Queen's mail, 1953

Caption slip reads: "Photographer: Richardson. Date: 1953-01-15. Reporter: Swaim. Assignment: Queen's mail (retake). K7-8: Rose Queen Leah Feland reading giant letter from a cousin whom she has never met, part of 400 or more fan mail letters received by her. Supplementary material reads: "Dave Swaim -- Pasadena. Queen's mail. Illustrated. For Monday. La Canada, Jan. 11: Rose Queen Leah Feland's postman rang many times during the dimpled brunette's reign over the Tournament of Roses. Today Leah was still trying to catch up with her reading of the 400 or more fan mail letters. Most of the friendly missives were from men in all branches of the armed forces, many of them in Japan and Korea. Nearly all contained respectful pleas that she correspond with them. 'And I am going to if I possibly can.' Leah said today. 'I'm going to answer as many as possible.' One letter was from a little boy who sent her a home made necklace. Another, from a small boy, said: 'I say a picture of you and your pet cat, and wondered if you could give me a kitten, if she has any.' Still another was from a button collector, who wanted one of hers. Letters from New York and Florida, and Wisconsin. But among them all, not one proposal of marriage."

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