There's gotta be a story in this one

A couple of years ago an elderly man (now deceased) gave me some old papers and books, and I found some interesting things in them. In one box of old papers and pictures there was a photograph of a pretty young lady, dating back to the 1890s. On the back of it is written: "Virgie M___, Sydney's old sweetie who sent those little knots of red, blue, yellow etc while he was in Colorado."

A day or so later I was sorting through yet another box and found an envelope postmarked July 1893, with postmarks from Terry, Montana and Greeley, Colorado. In it I found some small pieces of paper, each with a small knot of tatting attached, each knot in a different color. Each piece also carries a verse, as follows:

"If of me you love to think, send me back this knot of pink."

"If to me you would like to write, send me back this bow of white."

"If who sent these you wished you knew, send your Honey this knot of blue."

"If you are another girl's fellow, Oh! send me back this bow of yellow."

"If with me you would love to be seen, Return to me this bow of green."

"If to me you would like to be wed, In haste please send me this knot of red."

and last but not least, a paper with a lilac-colored bow on it:

"If with me you wish to elope, Send me back this heliotrope."

It was sheer luck that I was able to find both parts of this, and I have them together now, sitting here on my desk. I'm waiting for my muse to put together a story around them!