Mr. Arthur Young lived in Nyack, one of the five villages and hamlets (“The Nyacks”) that comprise a beautiful community of low-rise buildings on the hills above the west bank of the Hudson River in Rockland County, New York.
Nyack, once the site of indigenous fishing camps, became a center of boat-building, stone quarrying (for townhouses in New York city -fifteen miles downstream), and shoe manufacturing in the 19th century.
The Erie Railroad connected Nyack and Jersey City (to the south), where passengers would cross the Hudson on ferries to lower Manhattan.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nyack,_New_York
In December of 1913, Arthur received a Christmas postcard from his cousin, Alice.
Alice mailed the postcard from Philadelphia, the largest city and a center of business, transportation, commerce, and culture in Pennsylvania.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philadelphia
+ + + + + +
The face of the postcard displays an unrolled scroll on which is drawn a winter scene.
Three figures are walking on a rutted rural lane beside a stone house.
A weak sun, and the bare limbs of trees, identify the winter season.
Beside this view are drawn sprigs of evergreen tied with a red ribbon.
A printed legend in an antique script proclaims, “Christmas Greetings”.
The postcard was designed and printed in Germany for John Wanamaker – the founder of the famous department store in the center of Philadelphia.
+ + + + + +
On the reverse, Alice greets, “Dear Arthur”.
To her kind expression, “Wish you could be here for Christmas”, Alice adds a less kind phrase – “then I would have someone to tease.”
Nevertheless, Alice closes with an expression of goodwill, “Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.”
The message is signed, “Your Cousin, Alice”
Arthur saved the postcard in great condition throughout his life.
One hopes that he and Alice, and all their extended family, enjoyed a wonderful Christmas.
