Miss Carolyn Worst lived in Gap, an unincorporated community in eastern Lancaster County of southeast Pennsylvania.
Gap was named for a pass through Mine Ridge, where nickel mines were operated in the Colonial Era.
Since the 19th century, the Pennsylvania Railroad has traversed this center of rich agricultural production about 16 miles east of the city of Lancaster.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gap,_Pennsylvania
On February 13, 1908, Carolyn received a Valentine postcard from Jesse Groff.
Jesse mailed the postcard from West Chester, a charming borough and college town – and the county seat of Chester County since 1786.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Chester,_Pennsylvania
The face of the postcard shows a boy in a sailor suit with short pants; he wears long, white stockings.
The rosy-cheeked boy is carrying a bouquet of giant-sized lily-of-the-valley – an enormous beetle is clinging to the bouquet.
We have seen other postcard images featuring over-sized plants or insects:
“A Dragonfly for Jennie”, “Gilded Bugs for Benjamin”, and “A Towering Blossom for Valentine’s Day”.
Beneath the drawing is an ornately-lettered legend, “To My Sweetheart”.
The postcard was published by the English firm of Raphael Tuck & Sons; this image is from the firm’s Valentine Post Card Series 10, and from the collection entitled, “Love Missives”.
The pretty image was “Printed in Saxony”.
On the reverse, Jesse has not made any inscription beyond his name.
This may be a Valentine exchanged between schoolchildren, as the Genealogical Note shows that Carolyn was 12 years old.
GENEALOGICAL NOTE
On June 6, 1896, Carolyn T. Worst was born in Chester County, PA.
She was the daughter of George Walker Worst (1870-1950) and Anna C. Hickman (1874-deceased).
Carolyn, also identified as Caroline, had one younger brother, Newton Kelso Worst (1899-1960).
In June of 1923, Carolyn married Heidler James Faulk (1895-1984) in Philadelphia, PA.
Heidler and Carolyn had no children.
In all the census records on which Carolyn is named, she as living in communities of Chester County or of neighboring Lancaster County.
Heidler, who was born in Strasburg, PA, died in 1984, aged 89 years.
He is buried in the Presbyterian Cemetery in Gap, PA.
Carolyn lived as a widow for five years.
She died in Lancaster, Pa in 1989, aged 94 years.
I assume that she is buried with her husband in Gap, but I have not yet located the burial confirmation.
