How much do we really know about our ancestors? Our memories may stretch back two or three generations, but beyond that, generally all that remains are names on a family tree, and if we’re lucky, a few stories. Charlie and Mindy are surprised to find a packet of old letters carefully wrapped in calico and silk, and then hidden in a secret compartment of Mindy’s red cupboard. This story is about the journey of discovery they embarked upon when they gradually open and read the letters. Far beyond names on a timeline, each letter offers a hint about the hopes and dreams, as well as the expectations and fears of two young lovers. And as they journey into the past, reading about Mindy’s family, life in rural Pennsylvania, and the adventures of the California gold rush, Charlie and Mindy find that they also learn much more about themselves.