Miss Bertha Boyd lived in Farr, a community in Huerfano County of south-central Colorado.
Farr, Colorado had a post office from 1907-1946, but the place no longer appears on maps.
In December of 1918, Bertha received a Christmas postcard from Lester Motley.
Lester mailed the postcard from San Francisco; we learn from his message that he was there temporarily.
The face of the postcard is an illustration of three bluebirds swirling amid a winter scene.
In the distance is a snow-covered chalet.
Beneath the drawing is a verse:
“I wish you a Merry Christmas,
And I mean it, every word,
That’s why I send the message
In care of this little bird”
On the reverse, Lester writes, “here’s wishing you a merry Xmas and a happy new year”.
Lester adds, “I am in Frisco now, sail today for Manila P.I.
The US occupation of the Philippine Islands began after the Spanish-American War, and the transition to becoming a US possession was fraught with conflict.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Americans_in_the_Philippines
Suppression of the Philippine Independence movement by US troops was a brutal and hypocritical affair.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippine%E2%80%93American_War
Lester does not give any indication that he was enlisted in a military operation, so he may have been employed in a business venture or a part of one of the many scientific surveys that were made in the early 20th Century.
One hopes that Bertha and Lester enjoyed a peaceful Christmas in 1918.
