Miss Mabel Schutretter lived in Pottsville, a small city and county seat of Schuylkill County in east-central Pennsylvania.
Until the mid-20th century, Pottsville was a center of coal-mining and steel-making industries.
Coal was first discovered in Pottsville in 1790.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pottsville,_Pennsylvania
It is possible that Mabel was temporarily in Pottsville, as the postcard message includes the declaration, “we expect you home this week.”
I have several postcards addressed to Mabel; her last name is not spelled in the same way consistently.
Sometime around 1910, Mabel received an art postcard from her sister, Julia.
Because the postcard was not mailed, we cannot be certain about Julia’s place of residence.
The face of the postcard is a painted scene of swans enjoying a pond, within a park-like setting.
There is a preternatural stillness to the tableau; the statue of a poised beast, and the antique statuary in the distance, may have some allegorical significance.
No artist’s insignia or initials are apparent.
On the reverse, Julia reports, “Charlie is better but has not gone to work yet”.
If Mabel is not planning to come home this week, Julia directs, “if you are not coming let me know.”
Julia signs her missive as “Your loving sister”.
One hopes that Mabel was able to come home, that Charlie returned to work, and that the sisters remained affectionate correspondents for many years.
