Miss Myrtle Caldwell lived in New Castle, the city and county seat of Lawrence County on the Shenango River in west-central Pennsylvania.
New Castle is 43 miles northwest of Pittsburgh -very close to the Ohio border.
During the early 20th century, New Castle was a very prosperous city with a thriving industry of tin-plating.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Castle,_Pennsylvania
In August of 1910. Myrtle received a postcard from Albert.
Albert mailed the postcard from another place in Pennsylvania.
(After a tiring and unsuccessful search of Post Office names in Lawrence County – I have suspended my research for the time being.)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawrence_County,_Pennsylvania
The face of the postcard displays a dramatic moment in a romance.
A suitor, on bended knee, opens his arms in a plea to a young woman.
The woman, wearing a long yellow gown, appears to be taken aback by the declaration or proposal.
The drawing is entitled, “Only You”.
On the reverse, we learn that Albert and Myrtle are well-known to one another.
Albert writes, “I am glad to hear you have got back to work”.
We do not know that infirmity Myrtle has suffered, but Albert expresses a “hope that you don’t have any more sick spells for a while.”
Attention then turns to Ethel, who has not replied to a card sent by Albert “some time ago”.
Tomorrow, Albert “may be down in New Castle a little while” and hints that “maybe I will see you”.
The tone of the message does not reflect the kind of ardor depicted on the face of the postcard; I am not convinced that Albert and Myrtle are romantically attached.
One hopes that Myrtle did not experience more episodes of illness, that Albert made the trip to New Castle, and that the friends met one another again.
GENEALOGICAL NOTE
Myrtle Agnes Caldwell (1891-1989) was born in New Castle to James Henry Caldwell (1861-1951) and Mary Elizabeth Catterson (1871-deceased).
James and Mary were married in Lawrence County in 1890.
Myrtle had no siblings.
Myrtle would have been 19 years old when she received the postcard from Albert.
In July of 1913, Myrtle married Robert Charles Miller (1890-1970).
Robert and Myrtle had no children; they lived in Lawrence County, PA throughout their marriage.
Despite the “sick spells” in her youth, Myrtle almost reached the age of 90 years.
She died in Lawrence County, but I have not found a record of her burial.
