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I'm not one to read other people's mail, but when I came across a bundle of letters at a flea market in Maine, I couldn't resist the mystery concealed inside the envelopes.
So I bought them and had quite a surprise when the writer described her summer vacation on the shores of Lake Champlain.
Chances are good that she and the recipient have passed on, so I feel comfortable sharing some of the writer's impressions of her summertime adventures at Eagle Camp, South Hero, Vt., "Out in the middle of Lake Champlain," June 18, 1918.
DANDY SUNSHINE
All the envelopes are addressed to Mr. Seth M. Kalberg, YMCA, Cambridge, Mass., Massachusetts Ave. and signed "Vi," some "Lovingly, Vi," or "Good night dear, Vi." The first one starts out "Dear Kal" and tells him she slept from 9:15 at night until six in the morning, then spent all day outside and has a "dandy color" from the sun. She tells him there are about 20 people at Eagle Camp, three of whom are males, two married and one with his mother.
"I don't know if I shall class him with the (train) conductor or not as I haven't even had a good look at him yet to see whether he is twenty or thirty. I won't care whether he is within the age limit or not if he will only take me out boating."
She continues with a description of the accommodations: "I have a nice tent all to myself with a cot, dresser, small table and two chairs and a lantern"¦ At night we open up the flies (tent flaps) so it is certainly airy. One of my neighbors told me to put everything over me that I could find to keep warm. I had two double gray blankets and two comforters but I put my heavy coat, raincoat and suit coat on top of that and was very comfortable."
Sounds like the kind of Adirondack summer nights we had this year!
The next letter, written the following day, says: "This morning it was quite cold, the thermometer registered forty-nine but the sun was shining dandy so three other girls and myself walked to South Hero, the village three miles away and back again. I didn't mind it until the last "long mile" but we certainly were warmed through before we came back. The village has about five houses, a few stores to get chewing gum, etc., but no souvenirs."
LOVE STORY
June 20, Vi tells Kal she wishes he were with her: "There are so many things we could do. Plattsburg is just five miles across the lake and I would love to do it (make the trip) in a row boat. There used to be lots of boats, motor boats, running around, but there aren't any more and I am afraid we might not be able to get in that AuSable Chasm trip and I shall be more than disappointed if I don't get that in for it is what I came up most for."
I still haven't figured out if Kal and Vi are sweethearts or married, especially when she talks about sizing up other men at the camp! But the last paragraph of the June 20 letter signs off with: "Well, Kal, I wish you were here to kiss me good night but if a letter is on its way so that I get it in the A.M. it will help a whole lot. Good night, dear, from Vi."
There are five more letters that I will glean from for future columns. For now, I'm lost in a love mystery about Kal and Vi and wonder how they lived their lives. One last thought: Please be kind to each other. The world needs more kindness.
Susan Tobias lives in Plattsburgh with her husband, Toby. She has been a Press-Republican newsroom employee since 1977. The Tobiases have six children, 18 grandchildren and one great-grandchild. They enjoy traveling to Maine and Colorado, and in her spare time, Susan loves to research local history and genealogy. Reach her by e-mail at: writertobias@gmail.com
