Mrs. Wilmer Kershner (Viola) lived in Bird-in-Hand, one of the colorfully-named communities in Lancaster County of southeast Pennsylvania.

Once the site of Shawnee and Susquehannock villages, this census-designated place is now the center of agricultural production and tourism activity.

The first European settlers in this area were English Quakers and Swiss Mennonites, and many Amish and Mennonites continue to farm here.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bird-in-Hand,_Pennsylvania

In October of 1911, Viola received a postcard from Mrs. McCorkle.

The postcard was mailed from Lancaster, the charming and historic city less than 7 miles west of Bird-in-Hand.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lancaster,_Pennsylvania

The Old Philadelphia Pike and the Pennsylvania Railroad connected the communities in 1911.

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The face of the postcard is illustrated in two sections.

At the top, a lovely drawing of a country lane on which rain is falling.

The path winds through an open gate, under a spreading tree, across a stream, and toward distant structures.

Below the artwork, a message is printed on a white background and surrounded by purple violets.

The printed lines are a blessing: “Happy Hours Be Thine”.

Portions of the design are embossed; the postcard is from the “Landscape Series”.

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On the reverse, Mrs. McCorkle greets, “Dear Viola”.

Viola is asked, “Will you bring me some kind of a skirt pattern when you come…”

The request suggests that Viola and Mrs. McCorkle met regularly – and the message is signed, “As ever”.

One hopes that Viola was able to provide a suitable pattern, that Mrs. McCorkle enjoyed the new skirt, and that the friends exchanged many more postcard messages.