Mother lother Aids Cupid Mother always Cupids Cupid's great cooperator cooperator coop- coop found out Also she found someone who would Introduce him That was the last we saw of Earle that evening But next morning on the drive back to Chicago he told us that he had escorted Rheta home One August morning in 1929 he became became became be be- came more confidential We were having breakfast when the postman brought a letter from Rheta And mother noting the worry lines that appeared on Earles Earle's forehead as he finished reading it inquired Earle the matter Is she giving you the gate Mary piped up up We laughed at that for it was well I known in the family that the way to Rheta's heart was over no boulevard She was a pretty talented girl and as such had plenty of admirers She says Earle said that if I dont don't get to Indianapolis the next time I write Im I'm coming I I-I I I needn't ever come Earle Presses Suit Mother nodded full of sympathy Well she knew that the reason Earle had failed to keep some of ot his long distance dates with Rheta was because because because be be- cause of ot her own business affairs He was acting as her agent in settling dads dad's affairs I think Earle said mother at last las better go down and see Rheta Otherwise you may lose out put with her So shortly after dawn the followIng following follow follow- ing morning he set off in his car for Indianapolis A couple of days later he long-distance long telephoned mother Can I bring Rheta l home with me tomorrow he asked Certainly mother answered surprised surprised sur that he should make such a request for she always alwa's had encouraged encouraged aged us to bring home our friends Then she added You can con that is if it ither her parents consent Get Consent to Wed Next morning they arrived and the first thing they told us was that they were going to be married But their glowing faces as they stepped out of Earles Earle's car had revealed that fact Earle wanted to be bo married at once And Rheta to whom life at home thome h hatnot hadnot hat had d not been the same same since her mothers mother's death was enthusiastically acquiescent cent But mother demurred She insisted insist insist- ed that the lovers talk it over first firs with Rheta's father and stepmother Burdine H. H Gardner Rheta's father when reached over the telephone readily consented to their marriage and said he and his wife would start star for tor Chicago at once So the wedding was set for the following day Next D Days ys of shadow come Mary lary Louise follows adopted father father fa ta fa- fa ther to grave Tra Tragedies pile pUe up Family hit by financial troubles A Century of Progress Earle and Rheta's married life and life and Rheta's death |
