Vintage Happy Valley: Discontended

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vintage postcard with two little girls and caption: Discontented.

While my modern sensibilities may question the charm of such vintage postcard finds (another from Liz‘s collection), I find them intriguing. The captions are sometimes weird and don’t seem to fit… like trying to make sense of poor translations on knock-off product packaging.

This one makes sense, I guess. The girls don’t look overly pleased with whatever is off-camera. But under what circumstance would someone choose to send this adorable (I assume, for the time) card with the sentiment of “DISCONTENTED” as a caption? A wife who discovers that her husband is having an affair, perhaps, and who does not have any acceptable recourse other than passively laying this card on her husband’s pillow?

No, nothing as puritanically juicy as that. I flipped the card over and was just confused.

The back side of the post card with writing and vintage stamp intact

“Dear little Blanch, I soon will be home to ride you up and down. I am having a fine time. With love to all – Elizabeth Conyell”

It’s addressed to Miss Blanch Conyell—clearly a young sister or niece. Which makes the potentially scandalous phrase “I soon will be home to ride you up and down” far less scandalous. In 1914, our correspondent must not have associated that phrase with anything indecent, which isn’t too surprising.

But I really want to know what Elizabeth was thinking when she decided to send this “Discontented” postcard to her young relative. Aren’t people supposed to attribute some personal meaning to the postcards, greeting cards, etc. that they elect to send? Am I just over-thinking it? If you have an opinion on this one, I’d love to hear it.

Otherwise, have a wonderful Friday the 13th! Try not to be discontented. Or do, if that’s how you roll.

About Dame Toadstool

From her humble Midwestern beginnings, Dame Toadstool has developed into a lady of fine taste (as long as you are flexible with the definition of "fine"). She enjoys sarcasm, knitting, subversive cross-stitching, and will never stop using the Oxford comma.
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One Response to Vintage Happy Valley: Discontended

  1. Kat says:

    I like how the girls just look confused.

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