The Mystery of the Ivory Charm (1936)

Front of my copy.

Today I finished reading the Nancy Drew book, The Mystery of the Ivory Charm (© 1936 by Grosset & Dunlap, New York) by Carolyn Keene and Illustrated by Russell H. Tandy.

Frontispiece Illustration

4 Illustrations (see sample above)

216 pages divided into XXV (25) chapters.

I obtained my copy at a recent used book sale (originally owned - at some point- by Judy Pearson). Unfortunately, my copy did not come with a dust jacket.

I started reading it earlier this month and had a hard time putting it down. This was an interesting mystery that has aged well.  Nancy and her friends encounter a young boy from India at a circus where Nancy also receives an ivory elephant charm that reportedly brings good luck. The boy, Coya, runs away from the circus and his brutal "father" and ends up at the Drew residence.

There is an abandoned house with secret tunnels, a mysterious woman who slides into trances, and a treasure of jewels involved in the mystery.  There is even a trip to the White House where Nancy gets to meet the First Lady. Of course, all's well that ends well. A fun read.

Orange Silhouette Endpaper 

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Links:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nancy_Drew
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mystery_of_the_Ivory_Charm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russell_H._Tandy
http://www.nancydrewsleuth.com/
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Written Wednesday 26 December 2018

Success!

"A" successful test today for RMT.

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Link:
http://beasafetrucker.com/
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Written Wednesday 26 December 2018

Return To Bethlehem

This year I was accompanied by my son Richard on my annual trek to the Bethlehem Post Office to mail my Christmas cards. I have come here to mail my cards every since we returned from Tennessee, more than 20 years ago (before the birth of Richard).

Richard, outside the Bethlehem Post Office.

In addition to a Bethlehem postmark, another draw is the annual (and previous years) cachet. The use of green ink pads adds to the holiday spirit.

2018 Bethlehem cachet.

There are 84 different cachets to choose. Ideally, you are only supposed to stamp the front of the envelope, but we like to fill the back with various images.  Richard had fun taking care of this.

This year, I mailed nearly 40 cards. Of course, the reward for all this hard work (besides a green thumb and other fingers) was lunch in Watertown at G's Burgers.

Richard had the BBQ Bacon Burger (no cheese please) while I stuck with a regular hamburger. We shared an ample  order of their famous, hand-cut fries.

BBQ Bacon Burger 

Fries and my burger.

On the way home, we browsed at an "antique" (junk) store; sadly, the used book store at the Watertown Library was closed due to renovation.

Although the sky was overcast, it was difficult to detect the spirit of Christmas in the air because today's temperature was in the low 50s (F).

Another interesting aspect was that even though Bethlehem is about an hour drive and we mailed the cards on Saturday, we did not receive our cards until Wednesday 12/19.

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Links:
http://www.ci.bethlehem.ct.us/BPO.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bethlehem#Birthplace_of_Jesus
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Postmark
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cachet
https://gsburgers.com/
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Written Wednesday 26 December 2018.