Indeed, pure and honest love never fades away. The heart-touching story of Pearle and Max will make you believe in it.
At the time of looking through the attic of his father’s house, this son came to get hold of the boxes of old and worn-out items. The ones which interested him the most were heaps of love letters sent by a man named Max. From 1913-1978, Max and Pearle used to write to each other. All his love letters started with “My Sweet Pearle” and came to an end with “Forever yours, Max”. Although these letters were meant to have been burned when Pearle died in the year 1980, the family didn’t uphold those wishes, and one of the majestic love stories began to come out.
Back in the year 1911, a woman name Pearle Schwarz came across a man named Maxwell Savelle at the Country Club. They fell madly for each other. But unluckily, Maxwell would refuse to convert to Judaism (his parents were Southern Baptists) and the reason why the two couldn’t be together. They decided to part ways – Maxwell went into the Navy and Pearle continued to pine for him till the time she died. She decided to never move on. He was married later on, though the letters do not contain much information regarding that.
There were about hundreds and hundreds of letters, all complied with much emotion of a man who continued to love this one woman, even when they couldn’t be together. Religious barriers among the families forced the two to part ways.
“I love you. I can say no more. – Max” This is the one such line he quoted to Pearle’s post she told him they can only marry if he decides to convert religions. He soon after moved away. The upcoming letters are in postmarked envelopes.
“Monday Evening – I understand. I have understood from the beginning. I only lacked your confirmation of my belief. I cannot come to the club anymore. I am weak and cannot make myself undergo the torture that would mean for me, and why, because I love you. I could not bear to be near you and see you and feel that you…” The other letter is misplaced. The envelope quotes“The first letter I received after telling him we could not be together.” (Written by Pearle.)
Below is Maxwell H. Savelle. After going to Mobile, he became part of the Navy. He further went on to get hold of his MA, MBA, and PhD from Columbia University taught history there and later went on to be a professor of American Colonial History at the University of Washington. He released various papers and penned down several books, and few of us might as well have taken history classes which used his textbooks. He died in the year 1979 being about 83 years, having one daughter, who we guess is named Michelle/Michele.
They never stopped writing to each other for the rest of their remaining lives. The only letters discovered were from Max; the family still wishes to get hold of Pearle’s letters so that they can know the entire story.
Letters reached Pearle from Africa, Spain, Chile, Canada, Washington, Rhode Island, and France.
Regardless of where the war carried him, and in what situation he was, Max never forget to write. It’s obvious from the words of the letters that these are replies and they kept their love alive for almost 65 years.
Little information was discovered on Pearle.
She happened to spend a silent life till the 60s, but it was she who went on vacation to Indiana. There, she came across a man named Al, who supposedly was ready to give up the world to her. Her friends managed to convince her that marrying Al was an amazing idea.
She returned home after vacation and just a week later, received the news reporting her that Al had died. She died in 1980, 3 months post receiving the news of Max’s death. The family looked through worn photo albums for hours, in an attempt to find a picture of Pearle. This was the only one that was discovered.
Below is a picture Max sent to Pearle back in the year 1964. This picture resembles the picture used on the UW website for the Max Savelle Endowment Library Fund, which is how the family came across who the unidentified Max was. The majority of the letters are illegible, so we also don’t have much information regarding who Max was.
