Sent: Sunday, June 02, 2002 4:49 AM
Subject: Fwd: May 31,1935 Big Day
Hi Danielle & Hannes,
As you (and Dorothy) prepare for your wedding, I thought you might enjoy these memories of Susan's former pastor from India--as he remembers his wedding 67 years ago. I know the two of you could accept the same accommodations--but am confident you'll have better today. Love. roger
Arthur Sanford <arthalie@webtv.net> wrote:
From: arthalie@webtv.net (Arthur Sanford) Date: Fri, 31 May 2002 23:42:31 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: May 31,1935 Big Day
and started a BIG weekend which I will share with you all this week end but start with a big morning. had three final exams to do that morning as A senior in Northwestern Bible School in Minneapolis. then about 11:30 there was published the list of graduates for the year and my name was there so I would get my diploma at 8 p.m. and we could go ahead with our plans for the future. Then had lunch with my mother who had come to Minneapolis for Nathalie's and my wedding and to see her son graduate. well then came the need to make arrangements for our first night as husband and wife So took my mother along as I went to the Minnehaha Park Motel place to reserve a motel for the night. well that was a mistake which will be seen later. then the afternoon was filled with packing my things in my room at the dormitory and just being with Mom, and then the rehearsal for the walk at grad time. our plans for
the wedding had all been made--Northwestern at that time had a rule that if a senior got married before he/she got the diploma he/she did not get the diploma. Dr Moyer who was our pastor for the wedding said he wished he could change it and have the wedding in the afternoon but his hands were tied so the wedding had to come AFTER the graduation. and since he was leaving town at 4 am the next day it was that night or not have him So it was set for 11 p.m we were married in the home where Nathalie had been working for some time - The Carpenter home in Mpls Mr Carpenter was very helpful and we hid our car in another place from which he took us to the wedding and then afterward took us back there. the wedding: beautiful. we stood i front of their fireplace which had been decorated with lilacs from their own bushes -- gorgeous--and the lilac has been our special flower ever since--one little slip: Mrs carpenter had bought special candles for the table on which the wedding cake was ready and when she started to light them found they were made of wood and therefore we had no candle light but who cared we had the Light of the world in our Life. then was time for us to go to our
p 2
motel-- we went to where our car was and then discovered I had left the car keys on the table in Nathalie's room--so we waited while he went back for them. and we went to our motel---cost us 3 dollars for the night. little one room buildings each about 10 by 12 feet inside measurement, we found it and well: motels then were far from what you would get at Holiday Inn today. regular size bed, was clean, one light hanging from the ceiling, in the center of the room, with the switch on the bulb holder about a foot above one's head. there was a little stand on which was a wash basin with a small bucket of water and a dipper and over the stand a mirror fastened to the wall--one towel hung on a wire near that and under the basin was bucket for the wash water to be dumped after using it. there was a "two holer outhouse" --one for each five buildings. a wire was stretched from one wall to the other on which we could hang our clothes -no hangers so just drape them over the wire. but it was our night to begin our life so why worry about such things we were starting out with each other and for the Lord. well we had finally gotten settled into bed with the light out when two cars drove
up with horns honking--yes my mother had told them where to find us -and then those in them began banging on the sides of the building and finally decided to do up things right and found a piece of wire and tied the garbage can to the door knob but ran the wire through the screen door and left about 6 inches slack. finally having done their thing they left and next morning when I tried ot open the door it came about 6 inches and that was it. the garbage can was tight against the screen door. now what to do? fortunately for us the wire was old
and I pulled on the door and broke the wire and we go out and went for breakfast that is another day so "night" for now..
with Love the newly wed 67 years ago now--it is past 11 p.m.
6/2/2002