While most of the United States is wilting under a July Heat Dome, I am posting only cooling scenes.
We met Miss Odessa Mendanhall in an earlier postcard story; Odessa collected and preserved a large number of postcards.
Odessa lived in Berkeley Springs, the resort town that grew up around springs in the eastern panhandle of West Virginia.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berkeley_Springs,_West_Virginia
Sometime around 1910, Odessa received a postcard from Louise.
Louise was traveling, and she sent a postcard photograph of Sylvan Lake.
Sylvan Lake is located in the Black Hills of southwestern South Dakota.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sylvan_Lake_(South_Dakota)
It is now annexed to Custer State Park.
There is still a lodge at the site, but I cannot find evidence that it is the one in the 1910 photograph.
The postcard photograph was published by “Bloom Brothers, Importers” of Minneapolis and Leipzig; it was made in Germany.
On the reverse, Louise thanks Odessa for her recent card, and acknowledges that she will not recognize B. S. when she “comes back”.
It may be that B. S. is a rapidly-growing child; it appears that Louise has been absent for some time.
Louise promises to “look in on the old town” -suggesting that she once lived or spent time in Berkeley Springs in the past.
Although addressed and stamped, the postcard was not mailed.
Perhaps Louise returned to Berkeley Springs as soon as her vacation had ended and she presented the postcard to Odessa.
One hopes that Odessa was pleased and refreshed by the placid view of the hill-bordered lake.
