Lester Sends a Christmas Bluebird – Farr, Colorado (1918)

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.

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