Parcel Post Packages Sold at White Elephant Sale

19-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:

Saturday, April 18, 1914: Went to a social this evening up at town. Parcel post packages were sold at an auction. I bought a package, which, when unwrapped disclosed a handkerchief. That wasn’t a misfit, but there were some that were more. Who ever heard of a man wearing a sun bonnet or an apron? Well that’s what some of them got.

Source: Milton Evening Standard (April 28, 1914)

Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:

Wow, occasionally I just tingle, when a post pulls together like this one did. I never would have guessed that I’d find a newspaper story about this diary entry—

Several weeks ago, I was browsing through old Milton Evening Standard microfilms at the library looking for interesting stories and advertisements that I could use on days when Grandma didn’t write much—and suddenly this column jumped out at me. Grandma attended the party described in the paper!

Parcel post in the US began in 1913—and apparently it was such a cool thing that people had fundraisers with White Elephant sales—but with a twist. Instead of bringing the wrapped items to the party, they mailed them via parcel post.

Two days before this entry, Grandma mailed several packages that apparently were sold at the party:

Went up to town this afternoon to mail some parcel post packages. Oh dear me, and it cost eleven cents . . .

April 16, 1914

1914 Underwood Deviled Ham Advertisement

19-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:

Friday, April 17, 1914: Nothing much doing today.

Source: Ladies Home Journal (April, 1914)

Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:

Since Grandma didn’t write much a hundred years ago today, I’ll share a hundred-year-old advertisement for Underwood Deviled Ham.

According to Wikipedia, the William Underwood Company first made deviled ham in 1868.

The devil logo was trademarked in 1870 and it is the oldest food trademark still in use in the United States. The red devil that debuted in 1895 and started as a demonic figure who evolved into a much friendlier version when compared to the original.

Sometimes I’m amazed which foods have lasted for more than a hundred years.

Mailed Some Packages

19-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:

Wednesday, April 16, 1914: Went up to town this afternoon to mail some parcel post packages. Oh dear me, and it cost eleven cents. Called on a friend and quite a sociable chat. Went to a lecture this evening in Watsontown.

Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:

Seriously Grandma. . . You’re annoyed that it costs 11¢ to mail a package? . . .

Hmmm. . Now that I’m re-reading your diary entry, I almost think that you mailed several packages for 11¢. . . sound like a bargain to me.

—

A hundred years ago parcel post was the cool new thing. According to Wikipedia parcel post begin in the US in 1913.

You may also enjoy several previous posts that I did on parcel post:

Parcel Post Began in 1913

Getting Eggs and Butter in the Mail

Backyard Fences a Hundred Years Ago

19-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:

Wednesday, April 15, 1914: Nothing much doing today.

The picture above shows the simplest variation of an old fence. The boxed in posts are finished with a square board with a ball placed on top of each one for decoration.

Ladies Home Journal (March, 1914)

Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:

Now that spring is here, I’m taking stock of my yard. It needs work. . . a fence might be nice.

Since Grandma didn’t write much a hundred years ago today, I’ll share some backyard fencing suggestions from the March, 1914 issue of Ladies Home Journal.

This is a good fence if the view beyond is particularly pleasing. and does not, therefore, need to be shut off.

In the fence above the monotony is broken by connecting two fence posts with a trellis on which a pretty hardy shrub can be trained.

Some of us possess yards in which plants will not grow. The fence above is a happy solution. Gay boxes of flowers are placed between the posts and ivy or other vines on top.

Tiny Hat with Wired Frill

19-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:

Tuesday, April 14, 1914: Was housekeeper today. Mother and Ruthie went on a shopping tour. Oh my, they did bring the things home. Ruth got a hat of the latest creation, trimmed and bowed for the family’s spectations.

Source: Ladies Home Journal (March, 1913)

Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:

Maybe Ruth’s hat had a “wired frill”

. . . Interesting that Grandma’s sister Ruth bought a new hat after Easter. Easter, 1914 was two days prior to this entry. Maybe the hat was on sale.

—

Spectations?? Is this another archaic word?

Broke a “Relic”

19-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:

Monday, April 13, 1914: Blue Monday. Yes it was. I broke one of Ma’s relics, and things got bluer yet. Made me feel real miserable.

Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:

Grandma-

Ouch. . . it’s no fun to break a family “relic.”

Was Ma really mad? . . . and then what happened then that made things even bluer?

Arbutus Still Not Blooming

19-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:

Sunday, April 12, 1914: Went to Sunday School this morning. A whole gang of us went for arbutus this afternoon. Didn’t get any though, for it’s just in bud. We had quite a walk in the bargain.

Maybe the “gang” walked at this same spot a hundred years ago today. These woods and fields are across the road from the house where the Muffly’s lived.

Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:

Grandma—names please. . . Who went with you? How many people? . . . all girls? . . . or were there some guys, too? . . .

What did you talk about? Did you joke and tease each other?

This was Easter Sunday. Two days prior to this entry you mentioned Easter hats, but when Easter actually arrived you didn’t mention it. Why?

—-

The previous Sunday (April 5) Grandma, her sister Ruth, and their friend Carrie Stout also searched for trailing arbutus:

We went for arbutus this afternoon, but only managed to find the buds. It is late this spring.

1914 must have been a late spring—just like 2014 has been a late spring.