Thursday, November 26, 2009

A Thanksgiving Mystery

This is from my giant postcard collection. Click on the label at the end of this post to see some others that have made it onto my blog over the last 3 years.

The postmark on this card is from 1914 and has a One Cent stamp on it. It was addressed to Mrs. W. Goodwin in Columbus, Ohio. It was sent by her husband Walter, who wrote it on November 26:

My Darling Muriel,

Rec'd your card okay. Was more than glad to get it for old times sake.

Truely (sic) your husband Walter Goodwin.

It was postmarked in Columbus and sent to Coumbus. I wonder if this is what they did back then rather than just save the penny and hand the card to the other. Were the Goodwins living apart, on their way to divorce, or did he send it before he left for somewhere else? Did she know he couldn't spell? And if he was her husband, why did he have to add his last name to the card?

The card is so old and from the wear and tear on the right side, the blue border is all but rubbed away, I'm guessing this card was handled a lot by right-handed people. In anger? In joy? With turkey grease?

And one more question for the Goodwins; what's up with the Dutch?

Happy Thanksgiving.

14 comments:

  1. Suzy, the Goodwins live next door, they e-mail their e-cards now.
    wow, I did not know you collected old post cards.
    I use to own a flea market foe a while, I while rummage through some of the stuff that is laying around and if I find any you are welcome to them, will let you know.
    HAPPY THANKSGIVING

    ReplyDelete
  2. HAPPY THANKSGIVING Suzy :D

    Bisous

    Sylvie Madeleine

    ReplyDelete
  3. Making up other people's stories is fantastic entertainment.

    I'm going with divorce.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Evidently this was what folks did before CakeWrecks was invented. I'm banking on an affair here.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Definitely separated and they don't talk much. They still love each other and these little cards are a way they can express it and still maintain their appearances.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Maybe one of them was in jail?

    Happy Thanksgiving!

    ReplyDelete
  7. lol... happy turkey day, suzy... get stuffed yet? :O lol

    ReplyDelete
  8. I'm from Columbus, Ohio. (cue B-grade horror music)

    ReplyDelete
  9. That's fabulous. Great to try and imagine the story.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Anonymous11:17 AM

    well maybe that's why marriages lasted so long back then...couples lived in different towns. I think we should go back to that before my marriage needs saving.

    ReplyDelete
  11. I hope that you are sending post cards, and leaving them in random places so that someone else can add to their card collection.

    ReplyDelete
  12. I decided to really work the "screw Thanksgiving" routine and went straight to Xmas.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Just stopped by from Vodka Mom's to say hi.

    Love the postcard and the mystery around it's purpose. Thanks for sharing.

    jj

    ReplyDelete
  14. Anonymous8:02 AM

    He must of really loved her because I think a penny was worth, like, $50 back then.

    ReplyDelete