Hibberd's

Hibberd's Books is closing. It was one of the first places I discovered when I moved to the city, and the only reason I don't go there more often is that I spend too much money when I'm there. Looking at their business card, I see that the owners' names are Vail and Hayes Hibberd. What great names! They specialize in old books, twenties through fifties maybe, and had a great collection of old children's books. Going through the kids' section cheered me up on a few gloomy days. They had the really old books with beautiful pictures. Sometimes I called my mom (quietly) and said, "hey, did we have this one?" Growing up, I had a lot of my grandmother's and mother's old books.

I was in Hibberd's at Christmas and everything was 50% off, but I thought it was just to clear some stock. Now everything's down to 70% off. I was lured in even before I knew this. Hibberd's has a sort of alcove outside with a table of books. This always gets me. Book Corner has a table too.

Today I idly looked through the table books and came across a Senior Girl Scout Handbook from 1963 (bought during the first week of publication, according to a sticker inside the cover.) I had no intention of buying it -- I just wanted to look at the pictures and maybe some of the requirements for badges. Then I found the letters stuck inside. They were addressed to a Philadelphia girl, the one whose name was on the inside cover. The first one I looked at was from August 14, 1962, almost a year before the book was bought:

Dearest Pat
Recieved your letter today and I was very happy to hear from you. I began to think you had forgotten me.

I am sorry about misspelling your name but that was the first time I wrote it but it wont happen again.

We are have some lousy weather it has raind almost every day sence we have been up here.

Our neighbor has a power mower and Sunday he brough it over for me to cut our lawn and believe me. I have a lot to cut it looked real nice after I got through.

I am sanding the living room floor for my mother today and its kind of hard on the arms.

You know hon Id love to have a picture of you have you got one to spare maybe two one for my dresser and for my wallet to keep my love going.

My Dad hasn't felt very good since we have been up here.

How is your Mom and Dad fine I hope tell them and tell Donna I said hello.

Well I have to go now.

Rember I love you and I will love you forever.

Love
Harry

PS write real soon
I love you


After reading the first letter I stuck it back in the book and went inside to buy it. Then, of course, I ended up with an armload of other books and I didn't get a chance to read the other letter until now.

The second letter is between the pages on audiovisual materials and demonstrations. It has a four-cent Girl Scouts USA stamp on it and is dated August 2, 1962.

Hi Pat
How are you doing fine I hope. Do the teacher miss me teasing them.

If you see Chubby tell him I said hello and tell him to write I guess he is still on strike so he will have plenty of time.

Pat will you send me your phone number we have one in now, our number is XXXX if any body askes you for it don't give it to them. I don't want the wrong persons to have it. It sure is cool up here we had to start the heater a few times. We are going to Pittsburgh Tuesday AM my Dad has to go to the Veterans admin. to see about his first World War pension.

How is your family tell them I said hello.

Pat I miss you but I expect to see you sometime in Sept. or the first of Oct.
So long for now - ans real soon.

Love
Harry

P.S. I love you
give Chubby my address it is
XXX

I looked up Pat's name online but I couldn't find it. I don't have Harry's last name, but I tried a reverse phone number search. I wonder what happened. It took her a couple of weeks to answer his first letter, which would make it seem like she wasn't as interested. But she still had the letters a year later to stick in her Scout book. I wonder why Chubby was on strike. I wonder if he called himself Chubby.