Blue Ridge Country May/June 2022 - 38

Postscripts of Endearment
It was December 29, 1907, and Carl Sandburg,
then calling himself Charles, was
plodding toward 344 North Six Street in
Milwaukee. The son of Swedish immigrants,
Carl had dropped out of school
at the age of 13 to drive a milk truck. In
the years to follow, he worked a series of
odd jobs: porter, bricklayer, farm laborer,
hotel servant, fireman and advertising
copywriter.
He even served in the military, attending
West Point for two weeks before
failing a math and grammar exam. That
stint qualified him as a veteran for college
admission at Lombard College in
Galesburg, Illinois. But, after four years,
he dropped out to be a traveling salesman.
In
short, Carl was struggling to find
his place in the world. But finally, it felt
like he was gaining some footing. On
that brisk December day, he was starting
his new job as an organizer for the Social
Democratic Party of Wisconsin. He was
also about to meet the love of his life, Lilian
Steichen.
Carl and Paula
Sandburg had
three daughters:
Helga, Margaret
and Janet.
unmarred by deceit or vitriol. But, at the
time, few understood the lyrical love language
of Carl and Paula Sandburg.
In 1945, when the couple rolled
into the southern Appalachian town of
Flat Rock, locals surely raised eyebrows.
Though Paula eschewed slacks for dresses,
she and her husband challenged all
other gender norms. On any given day,
Carl could be found writing or sleeping
in the white-framed home while Paula,
whom he called " Mrs. Fixit, " tinkered
with fencing and fed goats.
" The Sandburgs were unconventional
in many ways, " says Bonesteel. For starters,
she notes, they were proud socialists
who met at the Wisconsin Social-Democratic
party headquarters. That's where
their love story begins.
38 BLUERIDGECOUNTRY.COM
As described by Helga Sandburg-the
couple's youngest daughter-in " A Great
and Glorious Romance: The Story of Carl
Sandburg and Lilian Steichen, " Lilian
was preparing to return to her teaching
position in Princeton, Illinois, after
spending Christmas with her parents.
Before heading to the trolley, she
stopped by the headquarters to say goodbye
to her friends when Elizabeth Thomas,
the secretary of party leader Victor
Beger, introduced her to Carl. The two
talked and Carl invited her to dinner. Lilian
politely declined his advances, providing
her mailing address instead.
Though Carl was instantly smitten,
Lilian had her reservations, particularly
regarding Carl's poetry. In a letter
to Carl dated February 15, 1908, Lilian
condemns the literary form altogether,
advising her epistolary courter to " grow
toward maturity and move on to greater
things. "
But by February 24, Lilian is applauding
Carl's verses and the two are exchanging
letters fervently. A handful of
these early communications reach 50
pages and are bookended with breathless
postscripts. On April 23, 1908, Carl
writes:
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Blue Ridge Country May/June 2022

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