This postcard story has a Research Note about the life of the recipient.

Hugo Rohner lived in New Ulm, a city (and the county seat of Brown County) at the confluence of the Cottonwood and Minnesota Rivers in south-central Minnesota.

Founded by the German Land Company of Chicago in 1854, New Ulm attracted German immigrants.and maintains many German traditions to this day.

(Many years ago, I worked in the Twin Cities and had occasion to drive through the pretty town of New Ulm.)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Ulm,_Minnesota

In July of 1915, Hugo received a postcard from Tonie, who may be Hugo’s older brother, Anton.

(Hugo was 12 years old when he received the postcard.)

The postcard was mailed from Olivia, a town (and county seat of Renville County) about 53 miles northwest of New Ulm.

           +           +           +           +           +           +           +

The face of the postcard is a delightful sketch of a rushing stream beneath a steep hillside.

There is no sign of human habitation in this tree-shaded landscape where birds wheel overhead.

A very large squirrel sits atop a fallen tree trunk.

Beneath the drawing is a rhyming couplet:

“A thought seems such a little thing

But here the stream of deeds doth spring”

           +           +           +           +           +           +           +

On the reverse, Tonie announces his plans: “I will be home Saturday July 10”.

Hugo can expect Tonie “At New Ulm on the noon train.”

If the plans change, Tonie “will write again”.

Tonie closes by adding, “I think I will come alone”.

One hopes that Tonie accomplished his planned visit and that Hugo was waiting with a horse or buggy to meet him at the station.

RESEARCH NOTE

In May of 1903, Hugo Rohner was born in New Ulm, Minnesota.

He was the son of Frank Rohner (1870-1936) and Clara Manderfeld (1867-1946).

Frank and Clara had married in New Ulm in January of 1898.

Hugo had an older brother, Anton.

(I suspect that Anton may be the author of the postcard signed “Tonie”)

Hugo married Vera A. Hubbard (1903-1965) – the marriage record lacks a date,

The couple lived in Olivia, Minnesota.

In 1942, Vera and Hugo had a daughter, Karen.

Hugo died in St. Paul, Minnesota in 1977 – 12 years after Vera died.

He was 74 years old.

Hugo and Vera are buried in Olivia, MN.

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/177126390/hugo-rohner

The daughter of Hugo and Vera died in 2023.

Her obituary notes the previous deaths of her parents and of her Uncle Anton.