Well done if done well if well done
West Point Indiana
July 30 1908
Hello Floyd,
Ossie is going Sun instead of Ruthy. Ruth is going to have court & (any?) and can't go. She is just sick about it. Hope everything will be so we can go. Hot as can be today.
-Ethel
Mr. Floyd A Martin
Shadeland
Indiana
This one was pretty hard for me to read. It kind of looks like it was written quickly and I'm honestly not sure about that second sentence.
But here's the thing... if that second sentence does say that Ruthy has court, the choice is postcard is actually pretty ironic. Take a close look at the man behind the guy tipping his hat to the pretty lady.
Suspicious mustache? Check. Shady hat? Check? Convenient alley? Check.
When I first picked this one up I didn't notice the crime in the background. Which honestly makes this really funny to me. The saying on the postcard is: "What's worth doing at all, is worth doing well." I thought it was some sort of saucy saying about the man and the woman. But noticing the pickpocket, I have so many questions.
Is the phrase referring to the man being courteous to the woman? Is it the woman noticing the pickpocket but being impressed with the man's courtesy? Or is she impressed with the pickpocket? Is the saying about the pickpocket doing a good job?
I have so many questions just about that front that I haven't even gotten to the back yet.
So here are my questions about the back: Is that word court? Is this intended ironically because Ruthy has to go deal with the legal system in court? Did the sender just pick a postcard to dash a message off to Floyd without realizing what they had chosen? Is it not ironic at all and the message is something completely different but illegible?
Since the postcard is from 1908, I doubt I'll be able to find either individual in question to ask. But it's fun to consider. I hope everything turned out ok for Ruthy.
ETA: One sharp eyed reader has solved the mystery! The sentence I couldn't figure out is: "Ruth is going to have company and can’t go". COMPANY, not court. Whomp whomp. Anyways, the postcard is still a delight and hopefully the company Ruthy had was also lovely. Bless you, reader! <3
