Transcribed by Michael A. O’Neill in Mar/Apr 2014
Transcribers note: This is a transcription of Mabel’s book, not an upload of the original of the document she created. It was transcribed using Dragon Naturally Speaking voice recognition software, which will result in capitalization errors; misspellings of proper names; odd usage of prepositions or common words; and incorrect homophones. For true fidelity, you can request the book via Interlibrary Loan from the Greenville College or Azusa Pacific University libraries.
It was while I lived at the Carlton Hotel, just north of the Jonathan Club at Sixth and Figueroa Streets, that I first met Darcy Cage. It was a small hotel and many of the guests were living there permanently. The hostess there arrange some bridge games, so it was at a bridge table but I was introduced to Darcy. His office was about a block from the hotel. He was living at the hotel whenever he was not away on a business trip.
At that time, he and his partner, Mr. Groth, were operating the Groth Cage Company. Mr. Groth owned patents on a metal fireplace unit and ran the office. Darcy was sales manager. When Darcy was in town, I would sometimes see him at bridge or he would take me out to dinner. Our friendship was casual for three years and I enjoyed being with him, but it was no fast romance. The depression became worse. There was little building and little business for the Groth Cage Company. My parents had returned to California and were living in Hermon, a suburb of Los Angeles. Mother didn’t really approve of Darcy. That was her attitude toward any man that began to show any interest in me. She said, “if he doesn’t have any money by now, he never will.” Also she couldn’t stand the thought of my marrying a divorced man. His wife had been married to someone else for four years before I ever met him.
In the spring of 1931 Darcy and I decided that we would be happier together. He planned a business trip up the California coast. “What I like to marry him and go with him?” I couldn’t be married before school was out in June. My parents had plans to attend a conference on the East Coast in June. I asked my mother, “would it make any difference in your plans if you knew that I would be married in June?” She answered, “not in the least!” She went out the room and slammed the door. That’s settled. I would be married. My parents went east. I finish the school term.
Florence, my sister-in-law, urged me to have a wedding. My friend, Miss Vandeusen, offered me their beautiful enclosed garden for the wedding. We were married 26 June, 1931 by Bishop Robert Warren, a friend of my father. It was a lovely summer evening. Both my brothers, and their families were there and about thirty guests. A whole new phase of my life began.
That was my first trip up the Redwood Highway. It hurt that my parents were not with me at my wedding, but I felt I had to take charge of my own life. We were back in Los Angeles and rented a flat by September. I was teaching again at Belmont. Darcy’s younger daughter, Lavon, sixteen years old, lived with us for two years. We put her in high school or I was teaching. We got along remarkably well. I doubt if I could have done as well with the younger child, but I was used to working with teenagers, and Lavon was very cooperative. At the end of two years she married Leo Watson and left us. Although it was in depression times he always had a job at our company.