Maline & Love
For Maline, and others living on rural Minnesota farms, marriage was a matter of both love and practicality. Having another person to tend the farm could be a real boon!
A writer told Maline’s brother Albert, "“Every thing is about the same as usual out here and a few is getting married. Dont you wish you had a partner, It would be better to be on a claim then I bet”
Many of the postcards sent to Maline invoke love or marriage. Some are mysterious, like the unsigned card all the way from Spokane, Washington. The postcard references “Ladies Privilege,” the tradition where women can propose to men, but only on Leap Day. If this is a hint, Maline would have had time to prepare. The card is postmarked January 1911, more than a year away from the next Leap Year.
Other writers were less subtle in their romantic advances.
Harry R. was particularly flirtatious in his messages. He calls Maline “Honey” and says: “heard you had another beau thats why I suppose you didnt write But you better come this summer we will have a good time” In another postcard, Harry tells Maline about some friends who are getting married. “What do you think about that?” he says.
Cousin Ansof jokingly warned Maline about romantic advances, writing in April 1910: “Has Louis been up to see you? he is in Dakota so keep watch for him. Ha! Ha!”
Lewis was certainly persistent. He wrote in 1911: “you had better com[e] out [to] harding county. And help me home stead”
Other romantic offers abound: Henry says, “Yes I am going out on a claim. Yes you better come.” Selvin writes, “I spose you think I have forgotten you but you bet not.” Another potential suitor invites Maline out and says “we certainly will spin around that is a sure thing”
Despite the frequent advances, none of the relationships in these postcards seem to have panned out. And without reading the responses from Maline, we can’t know how she rebuffed these men, or even if she rebuffed them at all.
The few surviving postcards from Maline are all to members of her family.