While performing routine maintenance work on her home, one woman stumbled upon a hidden ventilation space in the wall, and when investigating it, unveiled a collection of old love letters neatly tied together with a string.
Intrigued, she couldn't resist opening them, revealing a collection of love letters, penned by a young woman towards the recipient of her affection.
Sharing an image of the letters on Reddit, she explained that while she had been living in the house for 12 years, she had never come across this bundle of papers before.
"I don’t actually know for sure the date of the letters," she continued. "The way they’re all dated is with the day and time sadly, but the language used in it 'it’s good to be able to hop around, it’s a great social asset to a woman' makes me feel like it’s [old]."
Engrossed by the historical significance, she embarked on her own investigation, and, based on the language used in the letters, she speculated they were likely penned in the 1950s. However, some Reddit users hypothesized that the letters might belong to the 1980s due to the characteristic bound manuscript commonly used during that era.
So, what do these letters reveal?
The author, a young woman, shares personal anecdotes about her day while diligently attempting to persuade her beloved to accompany her to a dance.
In one passage, she writes: "I missed you most awfully this weekend. Goodness knows what's going to happen during the holidays. I've been utterly miserable, and I think last night I would have given my life to see you. Even if you don't come to the dance you need have no fear that I shall flirt with Brown or anybody, because I won't darling, I shall think of you all the time and mourn for you."
"I do wish you were coming though," she continues, "but I would hate to feel that I had forced you to come against your will. Besides, I don't admire the type of man who dances, and I'm terribly glad you can't dance. I've no desire to become frightfully good at dancing, but it is good to be able to hop around - it's a great social asset to a woman."
The woman who uncovered these letters has wondered under the same Reddit thread, whether or not the woman ever succeeded in bringing the man to the dance with her, and appeared to remain committed to delving deeper into the love letters, hoping to gain further insights into the relationship they portray.
While the majority of responses on Reddit centered around speculations regarding the era of the letters, one noteworthy contribution stood out.
A museum curator offered their expertise, stating, that: "[Having] catalogued a lot of manuscript letters over the years. These look and read to me as if they're mid 20th century, say 1930s-50s. The style of the language, the names referenced ('Betty', 'Audrey' etc.) and so on. The fact that it's on loose-leaf lined paper also suggests a 20th century date.
"Also, it's absolutely not unusual to see historic letters written in pencil, as far back as the 19th century. Pencil was informal and quick, compared to writing with ink - and cheaper ballpoint/biro pens weren't in common use until the late 1940s.
"Paper holds up remarkably well over a long period of time, so long as it's kept in a dry environment and away from direct light, so while there's no sign that these letters are pre-20th century, nor is there any reason to think that they're 'fake-aged.'"
However, no further light has ever been shed on the matter, and while it has been three years since the woman first shared these letters on Reddit, there have been no updates regarding whether she has found the answers to the lingering questions.