Beyond the Tweets, texts and messaging saturating our present-day social media culture-recently extending even to software giving a smartphone user the ability to view a photograph just once before it disappears into the ether forever, (Snapchat et al apps) the endurance, value and cultural importance of the printed word and photograph need be considered-indeed marveled at-for the historical record and of course for posterity itself.

"The Little Country Paper": vintage cyanotype postcard (recto) with inked handwriting posted October, 1906 from Lisbon, New Hampshire to Littleton, N.H. by Arthur W. Buffington (b. 1868) to his son Harold A. Buffington (1886-1976) : 8.8 x 13.9 cm: image: 6.8 x 5.0 cm: PhotoSeed Archive

Consider today’s example, a postcard featuring an original cyanotype photograph of a well-dressed gentleman reading a newspaper. Addressed and posted to Harold A. Buffington of Littleton, New Hampshire in October, 1906, (1.) this simple and lasting form of communication is signed  “Papa”, (2.) with the suggestion for his son to come over on Sunday for a visit in order to enjoy a slice of pumpkin pie.

Before getting to the nut graph as they say in newspaper lingo, “Papa”: aka Arthur W. Buffington, (b. 1868) begins his correspondence with a quote from a well known (at least for its time) story celebrating the importance of small town rags everywhere. It might not be surprising given his listed occupation as a printer for the 1900 U.S. Census. Owner of the Buffington Press in Littleton during this period, (they printed cookbooks among other volumes) he writes on the postcard:

The Little Country Paper

It tells of all the parties an’ the balls of Pumpkin Row
‘Bout who’s spent Sunday with who’s girl, an’ how the crops’ll grow.
An’ how it keeps a feller posted ‘bout who’s up and who’s down.
That little country paper from his ol’ Home Town.

This entire “story” seems to have originated around 1903 or before by someone writing for the Denver Post newspaper in Colorado. I’ve taken the liberty to include it in its entirety at the end of this post (as it originally appeared) along with another similarly titled “story” I discovered from the era . And the juicy part? “Papa” writes:

Come down Sunday. Mamma has made a whole pumpkin pie and I have only had one piece out of it. (you can divide your piece with L. O and mamma and Ray don’t like punkin very well!)  Papa.

In addition to the slice of pie he presumably ate, the postcard might have even inspired Harold Buffington to get ink in his blood like his father, for he is listed in the 1940 U.S. Census as a printer for the Courier office, still known today as the Littleton Courier, a weekly newspaper published since 1889.


The Little Country Paper


When the evenin’ shades is fallin’ at the endin’ o’  the day,
 An’ a feller rests from labor, smokin’ at his pipe o’ clay.
 There’s nothin’ does him so much good, be fortune up or down,
 As the little country paper from his O’l Home Town.

It ain’t a thing o’ beauty an’ its print ain’t always clean.
 But it straightens out his temper when a feller’s feelin’ mean.
 It takes the wrinkles off his face an’ brushes off the frown.
 That little country paper from his Ol’ Home Town.

It tells of all the parties an’ the balls of Pumpkin Row. 
‘Bout who spent Sunday with who’s girl an’ how th’ crops’ll grow.
 An’ how it keeps a feller posted ‘bout who’s up an’ who is down.
 That little country paper from his O’l Home Town.

Now, I like to read the dailies an’ the story papers too.
 An’ at times the yaller novels an’ some other trash—don’t you?
 But when I want some readin’ that’ll brush away a frown
 I want that little paper from my O’l Home Town.  (3.)

The following with the same title originated in the Baltimore (MD) American newspaper in 1900 or before, and may have inspired the Denver Post account of The Little Country Paper:

The Little Country Paper

It’s just a little paper-it isn’t up to date:
It hasn’t any supplement or colored fashion plate.
It comes out every Friday, unless the forms are pied;
The outside is home printed, with boiler-plate inside.
It hasn’t any cable direct from old Bombay,
But it says that “Colonel Braggins is in our midst to-day.”
It doesn’t seem to worry about affairs of state.
But tells that “Joseph Hawkins has painted his front gate.”
It never mentions Kruger or Joseph Chamberlain.
But says that “Thompson’s grocery has a new window pane.”
And that “the Mission Workers will give a festival.
And there’ll be a temperance lecture in William Hooper’s hall.”
It tells about the measles that Jimmy Hankins had.
And says that Israel Johnson “has become a happy dad.”
It says that “cider-making is shortly to commence.”
And cites the fact that Ira Todd is building a new fence.
It mentions Dewey’s coming in one brief paragraph, And says that “Charlie Trimble has sold a yearling calf.” And everything that happens within that little town The man who runs the paper has plainly jotted down.
Some people make fun of it, but, honestly, I like To learn that “work is booming upon the Jimtown pike.”
It’s just a little paper—it hasn’t much to say—
But as long as it is printed I hope it comes my way. (4.)

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Printed postcard (verso) addressed to Harold A. Buffington, Littleton, New Hampshire: 8.8 x 13.9 cm: Posted: Lisbon, N.H., October 1906: PhotoSeed Archive

Notes

1. It is believed the gentleman in the cyanotype photograph reading the newspaper is also the recipient of the postcard: Harold A. Buffington, a student who would have been 20 years old in 1906. (b.: September 12, 1886 | d. March, 1976. source: Crestleaf)
2. “Papa” was Arthur W. Buffington (b. 1868) who lived in Lisbon, New Hampshire at the time he mailed this postcard
3. The Little Country Paper: Denver Post: reprinted in the Mansfield (OH) News: Saturday, October 24, 1903
4. Newspaper Verse: Selections Grave and Gay: Current Literature-A Magazine of Record and Review: New York: Vol. XXVIII: April-June, 1900: pp. 192-93