Sunday, January 26, 2014

Postcard Project: Odds & Ends, Part 2

All of these cards are undated and/or without send-to addresses. I've placed them in a semblance of chronological order based almost entirely upon guessing. As always, spelling and grammatical errors are copied verbatim from the cards.

No address. Name of addressee too
faint to read.

There is a limited amount of writing on the back of this card. It's in a foreign language. At first, I thought it might be German but it could also be something like Hungarian or Czech. I can actually read German fairly well, but none of the words on this card look familiar to me. The handwriting is extremely ornate.

Addressed to Grandma but doesn't appear to have been sent
in the mail.

"Dear [redacted]: I want to keep my promise and drop you a few lines besides I want to let you know that I got here allright everything is O.K. Like South Bend so far only if it..."

The sentence literally cuts off in the middle. It doesn't appear to have been sent in the mail (perhaps it was sent as part of a package or given to Grandma later in person). There's no signature. South Bend, Indiana isn't actually that far from where I grew up, but I suppose 30 miles or so was a great distance back in the 1930s.

Addressed to Great-Grandma & Grandma from one of Grandma's
brothers (same one who sent the cards in previous post).

"Dear Mother so sorry to hear you are not well. Just hope you will hurry and get well. Take good care of yourself. Love [redacted]."

Below that, addressed to Grandma:

"[redacted] If Mother would like [redacted] to come he can any time. Leave us know."

During the mid-1930s, my great-grandparents died about six months apart from one another, both unexpectedly (I think). My grandma was living in Virginia at the time her father died. My understanding is that she went home afterwards to look after her mother. This card must have been sent after my great-grandma fell ill. Based on the nature of what was said, I believe it was written by my great-uncle's wife, not by him.

No address or addressee.

The only thing on this card is what we can safely assume are these men's names:

"Herman Smith, Elmer Rardatzke, Herb Thompson, Bill Wood."

I don't know who any of these handsome gents are or if they might have been related to my family or perhaps were family friends. I love how they all have classic "old guy" names except for Bill.

Addressed to Grandma. Was likely sent as part of a letter as there
is a "2" written in the corner like it's the second page. The rest
of the letter is missing.

"I expect to get a spring boat real soon. I really do need so much a Girl sure does need much just to have to work for Clothes alone and that's where all the money goes. [redacted] do you want the words of some songs. Maybe you have got them my sisters Girls copies them from the Victrola. They are Oh Petreshka (In a little Spanish Town. Mary Lou) This is my Lucky Day. They play them so much in the Theaters. I love to see you right now and wonder how you look because you say you have changed did you reduce. I have gained a few pounds. Love and kisses, Tillie."

I don't know who Tillie was (probably a childhood friend of Grandma's) but I'm both appalled by and in awe of her stream-of-consciousness style of writing. I've never before heard of anybody asking someone if they've lost weight by asking "Did you reduce?". Also, I wonder what a spring boat was. Is she talking about an actual boat or something else?


2 comments:

  1. First off, Herman Smith was a looker, but I am most intrigued by Herb Thompson's hair. What is going on there?!?

    I feel like there was a spate of time when I read a lot of books, or did a lot of research set in a time when women and men were talking about reducing, instead of losing weight. I actually prefer the term, as it sounds so much delicately descriptive.

    I think Tillie could use some punctuation there. Speaking of old-fashioned names: Tillie!

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  2. Elmer is my favorite. I like his smile. I think Herb was going for that "wave" look that was popular back when (in the 20s or 30s I believe). I see it a lot in my old family photos, but mostly on women, not men.

    I wonder what Tillie was short for. Matilda, perhaps?

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