In our current issue we have a short article on the mystery that surrounds Harvey Dunn's iconic prairie painting The Prairie is My Garden. Mary Lou Banner, of Roseville, Calif., wrote us to say she believes the characters in the painting are her aunt and two cousins on their farm near Isabel.

Since the issue appeared, we've gotten another letter from Melanie Parsons in Viborg. She tells us her husband's family as always claimed it's their relations in Dunn's painting. Parsons explains further in her letter, which will appear in our March/April issue (due out at the end of the month).

Not much is known about Prairie. A friend and South Dakota State University classmate of Dunn's donated it to the university between 1950 and 1970. No one can say for sure who is in the painting, but staff at the art museum say visitors often tell them it's their family or the family of a friend. Before the short article appeared in our current issue, the art museum warned us to be prepared for a flurry of letters from people claiming to know the identity of the woman and two children. So far we've only gotten one.

Perhaps it's a mystery that will never be solved.