illinois - When My Tan Wears Out

Postcard #015: Mister Moon Watches Over a Budding Romance

A hand-colored photo postcard depicting a couple from behind, walking arm-in-arm on a dirt path towards a body of water with a town on the far bank, under a dark sky with a large, yellow smiling full moon; text at the bottom reads — Front — A hand-colored photo postcard depicts a couple strolling under a smiling moon with a romantic song lyric.

Postcard Metadata

Postmarked: Colmar, Illinois — March 1908
Sent From: Colmar, Illinois
Sent To: Miss Pearl B. Carthage Illinois
Distance Traveled: ~12 miles
Postage: U.S. Postage One Cent (green George Washington stamp)
Card Details: Divided Back, Photo Postcard, “Illustrated Song Serie No. 142B”, Printed in Germany, Photo only copyrighted 1907 by De Witt C. Wheeler, Lyrics by permission of The York Music Co., New York City.

The back of a postcard with handwritten cursive message on the left side and the address — Back — Correspondence from Harvey Sights to Miss Pearl B.

Transcription

Dear Pearl, How is it you never write to me any more? How are you getting along? I hope you are all well & getting along fine. We are all well. Mr. Sights is with us for a few days. He said to tell you he thinks you are pretty swell. I can tell you he is not a bad fellow in fact I think he is all right. I have just come over to see what kind of a good time you are having. I guess you are having a good time. Tell me what you are doing & how you are getting along. Tell me if you are looking for a young fellow who has a good time for you. What do you think of this, tell me how you think of this. Write to me as soon as you can. Your friend, Harvey Sights.

Historical & Family Notes

This postcard, sent in March 1908, offers a charming glimpse into the early courtship of Pearl Byers and Harvey Sights. The front features a romantic scene of a couple strolling under a smiling moon, accompanied by popular song lyrics of the era, “Everytime you go a strolling / With your lady love, / Mister moon is watching from above.” This sentimental imagery perfectly complements Harvey’s flirtatious message, highlighting the romantic ideals of the time.

Harvey’s message, though a bit playfully convoluted with the reference to “Mr. Sights is with us,” clearly conveys his personal admiration for Pearl. He pointedly asks, “Tell me if you are looking for a young fellow who has a good time for you. What do you think of this, tell me how you think of this,” indicating a direct and earnest pursuit of her affections. Such candid yet sweet overtures were a hallmark of early 20th-century communication, laying the groundwork for many lasting relationships.

This missive from Colmar to Carthage, a short distance across rural Illinois, marks a tender moment in Pearl and Harvey’s romantic journey. It underscores the importance of even small exchanges in fostering deep connections, foreshadowing their eventual marriage and the beginning of their family, including their daughter, Marnelle. The postcard serves as a beautiful testament to the blossoming love between them.

Postcard #012: Martha Asks Pearle About Getting Married Amidst Calf Branding Scene

Front — A vintage hand-tinted postcard showing cowboys branding calves in a rustic corral with mountains in the background.

Postcard Metadata

Postmarked: Chinook, Montana — August 26, 1910
Sent From: Chinook, Montana
Sent To: Miss Pearle Byers, Carthage, Hancock Co., Ill.
Distance Traveled: Approximately 1,350 miles
Postage: One Cent U.S. Postage, Benjamin Franklin stamp (green)
Card Details: Divided Back, Printed in Germany. Photo Copyright by Chas. E. Morris.

The back of an old postcard with a handwritten message in cursive ink from 'Martha' to 'Miss Pearle Byers' in Carthage, Illinois. The message discusses news, marriage, and friendly chiding. A green one-cent Benjamin Franklin U.S. postage stamp is affixed in the upper right corner, partially obscured by a round postmark from Chinook, Montana, dated August 26, 1910. The card is a divided back postcard with 'POST CARD' printed at the top. — Back — Correspondence from Martha to Miss Pearle Byers

Transcription

Dear Kid. well I like that you tell me to write when I’ve written you long ago. Just get busy now and drop me a line. Am very busy just now as I have the debumaker here. Weather just like summer here. I got your card some time ago. How are the boys? So your going to get married? Well I hope to get an invitation. will do likewise well I hadnt be good to your self. If I don’t hear from you soon will write. Loving by Martha.

Historical & Family Notes

This postcard offers a glimpse into Pearle Byers’ life before her marriage to Harvey Sights, hinting at the social expectations and personal developments of the era. Martha’s lighthearted yet direct inquiry about Pearle “getting married” suggests that Pearle was of marrying age and that such news might have been anticipated or rumored within their social circle, setting a significant context for her eventual union.

The message from Chinook, Montana, contrasts sharply with the rustic ranching scene on the card’s front, demonstrating the widespread use of postcards for maintaining distant friendships across vast American landscapes. While the card doesn’t mention Harvey directly, it frames Pearle’s life at a pivotal time when discussions of marriage would have been common, providing a subtle precursor to her future with Harvey.

The sender, Martha, playfully chides Pearle for not writing back sooner, indicating a close, informal relationship. Her closing remarks, “well I hadnt be good to your self. If I don’t hear from you soon will write,” reinforce the bond and the casual but consistent nature of their correspondence, a testament to the role postcards played in connecting people across vast distances in the early 20th century.