Thomas Russell Hungerford (MD41) was a key figure in the first day cover stamp collecting hobby as he was one of a handful of gentlemen, working together, to get those special postage-date sensitive envelopes mailed in a timely manner. He was a life-long bachelor but maintained at least a pen pal relationship with two women during his lifetime with periods of having a girlfriend to write to or about as well per the written history I have collected. One of his female friends was an author of some renown who used the nom de plume "Viktor Flambeau." Her real name was Gertrude R. Brigham (or G. R. B.) and they maintained an ongoing correspondence from at least 1928 until the end of their lives. In this communication "G. R. B." thanks him for lunch and states that her purpose for the trip (she met him in D.C. where he lives) didn't pan out and she ends the note hoping he feels better. She also cut out and included in the mailing an article about stamp collecting.
