Saturday at 10 PM.

Dearest Ava Helen:

I love you very much, dear little wife. You are such a sweetheart. I'll be very glad when I come home to you.

Yesterday Joe Boyce met me at the station, and the ushers had luncheon with Ernest as guests of Don Cooksey, a bachelor physicist about 36 yrs old (head usher). Then we came out to Professor Charleton Cooksey's very large house (the Cooksey's are well-to-do), four of us being house guests. On hanging up my clothes I found that I had packed my summer trousers instead of the blue ones, the room having been dark and I in a hurry. So I had to 'phone John at Cambridge and ask him to mail the blue ones special delivery. They arrived all right this morning. I felt ashamed to have been so careless, since I usually adopt a superior attitude to anyone who does such a thing.

Then at 4 we gathered at the church and rehearsed. Molly seems to be very nice. Then we returned and dressed in dinner clothes, going at 7 to the Faculty Club, about 40 people forming the party - Ernest and Molly, Ernest's very nice brother John (his best man), an intern at the U. of Rochester hospital, the bridesmaids (mostly young Vassar girls) and ushers, some young friends, the brides father, mother, aunts, and Ernest's mother (his father having to stay in S. Dakota to give commencement addresses.) I talked to Mrs Lawrence, who is very nice and fond of her sons, and to Mrs Blumer too. Dr Blumer's said to be about the best American diagnostician. Molly has 3 sisters, ages 18, 15, and 13. The 18 yr. Old one was maid - of - honor, the 15 (who is very plump - the plumpness of puberty, I suppose) a bridesmaid. We had a nice dinner, I sitting next to Molly. Then after coffee we danced til 11 30, and then returned to the Cooksey's house (that is , we four men staying there did) and went to bed. At 830 this morning we had breakfast, and a young biochemist named Eaton and I visited the chem lab till noon. I talked quite a while with Harned, who sent his greetings to you. He is not too happy, saying that he always has to fight to get any money for physical chem. here. At noon Ernest gave a luncheon at the lawn club for the ushers, and gave us each a Scheaffer pencil, mine matching my pen! Then when I said that I had to go to town to buy a shirt (collars and ties having been given us) Ernest said, "Why I haven't got a shirt to wear with a collar"! So we bought him a shirt too - that is, he and I went to town and each got one. Then we dressed and went to the church. We had white carnations on our lapels. At 3 30 people started coming. The usher would say to each woman "Have you a card," if she didn't present one. If she had a card, with pew number, he gave her his arm, escorted her to seat, and returned for another. If not, he gave " " " " " " an unreserved pew " " " ". [he gave her his arm, escorted her to an unreserved pew, and returned for another] At 3 55 the bridesmaids (in yellow, with big bouquets), maid of honor (in green), and Molly arrived. At 4 we started in to the rather erratic tempo of this organists wedding march, keeping about 8 feet apart. (Before this two ushers had spread a white clothe down the aisle.) The ushers went 4 to each side of the alter, groom and best man came in from side, and so on. Formation was changed again, ushers going up on dais and everyone in procession too, but bridesmaids on steps. Then after the ceremony the procession went out, ushers escorting bridesmaids - I got the 15 yr old daughter. Then we introduced people to the receiving line at the reception. Then we danced, and then had a light wedding supper, and Molly and Ernest left. Then we 4 and Bernice and Bob came to the Cooksey's for dinner. I showed my family pictures, and said to Mrs " [Cooksey] "This is Linus at 5; he is 7 now, and Peter is 15 months now," and she said "And how old is she?" And I said "28" and she said "Oh, I didn't mean to ask how old your wife is; I thought that was your daughter." They have a granddaughter 3 years old.

You see I've had a full day. Two more days nearer the time I come to you. Tomorrow at 9 30 we start back to Cambridge. I love you and think of you very much, and I love Linus and Peter too.

Your own

Paddy

[diagram of wedding party procession, on right side of letter]