Our local, huge, three times a year antique show
was a couple of weeks ago, and I came home with both
treasures and mysteries.
For example, where is this land that Christmas good
wishes include a child with a large poleaxe? Or is it
a halberd? What is on that list the child is consulting?
Is this some alternative version of what fate awaits
those on the "naughty" list?
This image isn't a postcard. It's a color plate that
was removed from something. Perhaps she or he is
the little known fourth ghost of the Christmas Carol
who levels the field between horsemen and foot soldiers.
So this little book is a different, less whimsical and more
serious kind of mystery. It's hand written Swedish
mystery from 1886. The beginning of the book, the
printed parts, are in German. My linguist sister tells me
that it's information one would want for traveling in
Germany. The following gridded pages where meant
to be a travel journal, but I'm not sure that's how it was
actually used.
The handwritten text is in Swedish, but as I don't have
a Swedish translator at hand, I've had to resort to
Google Translator. (Yes, it's not romantic, but.. well
the temptation to peek into the past was too much.)
Of course, the writing is both worn and difficult at times
to decipher.. oh, and there is the bit where Google
Translator wasn't designed to translate 1886 Swedish.
(What's up with that?!) From what Sweetheart G and
I have been able to figure out, the later entries in the
little book are sad love poems. In the beginning of the
book, there are references to meeting people and to
a water journey, but then it's hard to figure out if the
these are actual experiences or just poetic images.
Did he travel from Sweden to Germany and then
mourn his lost love, whose father forbid their
relationship? Or did he stay at home, and use the only
paper at hand to copy down his sad missives?
So much to ponder in a $2 investment, and really cool
handwriting to top it off!