Wednesday, August 12, 2020

Between the Covers -- The House on the Cliff or A Boy on the Edge

I pick up a lot of old books at sales and occasionally I find something of interest inside, whether it be money, a 4-leaf clover, business card or even a written note. This 1940's edition of The Hardy Boys "The House on the Cliff" contained such a note.


I'm not sure who this young man was (making an assumption it was a boy), but perhaps his last name was "Longhibler".

He expresses his feelings of the moment, which happens to be November 5th, 1966.  He's a bit forlorn about his grades, friends, parents, his financial situation and especially his sister who "thinks she something".


"bad in school need to make better grades. I have two friends, Greg King & Ernest Childs. very lonesome Dad in a bad mood. mom too. I don't get very much money and my sister thinks she something."

There's another note scrawled below his that's been scratched out.  It could be something he said that he regretted, or it could be a response (perhaps from his sister) to his note above.


I wasn't able to make out the writing under the scratches.  Perhaps one of you can.

I hope you hung in there, little Longhibler.  I'm sure things got better.

6 comments:

  1. aside from it being a Hardy Boys book, and for kids, that's quite neat handwriting for a kid... mine certainly was never that neat. i wish i could decipher the scratched out part, but i can't make it out. it's difficult reading even the non-scratched out part. we need TV show style forensics. ENHANCE!

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    1. I meant to transcribe the legible portion. Let me do that...

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    2. jeez, i suppose i could've done that for you, lol

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  2. Have you looked up infamous criminals with that name in case he cracked? There seem to be folks with the name Longhibler in MO and AR.

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    1. MO would make sense since that's where I picked up the book. I'm tempted to look some of the names up on Facebook. Not creepy at all...

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    2. ...isn't that what facebook is FOR?? O_O

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