The following letter was found in the files of Captain’s Quarters. There is no date on the letter, but it is typed (not word processed) and a bit brown and tattered around the edges, so I would guess it was from the 70’s. If anyone has any information or knows Mrs. Tyson, please email. The lace purchased probably had a similar pattern to the one pictured which was done by my great-aunt Kate Holm in the 1930's. Kate sold much of her lace to women like Mrs. Tyson's mother who could be trusted to send money if they found the lace to their liking.

Richard Holm, Managing Director, Captain's Quarters, Windwardside, Saba, NA

Since there wasn’t a whole lot going on at my house in rural Delaware in 1937, it was a truly exciting event when the mailman delivered the puffy envelope (containing the hankie) with all the colorful foreign stamps on it! All present would gather around for the opening and display of the delicate handkerchief. My mother would often wonder out loud, "Now where in the world is Saba?? Has anyone ever heard of it? I wish I knew WHERE these hankies came from! It says on this enclosure ‘Made in Saba, Dutch West Indies’ so it must be in the West Indies somewhere, but where are the Dutch West Indies?? The woman who makes my handkerchieves must be Dutch. Mahlon’s (my father) grandmother was Dutch so that’s nice. But where in the world is Saba??"

Fifty seven years later, I arrived at the Sea Palace in Philipsburg on the island of St. Maarten for a week’s vacation with my friend Doris Appleton. On our first morning there we went outside to look at the deck and beach behind the Sea Palace. As I gazed out towards the horizon I saw a single island rising dramatically up from the sea like a volcano. Out of curiosity I asked one of the sunbathers on the deck, "What island is that out there?" Her reply: "That’s Saba." "SABA!", I screamed----right THERE behind our condo??!!" I can’t believe it ---- after ALL these years ---- I’VE FOUND SABA!!! How do I get to it?? I’ve GOT TO GO THERE! Do they still make lace handkerchieves there??" (The poor woman must have thought I was nuts!) But shortly afterwards at the front desk, we found Erica, the Sea Palace’s Activities Director, who cheerfully helped us book a Thursday day-long tour to the island of Saba!

Even though the landing and take-off of our plane was a bit harrowing because of Saba’s short landing strip, the flight was smooth and beautiful and the scenery on the island----superb! What a beautiful day we spent there! And our first stop on Billy’s Tour was at a church building where 4 or 5 ladies were making the lovely Saba lace handkerchieves my mother once had!! I bought as many as I could afford plus a handsome white lace purse. The tour bus was leaving so I had to move on, but I wish I could have remained with those descendants of the early Dutch settlers in Saba and asked them if their mothers ever mailed lace handkerchieves to "Mrs. Mahlon G. Milliken, Lancaster Pike, R.F.D. #1, Wilmington, Delaware, U.S.A." back in 1937.

Maggie Milliken Tyson
Bloomfield Hills, Michigan

June 2, 1998 UPDATE! Mrs Tyson has sent a letter explaining that she had written the story in 1994 and she had no idea of how it ended-up at Captain's Quarters. She thought that Erica from the Sea Palace in St. Maarten might have forwarded it to us, but I saw Erica last week and while she recalls Mrs. Tyson, she can't remember sending it out to Saba. In any case, we were happy to hear from Mrs. Tyson and look forward to her return visit - hopefully for more than one day..... She also speculates that the letter looked older than it was due to surviving hurricane Luis & Marilyn in 1995... Thanks Maggie!!! I love this story!!!