This is the original scrapbook, started sometime in 1889, and contains letters, cards, and various memorabilia of, originally, my grandfather but, later, of my grandparents after they were married in December,1890.
The first few pages used to have the edges adorned with small photographs, about 1/4" by 1/2" in size, of people but, over the years, as the pages became dog-eared, most of these have been lost. The photos that remain are too dark to make-out the faces and there would be no way of identifying them, anyway.
The letters are not complete as, many years ago, an aunt, for the best of reasons, tore them out, leaving only the last sheet, firmly, stuck to the page. Why did she do it? Because, I was told, she felt that these letters were personal and no one should read them. She was, probably, right but I wonder what little insights into my grandparent′s lives these might have given me? I can only make quesses from what little of these letters remain.
Because of the delicate condition of the scrapbook, and the physical size, I have not, as yet, scanned any sheets in and may not for some while yet. Time is the other enemy – I just don′t seem to have enough of it and I′m fast running out of what I′ve got!
A gentleman by the name of Louis E. Boone, an American author on matters to do with business and economics, once said, "I am definitely going to take a course on time management... just as soon as I can work it into my schedule."
