When Postal History Just Becomes History

I've bought several large groups of covers with contents over the last 5 years. I'm kind of slow when it comes to completing sorting and classifying the covers, stamps, and cancels. Then sometimes you run into something that is just plain different and it will sidetrack me for a while. This is one of those covers.




The cover is a Scott 220 damaged top left corner but in otherwise decnt condition. Posted from Camden NJ in 1892. Although the cover is in good condition probably not on anyone's want list. I won't even show the back because it is even more boring. When I read the contents though my eyes almost popped out. It is from a young lady to her friend.

The letter starts out like most with gracious introductions used in the times. It then changes to asking if she remembers the "little african" from yesterday while waiting at your Aunt Ida's. She goes on that when her friend was visiting he made love to her and wanted her to leave with him and go get married.





She then runs off with him and then is remorseful. He doesn't take it very well either.

What I find remarkable about the letter is of the thousands I have read I don't remember talk of sex and certainly not interracial sex. One of the dark secrets after the civil war was that so many young men were killed and many more injured that women were terrified of becoming old maids.

I collect a lot of things. I collect some odd things (so says my wife). I have no clue what to do with this. I put it up on ebay last year when I first found it. Hardly anyone looked at it. What do you do with oddball stuff when you find it?
Bill

I've recently acquired a love letter from a woman whose husband just left on a business trip. VERY VERY personal. My observation? Inheritors - - when they auction off house contents ought to take a few hours and go through the parent's stuff. Some of these things should not be in the public domain.

There has been a lot of interest (and research published) these past few years about 'passing'; that is, the choice faced by light-skinned African-Americans to simply opt-out of living as the target of other peoples' disregard.

That makes me wonder just how 'white' the author & addressee really were <=== yes, I know how that sounds, but it serves.

While it is certainly possible that you have found evidence of a genuinely 'inter-racial' relationship, it may also be the case that the reason they parties involved were willing to get further involved is that they were not that far apart to begin with, eg, that one or more knew that one or more were passing.

Cheers,

/s/ ikeyPikey

Canada,

I'd say most inheritors don't care and want the most $$$ with the least amount of effort.

I don't know what I'd do with someone else's taboo like letter with cover as I've not come across anything like that yet.

-MV

Not so fast. In a previous age "made love to" did not necessarily mean "had sex with.' In fact, it almost certainly did not. It meant something more like "whispered sweet nothings to me" or "declared his affection for me." Not really innocent by the standards of the time, but certainly not an explicit reference to carnal activity.

Just how previous have you got in mind?

Asked about this, a 92-y/o woman just told me that 'make love' means 'under the covers', period, and insists that she would never have described hand-holding & whispering sweet nothings as 'made love'.

Okay, the OP's letter pre-dates her by thirty years, and language evolves, but can you give an example ...

Cheers,

/s/ ikeyPikey

A couple of links on the history of the expression:

http://www.alphadictionary.com/blog/?p=322

http://www.grammarphobia.com/blog/2...ng-love.html

In 1892 it probably was not being used in the way it is used today.

Ikey, see the above post.

With all due respect to your 92-year-old expert, I learned a thing or two about the history of the English language during my pursuit of a PhD in linguistics.

I've seen the same reference in an early film (probably 1940's/1950's). The meaning in the film appeared to be just 'kissing' and nothing beyond that..

Stephen

We forget that it was 1968 when Petula Clark casually placed her hand on Harry Belafonte's arm on national TV and outrage ensued, including calls for boycotts of the sponsors and the network. Interracial marriage laws were not removed from the books until the 60's.
Just a touch or a kiss from "the little african" was REALLY SOMETHING!

http://www.grammarphobia.com/blog/2...ng-love.html Very compelling evidence; I stand corrected.

I agree with all about the verbiage of "making love". She didn't actually say anything happened. It still makes me wonder though. Philadelphia was an epicenter for liberal thoughts and action. The underground railroad passed through and Quakers and most of the inhabitants were against slavery. Camden was the working district of Philadelphia and I can see mixing of the races happening here. I cracked up reading what he said to her. "But when you were really gone I began to feel very homesick and wept bitterly. He was very rough with me and told me and told me if I didn't stop, the salt in my tears would take the color out of my eyes and loosen the glue on my scalp if I was (illegible).
Anyway, I will probably file away and think about it another day.

I really enjoy deciphering the old letters. I have a series of three, stampless folded letters. They are from a young man to his older brother. they're about the health of their Mother and her subsequent death!

First letter informing the older brother, Mom is ill but doing OK. He may want to consider a trip home to lift her spirits. The second, she is not doing well. He really should come home to see her. The third starts with, "We no longer have a Mother"
It's very compelling stuff.