G.025.3 - Albany, N.Y. (1897 / 1904)

Copyright, 1897, by American Souvenir Card. Co.
127 Duane St., New York.

This is the first card addressed to Gustaf at his new address in Galeton, Potter County, Pennysylvania, at New Year 1903/04.

It was posted in Chicago on Dec 30 or 31 1903, and arrived in Galeton Jan 2, 1904. The sender is his sister Gerda.

As usual, Gerda is writing all around the image on the front. Her handwriting is always tricky to decipher, and writing in pencil does not improve it. On top of all, she uses very little punctuation, which does not make it easier!

Käre broder Gustaf,
Tack för brefvet jag idag fick. Roligt att du kommer. Kanske du får den platsen i st året [?] * om du kommer snart, de skall öppna det på lördag. Du är välkommen. Syster Gerda. / Om du kommer på lördag eller söndag är jag alldeles ensam på kvällen, kom hit då. / Jag hinner ej skrifva brev nu. / Telefon no. vårt är B 341

* ståret = försvenskning av "the store"  = affären, varuhuset ?

Dear brother Gustaf,
Thanks for the letter I got today. Glad you are coming. Perhaps you will get that place in the store [?] if you come soon, they are opening on Saturday. You are welcome. [Your] sister, Gerda. / If you come on Saturday or Sunday I am all alone at night, come here then. / I have no time to write a letter now. / Our telephone number is B 341

A Google search for "store opening Chicago 1904" takes me to a Wikipeda article about Sullivan Center, a commercial building at 1 South State Street, at the corner of East Madison Street in Chicago. It was designed by Louis Sullivan for one retail firm in 1899, sold by that firm to H.G. Selfridge & Co in 1904, but only occupied by them for a matter of weeks before sold on to someone else.

This may not be what Gerda is referring to on her card, but it may indicate that there could have been more that kind of thing going on in Chicago at the time (stores opening and closing, changing owners and re-opening etc).