Mr. A. Dunmire lived in Kittanning, a borough on the Allegheny River in Armstrong County of western Pennsylvania.
In the early 20th century, Kittanning had significant industry – mostly related to the iron and steel manufacturing facilities in Pittsburgh, 36 miles to the southwest.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kittanning,_Pennsylvania
In June of 1916, Mr. Dunmire received a romantic postcard from an unidentified friend or admirer.
The postcard was mailed from Murrysville, a municipality about 20 miles east of Pittsburgh.
In 1916, this area was dotted with wells for natural gas.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murrysville,_Pennsylvania
The community of Murrysville is about 34 miles south of Kittanning – we do not know how the sender was known to Mr. Dunmire.
On the face, the postcard bears a bucolic scene of a farmer who has fallen asleep in the meadow.
Our sleeping hero is attended by two lovely young women – one of whom is tickling him with a blade of wheat.
The viewer will have to construct the story: was the farmer taking a break when the women came upon him, was this a mid-day picnic during which the laborer became drowsy, perhaps the maidens helping to gather the cut grass on which the young man reclines.
In any event, the scene is titled: “Where ignorance is bliss, ‘tis foolish to wake.”
I am not sure how this legend is to be interpreted.
Surely, the young man would prefer to be awake for the visit of the girls.
The postcard was printed in the United States as war in Europe had dissolved the transatlantic postcard industry of previous years.
In the absence of any inscribed message by the sender, we are left to wonder about the intended meaning for Mr. Dunmire.
It seems that the recipient was pleased by the picture, as it was preserved in good condition throughout his life.
One hopes that he enjoyed romantic success in his waking hours.
