The little card above, dated December 25, 1899, was among Mary’s belongings.  It must have accompanied a Christmas gift from Mary’s mother Eva to George. A letter between George and Mary dated almost two years earlier seems to indicate Mrs. Rumping had some reservations about George.  I guess she must have decided he was a good guy after all – or perhaps she realized there was no sense fighting the inevitable.

And it turns out she was right.  Mary and George were still courting at the time this gift was given but they eventually married on August 29, 1900.