Letters from Grandpa 21 March 1916

The Brown Hotel
Daniel Morrison, Prop.
Eureka, Nevada

Miss Allene S. Kelley,
Modesto
California

Dearest:- Just for that little measly correspondence card I'm going to cut you short tonight and you don't need to get peeved about [it] either cause I've exhausted my supply of news and don't expect another batch till tomorrow, or next day, or after we get out of here. Anyhow you've gotten a couple of letters that took excess baggage rates and they aught to hold you for a while.

We will be in the land of life again Saturday night and I'll wire you as soon as we arrive so you'll know when to expect "dailies" again.

Don't you dare let your aunt Helene or anyone else talk you into believing I've thrown you over dear. Nor dont [sic] you send me any more correspondence cards when you have plenty of time for a real letter.~~~But I don't want to scold you dear when everything you say to me and everything you do makes me so happy.

Always yours
Frank
March 21st 1916

Letters from Grandpa 9 March 1916

The International Hotel
Austin, Nevada

Miss Allene S. Kelley,
Modesto,
California

Dearest Mine: Your aunt hasn't got a thing on me at all. I don't know what I did to her that she should take such a liking to me nor do I know what she did to me that made me like her so well. Anyhow it's apparently a mutual admiration which I shall do all in my power to maintain. And if her message of love hadn't accompanied the remark that she didn't write because she was afraid the reading of her letter would take up too much of my valuable time, I'd have taken it to heart and been pretty sore. And I'm very grateful to both her and your grandmother for their kind message. Tell them fair exchange is no robbery and I reciprocate, eye for eye, dollar for dollar,~love for love.

I should like to meet your grandmother dear, I'd like to see "you all," but time is such a slow traveler when you're anticipating something pleasant,-and oh, how it flies at other times!~~This is going to be a long summer for me dear, but I'm hot going to let any grass grow under my pedal extremities~~or other parts of my anatomy. We've decided it would be greatly to our advantage to stay on the road all summer. By this scheme we are getting acquainted with the country and people, advertising our work with practical demonstrations and reaping an immediate pecuniary harvest, all of which, especially the last, are very necessary. When winter approaches we will be all fixed (I hope) so we can go right into our office home.


Your letters of yesterday and today were brief dear but didn't I tell you once before that it was unnecessary to apologize for that? "Short but sweet" is a fitting remark, or comment, on them, and I love 'em short or long.

Ever yours
Frank

Austin, Nevada,
March 9th, 1916
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Address next to Elko
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Letters from Grandpa 20 December 1915

Note: I apologize that this is out of order...I found it unfinished in my drafts just today!


Box 162
Elko, Nevada

Miss Allene S. Kelley
1020 15th St.
Modesto, California

Allene Dearest:~
Had I known~really known~how happy I was going to be I never could have waited for this morning's mail. You got my telegram so know I received the picture O.K. but you don't know what I did the first thing.~~I went to the jewelry stores~all three of them and bought, what I tho't, was the neatest little sterling frame. And now your picture, dear, is right on my dresser where I can look at it and into those great big beautiful eyes of yours whenever I go into my room. And, oh but it is a perfect picture!~Such a characteristic pose and your own natural expression, excepting perhaps the usual trace of a smile. I am pleased Allene, almost beyond comparison. Even the card that accompanied it has been taken care of.~It's in the frame~behind the picture.

Now for a little exciting news about myself~~~ My Los Angeles proposition is all off. I've gone into partnership with a dentist!! We had [a] lawyer draw up [a] contract yesterday and will sign it today.

You may and may not have known it dear, but I followed this line, in partnership with another fellow for four years in this state and we made plenty of money, so I almost know what I'm doing. We will open up offices here in Elko just as soon as we can get our furniture shipped in~probably about the middle of January. We will, in the meantime,~make a professional trip into one or two of these neighboring little towns (villages or mining camps). We're going to start right after Christmas.

I was pleased, dear, when I read that part of your letter in which you said "the L.A. proposition didn't sound encouraging" to you, pleased to note that you took interest, at least enough to make intelligent comment. Do you know, about half the time, (putting it mildly) a girl has got more business sense in a minute than a man has in a month? Lots of time tho' she won't impart her knowledge till too late.

By this time your homecoming is ancient history~~you've see everybody, in the village, shaken hands etc., been to picnics, parties and pink teas, huh? And weren't "auntie" Helene and uncle Will glad to see their "little" girl!!~~not any more so that I'd be. Tell them I haven't forgotten them,-that I said "hello."

Will close dear, thanking you for the dearest Christmas present I ever got.

Yours
Frank

Elko, December 20th,
1915

Letters from Grandpa 2 March 1916

The International Hotel

Austin, Nevada

Miss Allene S. Kelley,

Modesto,

California

Well Dearest here it is eleven thirty P. M. I quit work just an hour ago and came down stairs and one of the boys tackled me for a game of pool. Well I beat him. Have been working on the deliberating patients' case.

I landed him with a compromise of two hundred and ten. We'll finish him day after tomorrow then maybe I'll have more time and will be in better condition to write. As it is God knows my back is about broken and I'm all out of sorts and all in but the shoestrings.

But anyhow you wrote me a dandy long letter which I got today. You told me about Mrs. Maze getting fat and I've got nothing more to say. If you want to take on weight, well it's up to you dear-I've nothing more to say about it.

With all my love dear I'll say good night and leave you alone.

Always yours

Frank

March 2nd

Letters from Grandpa 29 February 1916

The International Hotel

Austin, Nevada

Miss Allene S. Kelley, 

Modesto,

California

Talk about work, Dearest--I got up at 6:30 this morning and our sheepherder patient came in at nine. We'll [sic] I worked over him all morning and since then have been making the bridgework. The upper jaw will be one solid piece of gold. I just finished putting it together,---its [sic] nine forty P.M. I will cement it in the mouth in the morning. Will finish the balance of his work tomorrow and will then "nail" the other fellow. I tell you I'm pretty tired-didn't notice it till I came down stairs-but I'm anxious to get that job done.

Got two letters from you today dear. One was for'ded from Golconda. Telegraph comes in pretty handy and from tone of your letters, it has "saved my bacon" several times. I try to keep up my end of the correspondence dear but sometimes it's awful hard to find time or material, so must resort to the wire. 

Now what have I done to call forth a "roasting" from your auntie and you?

No I've never read any of Hiteliens' works so you'll have to tell me about "Bella Donna," if you want me to know.

Alright dear,----if possible----I'll take your advice and not get discouraged, or feel blue, or worry, or "nuffin." And I'm glad everything is going to be lovely and you're sure of it and that you are all much interested and are very fond of me and especially you dear, so I'll accept the stacks of love you've sent and look for more.

Always yours only

Frank

February 29th, 1916

Letters from Grandpa 24 January 1916

Box 162
Elko, Nevada

Miss Allene S. Kelley,
1020~15th St.,
Modesto
California

And it's quite a relief to me, Allene Dear, to know you are getting my epistles. This evening's mail bro't your letter~the second today~ which causes me to apologize for my complaint of this morning,~if you considered it a complaint.

You've not missed it a bit dear when you think Golconda a poor,~unfascinating, gloomy place to sit around in in winter. I'd rather be in jail,~I think. They claim three or four hundred population. I don't know where they are. About all I've seen besides a few, very few people, is the post office, two hotels, two stores, a lot of saloons, a livery barn, a garage, a few vacant buildings of various sorts and a few residences.

So you've noticed something strange, wierd [sic], about that picture? Well that is strange, dear. Do you suppose it is a freak picture or a picture of a freak? Maybe that ring the photographer put under my right eye has something to do with it. Next time I have a sitting I'm going to get a negative that suits me or "there'll be no" prints, and I'm going to be particular too.

I'm glad dear, my letter made your "auntie" quite happy. What in the world was it I said that bro't forth all those nice remarks you made about it? I know I was very particular, also guarded, as to what I did say in that letter 'cause she's such a nice lady I wanted to please her and leave a good impression.

Don't get too impatient dear. The pictures haven't shown up yet, altho' it's time they did. Soon's they are rec'd I'll send 'em on to you.

Why the idea of you wondering if I've shaved since we started and the nerve of you to express that wonderment! Sometime I'll show you a picture of myself,~the way I look when I don't shave,~ but not now.


Nighty night, dearest.

Always yours
Frank
~~~~~
Jan. 24~9 P.M.