This is a simple postcard, addressed to “Mrs. James Y. Paris,” in the care of Dan Tompkins, written by someone named “Hallie.” The identity of Hallie is unknown, but she listed her return address as a postbox at Duke University. Mrs. James Y. Paris is Florence Paris (1871-1954), wife of James Paris, a farmer in Sylva with whom she had many children. Records show Florence’s last name spelled both “Paris” and “Parris” but the other biographic information is identical.Presumably, Paris was staying with Tompkins at the time, but it is unclear why. Census records from 1940 show that Dan had more than just himself and his wife Emily in the house; he also had his mother, Annie Tompkins, 21-year-old Marjorie Grindstaff, and Addie and Sadie Luck (70 and 62). Evidently, Dan was in the practice of letting women stay at his house. So, perhaps it was under similar circumstances that Florence Paris was staying with him.This letter is housed in the Special Collections department of the Hunter Library at Western Carolina University.