No matter the interpretation, the guy sounds like a jerk

Once again the local Picayune has us amused with a news story from 1912.

Mesa – July 27, 1912

George Nun is beginning to get discouraged along the line of matrimony, and he has had enough reverses to make the most patient of men discouraged and out with the world.

He has been in search of a wife for the past several years, and although he has had many offers, for some reason or other none has proved successful and he is still in search of a better half.

He says the young ladies in and around Mesa are beginning to make fun of him and are writing letters to him in ridicule.

The following is a copy of one written by one of the young ladies of Mesa, which Mr. Nun handed to The Free Press yesterday:

“Dearest George: Read your advertisement in the Arizona Democrat.  I have been looking fo r a husband and I find by your description that you are a handsome young man.  I have seen you on the streets several times and fell in love with you at first sight. I am 34 years old, five feet seven inches tall and weigh 131 pounds. I have large brown eyes and a wealth of dark hair. Also a beautiful complexion. I enclose a lock of my hair for you to look at. Come and call on me Sunday at eight o’clock. Then you can get Bishop Ed Hunsaker and we will drift into matrimony. Your future wife, MISS MARJORIE MAPLE.

Mesa, Arizona, one block east, Main St. Box 644.

P.O. – I am well to do.  Am a stenographer. Love and good luck to you.”

Young girls should be careful what they write and to whom they write as their letters are liable to get into hands other than those for which they were meant and the writing is liable to be interpreted, as in the case of this one.

The young lady who wrote this letter is near 20 years of age, has brown eyes, light hair and no such beautiful complexion as stated in the letter, wears false hair and is far from being a stenographer.  She is quite well known in Mesa, and her friends would no doubt be surprised to know she would write a letter of this sort.

Holy cow!

How can a responsible newspaper print a story like this, leaving so many questions? When I read the story I was appalled they would print the letter with the name of the lady as well as her address.  I couldn’t believe The Free Press and Mr. Nun would accuse the ladies of ridiculing him and then turn around and do the exact same thing to this poor girl.

Ava interpreted it differently, thinking somehow the lady was making fun of Mr. Nun in the letter.

Either way, we will never know. 

I looked through archives and couldn’t find any photographs of either Mr. Nun or Miss. Maple.  It does seem apparent that Mr. Nun is very full of himself, pointing out that he has received many offers.  He implies the ladies are throwing themselves at him in a desperate attempt to marry the man.

We’ll never know. And I am frustrated by that.