Miss Janice Matlock resided in Westmont, an unincorporated community within Haddon Township – near the Delaware River in Camden County of south-west New Jersey.
This area is now entirely urban.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westmont,_New_Jersey
In February of 1915, Janice was celebrating a birthday.
In honor of the occasion, Grandpa Simmons presented a postcard greeting.
(The postcard was not mailed.)
Grandpa observed the rules of a careful correspondent – he notes that the postcard message was composed in Palmyra, NJ.
Palmyra, a borough in Burlington Township of west-central New Jersey.
Located near the Delaware River, Palmyra was originally the northernmost settlement of 17th century Swedish immigrants in the colony of “New Sweden”.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palmyra,_New_Jersey
This agricultural community began to change with the arrival of the Camden & Amboy Railroad in 1834.
Westmont is less than nine miles south of Palmyra.
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The face of the postcard is a drawing of a young woman in classical dress reading a note by a window.
Her hair is bound up upon her head, and her yellow sheath dress is gathered at the waist.
Beyond her, a river winds between low hills.
Beneath the scene, a printed message offers Joy:
“Of course, I wish you Birthday Joy / Oceans of it, too.
The reason – well I guess / because you are just you.”
The postcard was published by S. Bergman of New York.
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On the reverse, Grandpa greets, “My Dear Janice”.
He offers several lines of accumulated observation:
“Time reveals many wonders”
“Time teaches us experience and faith.”
“Love reveals our worth”
The message concludes with a good wish”
“Hope you will always enjoy Health, Wealth, and Happiness.”
We know that Janice preserved the birthday postcard in good condition throughout her life.
One hopes that she enjoyed a wonderful birthday and exchanged many more messages with Grandpa Simmons.
